Forest preserve still bears watching

The election is over and, for most positions, the incumbents remain comfortably ensconced.

I didn't win the election; I'm sad about that. But I did win in many other ways. The support of volunteers, contributors, family and friends was amazing. Their cheerful hard work kept me going. And I am humbled by citizens who came out to support me with 40 percent of the vote. Thank you all for your hard work.

Nov. 3 was not a magic wand: The problems that prompted me to run for commissioner of District 6 on the DuPage Forest Preserve board are still with us. Genuine reform is still needed: Property tax increases, ethics violations, taking campaign contributions from vendors, and ignoring responsibility for flood control are just some of the issues that must still be addressed.

In these chaotic national times, local government has a greater obligation to be fiscally solvent and responsive to the needs of citizens. The forest preserve board is a large part of our local government; this obligation extends to them. It is, once again, up to us all of us to hold the board accountable to their mission of stewarding our tax dollars and protecting our open land.

As a result of my campaign, our voices have begun to be heard. Now it is up to us to grow what began as a murmur of discontent into a shout that cannot be ignored. I intend to continue fighting to protect our open space and our tax dollars. If you care about the environment and want better government, I invite you to join me in this effort. Come to the forest preserve board meetings, visit my website for updates on issues, or send me an e-mail with your concerns. I'd love to hear from you.

Shannon M Burns

West Chicago