DuPage County Chairman Dan Cronin – Truth trumps propaganda –

DuPage Co. (ECWd) –

As many know, during the election cycle we see a large amount of propaganda coming out by those attempting to secure their power.  Unfortunately, few take the time to grasp the opportunity such propaganda presents, which is exposure of facts.   A recent DuPage County Board Chairman political hit piece dissemination recenty presents such an opportunity. Thank you Dan Cronin.

The front of the hit piece had boxes next to each of the positions Chairman Cronin has taken on matters. Before we expose those fallacies I want to address a very disturbing statement made by the self proclaimed reformist, County Board Chairman Dan Cronin.

“XXXXXX’s opponent in this race is at the center of the strife, dysfunction, waste, and escalating legal costs now paralyzing the college of DuPage Board. Conflict and controversy follow this college of DuPage lawyer wherever he goes. I ask you to keep that element away from our county Board and vote for Michelle More.”  – Dan Cronin 

His comments were directed towards Tim Elliot who is running for County Board in District 4.  When I read that statement it’s clear the intent was not to share any truth with the voters in the district, but instead to provide clear misrepresentations and insinuations that border on outright lies.   Let’s dissect the falsehoods published by Cronin.

“..opponent at the center of the strife dysfunction, waste, and escalating legal costs now paralyzing the College of DuPage Board.”

How convenient he fails to define what “at the center” means.  Anyone that has been attending COD board meetings and paying any attention knows that Tim Elliot, one of many attorneys at COD, is in fact at the center of being the key figure leading the board to the reforms that the voters called for, which is a positive, not the negative, as the hit piece alludes to.

In addition, the strife, dysfunction, waste, and escalating legal costs are NOT what had paralyzed the College of DuPage Board.  Anyone that believes that is living under a rock.  With months of reporting on the boycotting trustees you would have to be a fool to not comprehend that the paralyzed Board was caused by three duly elected officials who refused to attend meetings unless they got their way, which is not the Republic form of government we operate under.

We will address the dysfunction and waste in another dedicated article that will expose the taxpayers paying for Cronin to dine at the Waterleaf, which we all know was a dysfunctional and wasteful operation that the new board and new attorneys are cleaning up. Insinuating that the wrongs of the Breuder era are somehow the fault of Tim Elliot is like taking credit for the fixes at the Water Commission, even though it was done by the previous County Chairman.

“Conflict and controversy follow this college of DuPage lawyer wherever he goes.”

Is it possible that the Republican DuPage County Chairman is getting talking points from the top Democrat in Naperville, Dianne McGuire?  We challenge Cronin to prove the claimed conflict.  COD Trustee McGuire and her cronies tried with ARDC complaints and were rejected on every front because there is no conflict, no matter how many mailers Cronin sends out or how how many times they repeat the lie.

How convenient that Cronin fails to mention that he was a College of DuPage Foundation board member who resigned when federal and state subpoenas were issued to the College and its Foundation.  For a guy claiming to be about reduced spending, it was clear that practice was not in place for the Foundation which he was a board member of.  Many may recall they racked up quite the number of bills at the now shuttered Waterleaf restaurant on the campus of COD.

“I ask you to keep that element away from our county Board….”

That would be great advice for any elected official that has things they don’t want exposed, legal or not.  You see in politics, it’s all about the optics, not the law.  For example, Cronin’s claimed $100,000,000.00 Million savings to the County sounds great, however it simply is not true.  We challenge him to present all the evidence to support that claim, to include the increased rates that were a direct results of certain actions to produce savings.  You see, you can’t claim a savings number without also including the increases the taxpayers are paying.

Let’s look at the optics of Cronin’s hit piece and then expose the truth of the matter, point by point.

• Grow the Economy of DuPage County

I don’t know about most people, but I am of the belief economic growth works best when the government gets out of our way.  It is the private sector’s place to grow the economy, not County Government.

