Ray Flavin: 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: WoodstockWebsite: www.rayflavinforstatesattorney.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry County State's Attorney Age: 55Family: Wife MelissaSon DavidDaughter KellySon DerekOccupation: AttorneyEducation: B.S. Healthcare ManagementM.A. ManagementJ.D.Civic involvement: Past President Consumer Credit Counseling.Vice President Sonatas HOAElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers McHenry County will have a new state's attorney for the first time since 2004. In what ways do your see yourself reshaping or redefining the office?In 2004 crime and arrests were significantly higher than they were today. The office staffing was lower than it is today. In the last 12 years the office staff have become bloated while crime has dropped significantly both locally and nationally. My first priority will be to bring staffing levels in-line with the reduced work load. By streamlining courtroom procedures I can reduce staff and save taxpayer's money without affecting the safety of the citizens or the quality of the office work product.I want this to be a leaner more responsive office.How important is length of residency in the county to the qualifications of State's Attorney?Extremely. I'm a member of my HOA, a member of the local Moose lodge, and have deep ties to the community fostered through decades of experience. The sake of the county should not be carried on the back of somebody who moved to Crystal Lake just to live in the county for the election and may be looking to flee for the next political opportunity. My dedication to the county is deeper than politics as my children and grandchildren live here and I'm driven to ensure a bright future for them as well.How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If you consider it adequate, please explain why. If you think improvements are needed, please describe them and how you would achieve them.It's terrible. The office has suffered a number of embarrassing losses it has refused to explain to the taxpayers. Why was the Woodstock officer who sought illicit pictures from an under-aged minor not charged with grooming? Why have so many murder cases been over-turned on appeal? Why was the internal investigation of one the of the assistant state's attorney's for domestic battery never released? Why are there so many politically motivated prosecutions?While it is important to office operations to maintain a degree of tactical silence, being transparent means not using that tactical silence to save face.Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the state's attorney's office. Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expense or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?The office is over-staffed based on current work levels. There is no doubt about that. I plan to bring staffing levels in-line with the actual caseload resulting in a savings of over $600,000 per year.While my opponent believes that will result in over-working the staff, his solution to eliminate work assigned to private firms will result in a similar increased case-load on existing staff with a lower cost saving to taxpayers.Many of the assistants currently in the office are making thousands more than they would in private practice, and salaries need to be re-aligned as well.Please list any elected office you've ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?I ran for McHenry County judge in 2000, Illinois State Senate in 2002 and McHenry County State's Attorney in 2004. I did not win any of those elections, but I have continued to live uninterrupted here and strive each day to make it a better place.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Veteran's court. There really isn't one, currently. My opponent will tell you that one currently exists but is not utilized for a variety of bad reasons, yet he's done nothing as the First Assistant to change that. As a Navy vet, I empathize with the struggle of veterans and will revamp the program and help those who most deserve it.Integrity. The office is mired with political prosecutions, over-turned murders, and poor decision making in and outside of the courtroom. This has cost the taxpayers millions. I will end the political prosecutions and demand accountability from staff.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Richard Branson.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?You can accomplish giant things if you just do them one step at a timeIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would save my father from the car crash that killed himWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Biology. It helps me enjoy nature.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be yourself, it is a waste of time and your feelings to try and be something that you are not.