Q&A with Havlick

1. Why are you running for office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? What will be your main priority in office?

Government works best with balanced, two-party representation, so I decided to run when I realized all 18 DuPage County Board members were Republicans. Left without a full voice are 75-80 percent of our people who are either Democrats, don't vote, aren't registered, or aren't adults. We must confront head-on this general lack of public interest and civic involvement in the issues and affairs of county government.

As main priority, I will urge the community to promote greater civic involvement by communicating more aggressively with the public, especially with the less fortunate who have serious needs but know little or nothing about county services or how to access them. This will require me to represent, speak out forcefully, for a coherent, moderate Democratic perspective on the ideas and concerns of people in my district, with special attention to the needs of the less fortunate. I'll get more specific as I continue to study the County Board's current work, its complex revenue system, and its 45 different service agencies and departments.

2. What contributions would you seek to make if elected?

To best utilize my interests, skills, and background, I will seek committee assignments to work in detail with issues in human services, economic development, and long range planning.

I will seek to improve services to world-class status in areas of public safety, public transportation, public education, and public health, all in a context of personal, interpersonal, and civic responsibility for services received. DuPage County needs a world-class public university.

I will seek dramatic new economic development that enables us to pay for these services with our own hard work through fair taxes on good wages from local enterprises newly energized with strong DuPage County branding in local, regional, national, and world marketplaces. We should exploit our unique positioning for leadership in developing alternate sources of energy.

3. What are your thoughts on how to best make use of revenue from the county sales tax increase approved by the state legislature? What should be done with any surplus from the sales tax increase?

Restore public services cut during the financial crisis, then build and invest for a strong reserve.

4a. Should candidates for county board and other elected officials accept campaign contributions from companies that do business, with county? If so, why? If not, why not, and how should this issue be addressed?

In principle, no, of course not, but the real facts of political campaigns today make that blanket answer unrealistic. Public financing of campaigns would be the ultimate answer, but is not likely at this time in DuPage County. Well-established incumbents with existing large contributions will no likely support total reform, but we can start by developing realistic reform goals.

4b. List any contributions you received from county vendors:

None.

5. With the high price of gasoline, what can the county board do to improve energy efficiency in government operations? What, if anything, should the county board do to encourage expanded mass transit options in the county?

Continue many good initiatives already in place. Use federal and state money available to support better communication of local opportunities for home, business, and public conservation, including a systematic ride-sharing program. Improve public transportation by making it more comprehensive and more visible. Give property tax credits for buildings that use solar energy or other alternative methods of energy. Continue and upgrade cooperation with the RTA and its various bodies.

6. What are your thoughts on the Canadian National Railway's proposal to purchase the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railway Co. in order to reroute some freight-train traffic from Chicago and the inner suburbs?

I sympathize that many western suburbs dislike the idea, just as Bensenville dislikes the O'Hare expansion, but we must evaluate such changes in their wider regional context. Our whole economy rests on Chicago's role as North America's transportation hub. We must balance the burden appropriately, of course, but it's unreasonable to move some traffic from higher traffic areas to lower traffic areas, all with the highest feasible standards of public safety and convenience. Any changes must enhance, and never diminish, public access to rapid transit. Also remember, railroads take long distance trucks and cars off local roads.