• Stop any County Level Property Tax Increase

How can anyone believe that position in light of the Forbes article published last week entitled: “An Illinois County Clerk Unilaterally Levies Millions of Dollars in Extra Property Taxes” ?  That Cronin approved tax increase cost the taxpayers of DuPage $6.5 Million dollars.  Funny how truth trumps propaganda!

• Further Advance the ACT Initiative (Accountability Consolidation Transparency)

Accountability?  Does that mean he will pay the College of DuPage for the Waterleaf  meals he and his wife participated in?

Consolidation?  You mean like all the new Special Service Areas created under his watch that raised even more tax revenue for him to spend on more government in DuPage County?  I think Representative Ives said it best in this article.

Transparency?  If he believes in transparency, then why after 6 years of being the County Chairman do we not see online posting of records, another claim of what he wants that has yet to be acted on under his leadership.

• Prevent Additional taxes or Fees proposed by Democrats

But disregard those tax increases by Republicans that cost the taxpayers $6.5 Million dollars?  Hypocrisy at its finest!

• Streamline New Business Permitting and Inspection Process

I love this one.  If you need to streamline it then is it out of line to ask why after 6 years of your leadership this has not already been streamlined?  Those two issues, permitting and inspections, are the very core of why economic growth is crippled in this state.  If he has not streamlined this process in 6 years then why should anyone believe this is of any real importance to him?

• Streamline and Condense Social Service Delivery Programs

Again, 6 years of leadership should reflect this has already been done.  Since he wants to do it, we must ask, why has it not already been done?

• Merit based promotions of Employees / Employee Incentives

Great concept. Why has it not already been done?

• Increase County Police Patrol Resources and community policing

This is one of those things we see state wide.   County Board’s approve the budget of another elected office so they think they have the power to micro manage or dictate the needs of that office.  Sadly, the need for increased patrol resources and community policing comes from lack of well grounded crime prevention education.  Want to decrease the need, increase the education.  Adding more police and policing is nothing but a band-aid to a bigger problem.  In addition, let the Sheriff, who is elected by the people, determine what his needs are and support him in those efforts as it was the people that elected him, otherwise, you’re just micro managing other elected officials.  But I guess that fits the pattern of needing power and control.

• Eliminate the long term debt of DuPage County Government

Is that accomplished by passing the hidden 1% loss tax?  Where are the cuts?  Where are the “real” consolidations?  The people are not stupid.  When the headcount in the County Board office grows as it has under his control, is that setting the stage for less long term debt or actually increasing it?

• Expand ethics laws to cover all elected officials and employees

Typical politician.  Making more laws does nothing if you don’t have a State’s Attorneys that are willing to enforce the ones we have.   The state ethics laws already apply to elected officials and employees so make sure you understand what “expand” means.  Ethics won’t change with more laws.  Ethics will only change when people are educated on what is right and wrong and they see people held accountable by our laws when they violate them.  I wonder if ‘expanding’ ethics laws would limit county government from doing business with family relations of the Chairman?

• Reduce storm water flooding through infrastructure improvement projects

Is this an indication the planning for the infrastructure we had was not appropriate?  If it was appropriate there should not be a problem.  If it was not appropriate, who is being held accountable for those failures?

• Increase online transparency through complete financial record posting

Here we go again.  The guy has been in charge for 6 years so if this is such a corner stone project why has it not been done yet?

• Work collaboratively with County Board members to keep DuPage headed in the right direction

The statement takes the position that the county is headed in the right direction.  If it was headed in the right direction would they need to implement all these things he outlines?  I would say if the county needs to implement the items Cronin suggests then they are not heading in the right direction.  Interesting he failed to include the word, “all” in his statement, as in work collaboratively with “all” county board members as right now he doesn’t work well with those who question anything he does.

Considering the title of Chairman brings with it $129,000.00 in salary and thousands more in perks like a car allowance and insurance, I guess you will say just about anything to keep that tax payer money train rolling.  I would urge caution in accepting the words of this particular political figure in DuPage County, or as the Russian proverb says, “doveryai no proveryai” (trust, but verify)!

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