Jesse White: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: ChicagoWebsite: www.jessewhite2014.comOffice sought: Secretary of state Age: 80Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Illinois Secretary of StateEducation: B.S. Alabama State College (now Alabama State University)Civic involvement: Founder of the Jesse White Tumbling Team (55 years) The Emergency FundElected offices held: Illinois Secretary of State (15 years) Cook County Recorder of Deeds (6 years) Illinois State Representative (16 years)Questions Answers How would you streamline your office's duties to save the state money?My administration is committed to continue using taxpayer dollars wisely. The Secretary of State's budget has remained flat for several years. The General Revenue Fund portion of my office's Fiscal Year 2015 budget is nearly $1 million less than my office's GRF portion in Fiscal Year 2010. We will continue to use technology as an ally to improve the delivery of services offered throughout my office in areas such as Drivers and Vehicle Services, as well many other departments, including Business Services, Securities, Index, Organ Donation and the State Library. This in turn will further help save the state money.What is something the office could be doing now that it isn't?Technology is constantly changing and evolving, and I believe this is an area that we must continue to explore to make additional improvements. We are in the process of developing an app for Smartphones so customers can access my office's services from their mobile devices. We have been creative in offering services online to customers. Last year, my office's Web site was accessed over 480 million times by the public. In that same year, internet transactions in my office accounted for over $155 million, an increase of nearly 300 percent in just seven years ($41 million in 2006).What in your background makes you qualified for a specialized office like this?My record as secretary of state for the past 15 years, and the accomplishments we have achieved while in office. Wait times in Driver Services facilities are shorter than ever before. The culture of the office, once beset by scandal and corruption, has been overhauled and changed to one that vigorously pursues and roots out any form of wrongdoing or unethical behavior. The roads of Illinois are among the safest in the nation. In addition, my career prior to becoming Illinois Secretary of State gives me unique qualifications for this office.What should Illinois be doing to make the roads safer?Since I took office in 1999, I have worked to help make the roads of Illinois as safe as possible. While we have had successes in this regard â#8364;#8220; Illinois is considered a national leader in traffic safety â#8364;#8220; I believe we can still make improvements. I want to expand the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) program even further to include second- and third-time offenders. Since we expanded it to include first-time DUI offenders in 2009, DUI deaths in Illinois have dropped by 24 percent. BAIID works because it prevents cars from being driving by drunk drivers.Should license, license plate and other fees be raised to pay for infrastructure upgrades?No. I believe people pay enough already. The Illinois General Assembly has a difficult job in which it must find ways to fund state government and pay for infrastructure upgrades. But the fact of the matter is, the General Assembly has raised fees in my office, including license and license plates, against my objection.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?In the above we have discussed improving road safety, upgrading customer service and restoring integrity to an office once beset by scandal. I would add to this important list the Organ and Tissue Donor program. Illinois has one of the largest organ and tissue donor registries in the nation at 5.6 million participants. Yet, in our state alone, 5,000 people are on the waiting list each year and 300 die because organs haven't arrived in a timely manner. I will remain dedicated to raising public awareness and growing the registry so everything can get a second chance at life.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.The most influential people in my life are deceased. These include my parents, George Dunne, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., my minister in college.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Work hard, be honest, help people, never give up, love your fellow man and woman, give back to society, and don't ever discriminate.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?The setbacks I experienced in life were learning opportunities that ultimately helped me become the person I am today.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Physical Education. I became a physical education teacher, and then the coach and founder of the Jesse White Tumbling Team.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Do something good for someone every day.