Michelle Gale: 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: Glendale HeightsWebsite: votemichellegale.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: DuPage County Auditor Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Married. My husband Alfredo is an oral surgeon.Occupation: Non-profit directorEducation: MA Law - University of London, SOASCivic involvement: Precinct Committee-person. Plaintiff in lawsuit against Chicago Board of Elections (Kerlin et.al. V. Chicago Board of Elections).Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?My personal and professional life have focused strongly on social justice. Running for auditor is my way of creating a more just world. In the non-profit sector, how money is spent determines whether a problem is solved or worsened. I decided to run for auditor because I know that as a non-profit manager, I can bring humanity to the office. I know that every dollar counts for mothers and fathers in DuPage, but our Online Checkbook has not been updated since 2014. This is incomprehensible. When dealing with other people's money, we must be entirely transparent.What special qualifications does a county auditor need that may not apply to other county offices? What professional qualifications or experiences do you possess that will help ensure your success as auditor?The auditor shouldn't be treated as a political position, but a job where integrity is central to its execution. As a non-profit director, I know that good financial management is essential. I have a masters in law, bachelors degrees in political science and international relations, and a strong focus on corruption and economics. I audited the Chicago Board of Elections (CBOE) in March/April. I am a director of the Green Economics Institute, registered NGO observer of the United Nations UNFCCC, editor of over 30 books, founder of an international women's organization fighting poverty, director of development at a local non-profit.To what extent must an auditor remain independent of other county offices and officials, and how will you ensure the appropriate level of independence in this office?Independence is everything. The auditor must be independent in every way. The auditor shouldn't even be elected, but selected by an external and independent committee. As auditor, I will keep the Online Checkbook updated come hell or high-water, and pursue every opportunity to expand transparency and observability. We need outsiders in this position, people who aren't part of the political establishment. There is a huge moral imperative to managing money transparently. I will organize a diverse team of advisors from outside of the political arena to oversee the office of the auditor, ensuring transparency and providing oversight to the office.Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the auditor'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?Improving systems will be essential, and I will do a comprehensive audit of the resources available and how we can improve efficiency and transparency, eliminate redundancies and find ways to improve the impact of the office by strengthening its staff and their tools. The auditor's office should lead the way in maintaining a healthy and balanced budget. I would work to create an atmosphere of openness, where staff would know that their input is valued. I would create a team of advisors, working closely with other auditors across Illinois, to ensure that we use methods that have been proven successful.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 am currently an appointed precinct committee-person. I am not a career politician but rather a concerned and highly-qualified citizen running to straighten out the County's spending so DuPage residents like myself can sleep a little better at night.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I believe any elected official should be as hardworking and committed to protecting the assets of citizens as the citizens themselves are. I'm passionate about getting Big Money out of politics. I believe the individual citizen's voice should be louder than any corporation's. I believe that while our brave American men and women have fought for our freedoms throughout history, our citizen's right and duty is to vote and speak out against injustice, and when we see a problem, to either support a candidate fixing the problem or to run for office ourselves. And that is why I'm running now.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bernie SandersWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To fight for justiceIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?ListeningWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Stop for the person in front of you.