Paul DeMichele: 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: BensenvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: DuPage County board District 1 Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Married with childrenOccupation: RetiredEducation: BS in Mathematics from Roosevelt University MBA from Loyola University - Chicago Certified Information Systems AuditorCivic involvement: Veteran - Illinois National Guard Oakdale Woods Homeowners Association President Elmhurst Baseball Association Coach, Manager, Sponsor Elmhurst Community Effort - Red Ribbon Week Chairman Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce - Treasurer and Director - Drug Free Workplace Elmhurst PTA Council President Member of Addison, Bensenville, Elmhurst, and Wood Dale Chambers of Commerce Elmhurst Citizen's Police Academy Powers Lake District CommissionerElected offices held: Republican Committeeman Addison Township Trustee Addison Township Representative - O'Hare Soundproofing Elmhurst District 205 School Board 18th Judicial Circuit Guardian Monitor-Auditor Bensenville Fire District 1 Trustee Illinois Tollway Local Area Council - I-390Questions 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?No other candidate has the knowledge or experience in dealing with both the opportunities and problems O'Hare Airport expansion brings to DuPage County Board District 1. I have served as an Addison Township Trustee on the Township Soundproofing Committee. I have served on the Elgin-O'Hare Local Area Council to save, promote, and expand businesses in District 1 affected by O'Hare. I strongly support Western Access. I strongly support additional soundproofing.What is your stance on county board members' pay? Too high, too low, just right? Would you propose any changes?I am treating County Board membership as a full-time position. I have done county work as a volunteer and have absorbed those expenses over the years without reimbursement. The existing County Board has allocated a salary of $52,102 annually. I could not speak to the appropriateness of this figure without having worked in this position. I would not suggest making any changes without having been in the office.With DuPage County's budget being squeezed by the state funding reductions, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?3.2 billion dollars is being spent by the Illinois Tollway for the construction of I-390/Elgin-O'Hare. To maximize that investment, we must get Western Access to O'Hare. Million of dollars of new revenue will be generated for our schools, municipalities, and the County with the positive redevelopment I-390 and Western Access will bring to District 1. As a County Board Member, I will pursue Western Access and work with Elmhurst, Bensenville, Wood Dale, Itasca, Addison, Bloomingdale, and Roselle to minimize the negative quality of life impacts O'Hare expansion has already caused and maximize and promote long term economic growth. This new revenue will more than offset any state funding reductions.What are your thoughts about the county's Accountability, Consolidation and Transparency Initiative? What role should DuPage play in efforts to streamline and consolidate local government?I strongly support consolidation of local fire districts. As a Trustee of Bensenville Fire District 1, we contracted with Bensenville District 2 and the Elmhurst Fire Department to provide ambulance and fire protection services to the unincorporated residences. Fire dispatch services should also be consolidated. I do not believe each separate fire district needs a multi-story capable hook-and-ladder truck. I also believe library districts should be consolidated. Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be saved by switching to regional administration.What initiatives, if any, do you have in mind for your specific county board district?I have been on a tollway commission for some time, and we are working with PACE to provide routes for the last mile transportation along the I-390/Elgin-O'Hare Tollway. This will help businesses develop as they get employees who do not have vehicles to get to their place of work. I have worked with the State's Attorney, the Regional Office of Education, the Coroner, and local law enforcement on substance abuse prevention programs. Substance abuse has become a problem in DuPage because of our affluence. We have come up with alternatives to prosecution to help stem the tide, but prevention is less expensive than prosecution.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I have attended Senior luncheons and talked to people who don't realize how many programs we have to help them. I would look to broadcasting more information on existing programs. As to other initiatives, I would tell you that on other boards I have handled projects as I became aware of them. While on the Addison Township Board, I implemented a new phone system to avoid a Y2K failure of the existing system. While on a Lake District Board, I worked with the local town to dredge a channel that permitted boat travel between two points of the lake. I see the County exploding in this environment with new construction, development, and transportation.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Judy Baar Topinka for her honesty, integrity, and leadership. A real down-to-earth person.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?How hard my parents had to work to bring me up.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would like to have spent more time with my kids as they were growing up.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math. It helped me develop logical thinking and problem solving abilities.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Stop and smell the roses.