Sandy Hart: 2022 candidate for Lake County Board District 13

Bio

Party: Democratic

Office sought: Lake County Board District 13

City: Lake Bluff

Age: 54

Occupation: Chair, Lake County Board

Previous offices held: Incumbent; before this I served on the Lake Bluff Park District board

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

A: I am running for reelection because I love living in Lake County. It has been my family's home for over 22 years. I'm proud of the work we've done during COVID to protect small businesses and keep people safe and healthy. I am determined to focus on residents' priorities. We will continue to find efficiencies to hold the line on property taxes as we've done for the last three years under my leadership as chair. Continuing to invest in much-needed infrastructure improvements to attract and retain businesses, reduce traffic, and protect properties from flooding is critical to keep Lake County vibrant and successful. Caring for those who live with mental illness remains a critical issue for me, and while I'm proud of the expansion of mental health services, we can and must do more, particularly for young people who are struggling. Lastly, I will remain focused on improving public safety/combating gun violence by collaborating with local law enforcement and the state's attorney's office.

Q: If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

A: Since I became chair of the board we have kept the property taxes flat for the last three years for the first time in over two decades. We've increased transparency and accountability by eliminating credit cards for county board members, providing video recordings of our meetings, and required disclosure of familial relationships for contractors. We have partnered with Independence Center to provide a drop off center for people in mental health crisis. We prioritized efficiency and consolidated the Recorder of Deeds and Clerk's Office and dissolved other outdated taxing bodies. We now have a countywide paratransit system for seniors and people with disabilities. We have increased funding for the Veterans Assistance Commission. We are investing more in infrastructure to reduce traffic congestion and protect properties from flooding.

We are working with the SAO to combat gun violence through the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative. We are prioritizing shared services to reduce costs.

Q: Given the recent history of flat tax levies, do you think the county/forest preserve have done good jobs of budgeting or do you see specific area that can be improved?

A: I am proud of the work we've done to hold the line on property taxes and improve the budget policies since I became chair. I pushed for policies to stop budgeting for vacancies that are unlikely to be filled, resulting in a more accurate picture of our true costs. We also began budgeting for long term capital instead of "sweeping" excess dollars, giving far greater transparency into the county's capital needs. We are adding an internal audit function to improve financial controls. I am pressing to centralize more of the county's operations, particularly in human resources and finance to ensure every department is following best practices. We are constantly assessing our operations to ensure we right-size our government to meet the changing needs of our residents and workforce. While Lake County government and forest preserves makes up approx. 9% of the tax bill, I'm proud of the services we deliver, and we will continue to be fiscally responsible with tax dollars into the future.

Q: Would you support putting a referendum on the ballot for voters to decide if they wish to issue new bonds to preserve open spaces, restore habitats, create more trails and upgrade forest preserves?

A: Yes, I support a referendum to ask voters if they would like to protect and restore more land. A recent countywide survey showed that Lake County residents highly value their forest preserves and want more investment in preserves, trails, and facilities and for us to focus on the restoration of habitat for native wildlife and plants. Lake County has more endangered and threatened species than any other county in Illinois, so providing green corridors to support biodiversity is incredibly important. Our forest preserves also play a critical role in managing flooding across our county. A one-acre parcel of wetlands can hold the equivalent of 1.5 million gallons of water. By preserving and restoring land, we use natural green infrastructure to provide recreation, create habitat, and save money to protect homes and businesses from catastrophic flooding. The 2008 referendum was supported by 2/3 of the voters. In the end, it is up to the voters to determine if this is something they value.

Q: What is the single most important issue facing your district and how should the county address it?

A: Residents tell me that they are concerned about high property taxes and the flooding that is closing roads and putting homes and businesses at risk. While Lake County government and the forest preserves only make up less than 10% of the average property tax bill, I'm proud that Lake County government hasn't increased property taxes for the last three years, and we will continue to create more shared services, find efficiencies in service delivery, and dissolve more outdated taxing districts to reduce the overall tax burden. I support an asset utilization study to ensure we are prepared for the future needs of our workforce and to look into new technologies that may enable us to reduce our footprint and operating costs. Flooding is an enormous problem and is predicted to get worse. Lake County SMC received over $120 million in state and federal dollars to combat flooding and we will continue to work with partners to protect properties from current and future stormwater damage.

Q: Lake County officials want public feedback on how to spend portions of some $135 million in leftover federal pandemic funding. What are your thoughts on how the money ought to be spent?

A: First, it is very important that we use these dollars, where possible, to make transformational change across Lake County. I have always advocated for increasing behavioral health services, and the feedback we received showed a strong desire that we invest in public health and in particular, mental health. The demand for these services are skyrocketing, particularly among young people. An expansion of behavioral health services is necessary and we can use ARPA funds to build capacity. I also support the use of ARPA funds for public safety, like our gun violence prevention initiative, and to provide a permanent shelter for people experiencing homelessness. First mile/last mile transportation has been a need for many years and I want to partner with transportation agencies to help people get to and from work. We are fortunate to have groups of experts to help us determine the best way to meet needs while ensuring the monies are used effectively and within the Treasury guidelines.