Julie Renehan: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Julie Renehan

City: Hinsdale, Illinois

Website: JulieRenehan.com

Twitter: @RenehanD3

Facebook: Julie Renehan for DuPage County Board

Office sought: DuPage County Board, representing District 3

Age: 49

Family: Husband, Dan; Children Sarah (23), Will (21) and Caroline (18); Dog Chester. Sarah graduated from SMU and works in Dallas. Will is a senior at Vanderbilt University and Caroline is a freshman at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Vanderbilt University, B.A. in English Literature and French Language and Literature; Washington University in St. Louis Law School, J.D.; Certified Professional in Human Resources (SHRM)

Civic involvement: ABA Veterans Claims Assistance Network; Pro Bono Network volunteer attorney and Board member providing legal assistance to low income individuals on projects including DACA, Divorce, Incarcerated Women's Project and Illinois Legal Answers Online; Jr. League of Kane & DuPage County Board, Parliamentarian & State Public Affairs Chair; Hinsdale Jr. Women's Club legislative chair; Miles for Melanoma fundraiser, Pi Beta Phi fraternity alumni; Vanderbilt University college interviewer; DuPage County Bar Ass'n; Hinsdale Village Caucus Selection Committee; District 181 PTO; Election Judge; Voting Registrar; Precinct Committeeman.

Elected offices held: No elected office in government.

In nonprofits: Current Pro Bono Network Board member, former Divorce Project Chair, DuPage ad hoc committee,

Board member, Parliamentarian and State Public Affairs Chair-Jr. League of Kane & DuPage County.

Many committee chair positions held with Hinsdale Jr. Women's Club, PTO.

Vice President Mental of Pi Beta Phi fraternity, Vanderbilt University.

Editor, Washington University Law School Urban & Contemporary Law Journal

Questions & Answers

1. Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running for county board as an evolution of my commitment to community and public service. After volunteering from PTO to Girl Scout cookie mom, to voting registrar to lobbying representative in a women's organization, to various committee chairs to precinct committeeman, I took service to another level using my legal degree to provide pro bono legal aid to low income individuals via the Pro Bono Network and Veterans' Claim Assistance Network. I have tested the waters of service and have much more to offer to my community and believe we are in desperate need to find new solutions to county issues with voices that represent the county with diversity of experience and compassion. Specifically, in addition to the obvious diversity I bring to the table as a woman and a Democrat, I bring a focus on "how do we serve the needs of our least fortunate residents-seniors, veterans, mentally ill, opioid addicted-when the county budget is increasingly unbalanced?" We need representation that is listening to and better representing all of our residents.

The issue that motivates me and must motivate all of us is the budget - how to better allocate funds, how to set priorities and how to respect hard-earned taxpayer dollars without raising the already heavy property tax burden. DuPage County is at a crossroads - with an aging infrastructure, more poverty, more crime, more behavioral health issues and less funding from state and federal sources than ever before and people and businesses are leaving our county. I am concerned that if we are to stop this exodus and to maintain a "DuPage" quality of life with high standards for infrastructure and resident services, we must change the status quo. For too long, the board has rewarded government and insiders at the expense of maintaining and improving infrastructure and resident services. I am motivated to drill down into the budget to cut waste, increase transparency and grow business in order to build a better DuPage County.

2. If you are an incumbent, describe two important initiatives you've led. If you're not an incumbent, describe two ways you would contribute to the board.

I will contribute to the board by insisting on maximizing tax dollars by cutting bureaucratic waste in the budget and by stimulating business opportunities for DuPage business and job growth.

Unfortunately, for too long, our county has been run more as a private corporation that offers executive benefits instead of a public entity run by and for the benefit of its residents. As a pro bono attorney and nonprofit board member, I bring experience as to how to get more work done for more people when resources are limited-which is much needed given the strained county budget. I bring focus to the board that hard-earned tax dollars should be returned to residents in county services and infrastructure, not wasted on status quo bloat. Per specific cost savings contributions, I would advocate that the board prohibit all part-time elected officials from participating in the already stressed pension system. Second, car allowances and insurance benefits for these elected officials should be discontinued. I was surprised to see the county has a policy regarding when the board can rent a private air carrier. I would cut this perk. I would challenge the board practice of hiring lobbyists and have the board perform this duty. As an attorney with human resources experience, I recommend reform on political appointment pay and contract procurement practices.

It is imperative that DuPage County shore up its economic stability based on its chief source of revenue, sales tax. With McDonald's being lured to Chicago, costing DuPage County a loss of thousands of jobs and property and sales tax associated with those jobs, I would activate an effort to the find a business leader to fill the economic hole. I have been an integral part of Pro Bono Network growing its legal aid outreach in DuPage County and I understand how to create positive change. For example, I would bolster Argonne lab as a springboard for economic growth in DuPage. As the first national research institute in the United States and a leader in energy research and development, I would spearhead an initiative to bring more technology based company near the lab to participate in and take advantage of the lab's outreach to private corporations, small business and government. Argonne is in an "Illinois Technology and Research Corridor" but this could be the Silicon Valley of Illinois - attracting hotels, restaurants and tech businesses to the area - bringing revenue and a competitive advantage to DuPage business All signs point to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) as the key to global business advantage and nowhere in DuPage County is there more opportunity to underscore this than in and around Argonne.

3. Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

More effective Behavioral health services are needed as stress, despair, sadness and pain are taking too many of our neighbors' lives through addiction, overdose and suicide. According to the DuPage County Coroner, 95 DuPage residents died of heroin and other opioid overdose in 2017-almost double the amount from 2015. The DuPage Health Department, working with local officials, law enforcement and private clinicians, has recently been tasked with a program to prevent and treat addiction and mental health, but, seeing as though the problem only intensifies, I would consider it "lacking." Increased outreach through these partners is needed - both with private health care to regulate addictive prescriptions and to screen for mental health crises. Prevention and treatment should be prioritized at the local level. Continued services at the jail for inmates has been positive and that program should be strengthened and perhaps replicated as a social service.

These issues are of utmost importance to the health of our community and should be funded accordingly; in the 2018 budget only $100,000 was designated for the opioid crisis. Eliminating paid political appointments to county committees would free up at least $500,000 a year to help fund. Cutting pensions and health care for part time elected officials would help fund. Also, some funding from jail or probation budgets could be used as crimes associated with behavioral health are funneled away from criminal justice to treatment.

4. With DuPage County's budget being squeezed by state funding cuts and other factors, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

State reductions are hurting County budgets with a $3 million in reduction due to the RTA administrative fee increase and funding shorts. To increase revenue, I support initiatives to build and strengthen DuPage County businesses which bring in our number one source of revenue- sales tax. We have a highly educated workforce, strong schools and provide a high quality of life, however, we have seen businesses like McDonald's corporation being lured to other counties or out of state. We must work with private entities and determine their needs-whether they be tax or regulatory in nature- in order to keep and grow business here; we cannot afford to lose their economic contribution to sales and property tax income and the overall strength of our business community. I also support a tobacco tax to fund county works. Raising property tax is not the answer at this time.

To save money, I support vetting County contracts in a more objective way for cost savings and improved fairness. I support fewer no bid contracts. There should not be an easy way to sidestep contract vetting. Contracts are currently awarded according on a system where the winner is the most highly ranked based on a set of subjective criteria. There is little explanation for the criteria other and no requirement of cost benefits analysis. I support reducing the almost $300,000 spent annually lobbying annually by at least half. Reduce Board members benefits and continued consolidation of county departments and committees. Around $500,000 a year is spent on political appointee pay and benefits; serving the County should be an honor in and of itself, I would rather see this spent on vital County services and would reduce with eye to eliminating these perks. Examine township expenses and consider further consolidation.

5. The county has been focused on consolidation of services and government agencies. How effective has that effort been and how could it be improved?

The county's work on consolidation is marketed to impress, but it is another case of the board overselling its work. For example, while the referendum to consolidate the Election Commission with the County Clerk's Office has been touted as a possibly huge accomplishment in 2018, the fact is that is has been a watchdog issue for many years and the cost savings may not matriculate due to the complexities of combining the governmental units. It is my understanding that no substantial reduction in employees will occur. So this board's "consolidation" is just another way to do the same math and lacks a real cost benefit. Bottom line, the county missed a balance budget last year and is on target for more of the same even as DuPage population declines.

To better streamline and consolidate government, I recommend that the county board limit its proliferation of political appointments to committees and consider a reduction in the number of Board members per District from 3 to 2. An examination of the need for the township level of government is overdue to determine whether we are getting enough value out of this layer of government to afford continuance, or is it duplicative?

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

Above all, District 3 residents, like all DuPage residents, are concerned about high property taxes. State reductions are hurting county budgets and people are wondering how the shortfall will impact them - will county board members look to increase property tax and what that will mean to my household budget? Can I afford to stay in DuPage County or is it even worth it to keep paying the high tax rate? What am I really getting in vital county services for this tax cost?

The county must be passionate on budgetary issues and become a better steward of hard-earned tax dollars - aggressively cutting government waste and strengthening our sales tax base through business growth. If county board members can lead on financial issues, respect taxpayer dollars and use them wisely to support vital resident services and not waste them on bureaucratic status quo, they can safeguard quality of life, give residents security and strengthen our community without adding tax burden.

7. Please name one current leader who most inspires you.

Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington, inspires me for her tireless work on affordable child care - a pivotal family, community and national issue.

8. What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?

When we help others in need, we strengthen our community for all-whether it be volunteering time or talent, giving blood, just getting involved.

9. If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?

There was a trip I wanted to go on with both of my parents but didn't get to when my dad passed away.

10. What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?

French. It wasn't my best subject, but it showed me how to enjoy "the learning," not just getting the grade. I even majored in college.

11. If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?

Keep on going; it's never too late. The United States champions reinvention and the underdog. Get back on the horse and go for your goal.