Cronin on his 'frustrating' year as DuPage County Board chairman

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin started his third term last December by delivering a speech promoting bipartisanship and compromise.

Then reality set it.

Less than two weeks later, some Democratic county board members called on the panel to stop having invocations before its meetings.

"Did I expect they wanted to abolish the prayer right from the beginning?" Cronin said. "No. A lot of it took me by surprise."

Ultimately, the board voted 11-6 to continue the decadeslong practice of inviting religious leaders to conduct invocations before meetings. The decision divided the county board largely along party lines, with six of the seven Democrats opposing the resolution.

The public prayer debate wasn't the board's only partisan fight. Over the past year, Republican and Democratic members have disagreed on everything from appointments and committee assignments to consolidation proposals and bullying claims.

"It hasn't been boring," said Cronin, an Oak Brook Republican. "It's been engaging and, to be honest, it's been frustrating."

The former state senator spent his first eight years as county board chairman presiding over a panel that was dominated by Republicans. But after the November 2018 election, Democrats held seven of the 18 board seats.

There's been more partisan politics as a result, Cronin says.

"I have been in this business a long time," he said. "So I don't have the patience for some of the antics that we've seen on the county board."

Still, Cronin said the board has achieved several major accomplishments in 2019, including approving a balanced budget for fiscal 2020.

"Every budget year is difficult," Cronin said. "I can't change the adjectives enough to explain how it gets more and more challenging each year. Suffice to say, this was the most challenging."

As part of the budget, the county government had to increase its property tax levy for the first time in 12 years. Cronin said the county had to raise revenue because several departments, including the sheriff's office, needed more money to fund their operations.

The sheriff's office was given roughly $46 million, an increase of nearly $900,000. The county clerk office's election division received $5.87 million, including a little more than $2 million to pay for election judges.

The budget also provides funding to replace the county's 40-year-old property tax administration system.

In June, board members put aside their political differences to unanimously approve an ordinance establishing an annual license for adult businesses that provide "on-premises entertainment," including private viewing booths, in unincorporated areas. As part of the licensing program, adult business employees - including managers, bouncers and performers - are required to pass background checks and get county-issued identification cards.

"I like to point to that as a good example of bipartisan cooperation," Cronin said.

Board members repealed the county's ban on video gambling in unincorporated areas. They also approved an ordinance prohibiting recreational cannabis businesses in unincorporated parts of DuPage.

Ongoing consolidation efforts in DuPage continued with the former election commission merging with the county clerk's office.

Now the recorder's office could be merged with the clerk's office in two years.

Voters are expected to consider a binding question about the consolidation proposal in November. But first, the county will have an independent study done to determine whether the idea would benefit the taxpayers. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in the spring.

"I have said many times in the past that we don't consolidate just for the sake of consolidating," Cronin said. "If it (merging the recorder's office) doesn't save money, then there's no real purpose in doing it in my estimation."

In addition to the feasibility study, Cronin said another priority for the county in 2020 will be the census. He said an accurate count is crucial because state and federal officials rely on population data to allocate money to counties and municipalities.

"It's very important that we get it right," Cronin said.

Cronin said he's also "hopeful and confident" the board will run more harmoniously.

Whether that happens in 2020 remains to be seen. Cronin said he's expecting more political "gamesmanship" in the months leading to the November election.

"I believe the partisan stuff gets old," Cronin said. "We have more important business to attend to. I will do everything in my power to keep the county board focused on good government. And I will steer away from partisanship as best as I can. That's my responsibility."