Democrats running for DuPage County auditor talk about their vision for the office
One of the Democrats running for DuPage County auditor is promising to bring creative ideas to the position, while the other says the office needs new leadership.
In two weeks, Democratic primary voters will decide whether Bruce Fogerty of Wheaton or William "Bill" White of Downers Grove should be their party's nominee for auditor. The winner will face the GOP nominee in the November general election. The two Republicans competing in the March 17 primary are incumbent Bob Grogan of Downers Grove and Jeffrey Mack of Downers Grove.
Fogerty says he's running for auditor because the office isn't living up to its full potential.
"In my opinion, the current auditor is not conducting audits in DuPage County in a robust or creative way," said Fogerty, an accounting manager and former college instructor.
The auditor's office evaluates and reports on county operations.
Fogerty, who has 25 years of accounting experience, says DuPage's current auditor "seems to be doing the minimum required by law."
"The reason that's important to the citizens of DuPage County is that operational and financial risk is very real," he said, adding that all county operations should be audited.
If elected, Fogerty said he would publish appropriately redacted audit reports, including the results of operational and financial audits. He's also promising to host open houses and public forums throughout DuPage to educate the public about the auditor's office and its work.
White, meanwhile, said he decided to run for auditor because he believes there could be a transition in DuPage politics. He said Democrats could gain control of the county board in November.
"There's a very good chance we're going to have divided government," White said.
As an attorney who has served on the Downers Grove District 99 school board and on the Downers Grove Village Council, White says he knows how to build consensus. If elected auditor, he says he would work to keep county government focused on efficiency, transparency and "returning fair value" to the taxpayers.
"I believe that the staff of the auditor's office does a pretty good job now," White said. "What's missing is leadership. The current auditor isn't doing everything that can be done to facilitate good government among all of the offices."
White said he would develop a strategic plan in collaboration with other countywide elected officials. He also would offer the help other county departments run more efficiently.
"We've got a good quality of life in DuPage County," he said. "We want to make sure it stays that way."
However, Fogerty said he believes the county auditor should be above politics. He said audits should be conduced in a bipartisan way.
"It's an administrative job," he said, adding the auditor must be "an honest broker on operational and financial deficiencies."