Theresa McClear: 2026 candidate for DuPage County Board District 2 (2-year term)

Bio

Office sought: DuPage County Board District 2 (2-year term)

Party: Republican

City: Hinsdale

Age: 58

Previous offices held: Downers Grove Township Trustee

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running for DuPage County Board to listen, show up, and work toward practical solutions for our community.

While knocking on doors and hosting community events, I have heard from many families about the challenges they face. Parents want safe neighborhoods, strong programs, and better support for children and families. They are concerned about mental health, drugs, online predators, screen addiction, gaps in treatment, access to food and access to services for children with disabilities.

These concerns are personal to me. As a mom with a daughter who has an IEP and a son who has a 504 plan, I understand how important it is for families to have access to programs, resources, and services that help children succeed.

As a PTO parent, I worked with school administrators, parents, and staff to identify challenges and create solutions. I believe in bringing that same approach to the DuPage County Board by listening to residents, bringing people together, and focusing on solutions that strengthen our communities and support our families.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you’ve led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

I am not an incumbent, but I have a strong record of public and community service focused on helping families and delivering practical results.

As a Downers Grove Township Trustee, I helped expand Senior Services, protect essential services, and worked with local schools to host several food drives. These efforts secured thousands of dollars in donations and collected more than three thousand pounds of food for local food pantries.

As a school board member, I helped grow programs serving children with autism from seven students to more than two hundred students, expanding support for families who depend on these services.

I have also worked to support housing for people with disabilities. Alongside a league of women volunteers, I helped organize annual fundraising events that raised more than one million dollars annually and contributed toward the construction of twelve new homes to serve additional people in need.

If elected to the DuPage County Board, I would bring this same focus on collaboration, responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and practical solutions for mental health, disability services, food insecurity, drug treatment, and other essential community needs.

What initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

I would support initiatives that grow our local economy, attract new businesses, and make better use of taxpayer dollars.

To increase revenue, the County Board can work with organizations such as Choose DuPage, local banks, businesses, and contractors to develop long term strategies that attract and retain businesses in DuPage County. A stronger business community can expand our tax base and generate additional sales tax revenue that can help support essential programs and services.

I would also bring my private sector experience to the County Board. While working for an international Fortune 500 company, I helped streamline processes, evaluate suppliers, and develop solutions that saved the company more than one million dollars per month while improving profitability.

As a County Board Member serving on committees, I would use that experience to review spending, listen to residents, identify efficiencies, and develop long term solutions. My goal would be to maximize every tax dollar and find responsible savings without cutting the essential services that residents and families depend on.

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

I believe some of the greatest service needs in DuPage County are mental health, disability services, food insecurity, and addiction treatment.

My approach would begin by listening to residents, schools, service providers, and organizations already doing this work. I would support educational speaker series, annual resource events, and stronger partnerships to make programs easier to find and access.

Funding should begin with a careful review of current county budgets to identify efficiencies, reduce duplication, and expand programs that are working. We should also pursue grants, private funding, endowments, and available county revenue.

If additional funding is needed, I would support a long term plan that clearly outlines the need, cost, expected results, and number of residents served. I would bring that plan to the public, explain the options, and give residents an opportunity to be part of the decision making process.

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

At the local level, our responsibility is to listen to residents, understand their needs, and create practical solutions. It does not matter what party a board member or resident belongs to.

I have had the privilege of attending DuPage County Board meetings, and I believe board members are working together to create solutions for our community.

Our job is to establish a clear process, develop a plan, seek competitive bids, select qualified suppliers, create a responsible budget and schedule, and deliver long term solutions.

The focus should always be on results, accountability, and making sure county services meet the expectations of residents. Good local government requires collaboration, respect, and a willingness to work with everyone.

What is your stance on county board members' pay? Is it too high, too low, or just right? Would you propose any changes?

County Board members are public servants, and our responsibility is to serve residents first. I believe compensation should be reasonable and comparable to similar county positions.

If the workload and responsibilities increase to the point that the position effectively becomes a full time job, then compensation may need to be reviewed. Any increase should be based on the actual duties, time commitment, and responsibilities of the position.

If salaries were proposed to increase by more than 5 percent, I would support a public hearing so residents can understand the reasons for the increase and provide input. I would also support giving the public a greater voice in the decision, including consideration of a referendum when appropriate.

Taxpayers deserve transparency, accountability, and a clear explanation of how compensation decisions are made.

What is the most important issue facing the county in your district and how should it be addressed?

I believe the most important problem facing my district is mental health. When knocking on doors, talking with people at train stations, and attending community meetings, I continue to hear how deeply these challenges affect families. Almost everyone knows someone who has struggled.

Mental health is multifaceted, so our solutions must be as well. We need better access to counseling and addiction treatment, stronger disability services, support for families facing food and housing insecurity, and resources for seniors.

We can also strengthen mental health by supporting families, expanding after school programs, providing teenagers with healthy activities and mentors, and making sure our communities feel safe. We should also create a culture of kindness where everyone feels supported and connected.

Attracting new businesses and creating jobs can help reduce financial stress on families.

My approach is to listen, identify the gaps, build long term solutions, and use taxpayer dollars responsibly.