Yesterday, the Naperville Sun reports the DuPage County Board voted 13 - 4 to increase the power of the DuPage County Board Chairman (Board members voting against: Kyle Gilgis of Downers Grove, Debra Olson of Wheaton, Robert Schroeder of Naperville and Brien Sheahan of Elmhurst). The rules make it harder to override the Chair’s veto (requiring a 3/5 vote instead of a simple majority) and permit the Chair to hire a lawyer and dissolve committees. The rules also move DuPage County closer home rule, a status that gives the county more powers and normally requires voters vote for it in a referendum.
If you thought that restructuring DuPage County government to give more power to it’s Chair, Robert Schillerstrom, would merit serious consideration of elected County Board members, you would be wrong. Some did not see the proposal until the day before they voted on it.
As Downers Grove’s Kyle Gilgis, who voted against the rules she received on Friday said, “If it is complicated and is controversial, we should take time with it.”
Some County Board members disagree, including those that claim that this rush to consolidate power in Schillerstrom’s hands is checked by Board members. Board member James Zay of Carol Stream said, “[W]e have made it so now there are checks and balances. Everything [Bob Schillerstrom] does, we basically have a check against him.” Bob agreed, saying, “It is clear from these rules that the County Board members run the county.”
Does this rushed process that treats changing county government with less consideration than many high school students put into a homework assignment sound like our elected Board members are in charge? And if this is how our elected County Board members act when they are in charge, should they be?
Robert Schillerstrom is against the idea of a referendum on the powers he won yesterday, saying that such a public vote of confidence was ill-advised. His position isn’t surprising. Bob Schillerstrom doesn’t believe that he is accountable to DuPage voters on issues of DuPage government power and structure. Should DuPage County voters permit Robert Schillerstrom be in charge if this is how he acts?
DuPage voters might want to consider these issues when they vote for County Board members again in 2006. Do they want to be represented, or forgotten? The choice is at the ballot box.
Post a Comment