Rita Gonzalez
2008 Democratic Candidate for DuPage County Board from
District 1
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I have a vision!
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Rita Gonzalez HOME Page
Dear Voter,
I am running for the DuPage County
Board District #1 for a few reasons. I have a strong background
in community organizing and serving the residents. I am an 11
time local and national, grass roots, award winning community
organizer. (including the Chicagoan of the year). I feel it is my
mission to serve, and I feel that I could do so, on a much larger scale
if elected.
I believe that "Good Government" and
"Open Government" practices need to be brought to the residents
of DuPage county. We need to offer meetings at a convenient
time and place that regular working class people will be able to attend
an offer their input. Some issues facing DuPage
county range from the O'Hare Airport expansion, to the
preservation and protection of the environment, transportation, social
issues, families dealing with members who have mentally and physically
challenges, to trying to offer healthier foods in our schools, fixing
the deficit our current board had created, etc. etc. As an
extremely successful community organizer I understand the
importance of including the community in identifying, strategizing, and
implementing plans that will address all issues....I feel that the key
is working WITH the people FOR the people.
I was also motivated run when it had
been brought to my attention that prevention programs have been
cut. I also understand that there is a proposal to cut 20%
across the board for much needed, valuable social
programs. Yet the board has proposed another raise for
themselves. They earn about $46,000 to attend a couple of
meetings and recently voted to raise their salaries to the mid $50's
along with the continued benefits (health computer, vehicle etc ) for a
part time job although they are currently employed with quite lucrative
jobs already. This is simply unacceptable. We pledge to
freeze or cut the current salaries in half. We want to reduce the
number of Board members from 18 to 12 - which will save an unbelievable
amount of money -and to review each and every department and budget to
identify and eliminate any unnecessary spending and to distribute it
where it will be most beneficial.
Our youth are our most precious
resource. Through our not-for-profit organization we ran programs
activities and events for 500 youths- many with gang mentality. We were so successful that we were the 1st
and only organization named on the Addison Brochures as a gang
prevention recourse. We made a powerful impact throughout DuPage
County, We must also focus on the elderly. I feel that we
have failed them. They built this great nation and should be
enjoying their "Golden Years", instead they are facing hardships with
health care prices and struggling to purchase their necessary
prescriptions. Prevention and Social programs are crucial to the
well being of our society. I would like to serve as an advocate
focusing on the youth and the elderly.
Since a child I have volunteered and
worked for the Jo Davies County work shop for the Disabled. Which
was one of the most special times in my life.
I have experience as serving as a
"defender" of the communities when we were forced to file the
largest class action civil lawsuit in the history of the United
States for housing discrimination against Latinos. (Hispanics) which
resulted in a 6.4 million dollar settlement (contrary to what the
village would have you believe I did not receive 1 cent- but we did the
lawsuit for justice not for money). The village attempted to
implement what is called a T.I.F. (taxation increment financing)
project in the neighborhoods where Hispanic people resided, in order to
eliminate them. (TIFs were used in run down shopping plazas-( not in
neighborhoods). After reading of plans that effected our
neighborhoods, I felt suspicious. I asked my board (of the
Hispanics United ) to attend a public hearing with me to see if I was
simply seeing more into things that actually existed. They believed
that my suspicions were correct. I began to worked day and night to
contact organizations, politicians, and attorneys,- anyone that I hoped
would be able to help us. We did everything possible - spoke to the
village president and board, attended heated meetings, filed petitions,
but all efforts fell on deaf ears. They portrayed me as kind of,
just a dumb mom from the community screaming discrimination without
merit. But did snarl at one resident (an Anglo) basically to, and I
believe the actual words were "to start packing". Indicating of course
that their plans would go through like it or not the decision had been
made - even prior to that public hearing.
It became utter chaos. Me making
phone calls searching for help, faxing info in the middle of the night,
people calling me for help. Residents being harassed -(the village used
the homeowners own children to intimidate and threaten them into
selling their buildings for an unfair price- less than the true values
of their homes and threatening with eminent domain). Lights
and water being shut off ( one lady had a 2 week old baby).
People being evicted, and buildings being bulldozed. We were so desperate to stop them, that
the members of my organization and I were about to make a human chain
around the buildings in order to stop the bulldozers.
I Fedex'ed info to the Dept of
Justice of Washington. My info was not located for some time... passed
from Dept to Dept. But as the lady on the phone to Washington told me..
(which I swore would be my final call to Washington in search of
help) that my persistence had paid off, they had located it and read
it, would not promise anything ,but would contact me to see about
coming out to investigate. Which they did. I help set their
itinerary - meeting with residents-and home owners, interpreting, etc.
In the meantime, Just prior to the
D.O.J arriving to do an investigation, I had finally located a
brilliant attorney who wanted to meet with me to discuss the
case. I met with him
(Matthew Pierce) a couple of times, and he decided to take the case.
D.O.J. came out an investigated, then
deemed that the Village was in fact violating fair housing laws, and
advised the village to stop. Using poor judgment they irresponsibly
decided to proceed. The D.O.J. joined the lawsuit that my
attorney Matt , (along with a few other organizations and law offices
that Matt had recruited ) had filed.
It was a 4 year long battle. But we
were successful in saving the neighborhoods of Addison along with
several other surrounding communities who could not wait to implement
the same project to eliminate the Hispanic populations of the western
suburbs. We were truly able to serve as a voice for those who
felt they had no voice.
My final words to the voters would
be: There is a movement across the nation to rid the voters of
the money mismanaging, self-serving representation that currently
exists. This will be an historic election... one that could change so
many things in the universe...as I reflect on my memories of all of the
marches in Chicago, and prayer vigil where my friends and I actually
approached and had dialog with the "minute men", to the March in
Batavia at Hastert's hometown...I want to remind everyone of the
PROMISE we made.. the chant that rose up above that massive crowds..
"Today
We March!.. Tomorrow We Vote!"
Rita Gonalez
Contact
:
miamigarita@yahoo.com
534 Valerie lane unit 6
Addison Il 60101
Last updated March 30, 2008
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