Peickert calls Board budget plan "unacceptable".

Press release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob Peickert
Democratic Candidate for DuPage County Board District #1
630-421-2405
votepeickert@hotmail.com

Bob Peickert, Democratic Candidate for DuPage County Board District #1, has called the Board's recent plan to reduce the county budget by 10% "unacceptable and an election year stunt."

"Cutting services by 10% and giving themselves raises is unacceptable,” said Peickert. “That’s like cutting your food budget at home and increasing your beer supply. They need to cut their salaries. Seventy-five percent (75%) in 8 years is absolutely out of line.”

Peickert repeated his previous plan to reduce the number of seats on the County Board from 3 to 2 in each District and to reduce the pay and benefits for DuPage County Board members by 50%.

“Reducing the number of seats from 18 to 12 will save the taxpayers about $325,000,” added Peickert. “We need to start the budget balancing process where it has the least impact on the residents of DuPage County. Why 18?”

Peickert also proposed reducing the pay and benefits of Board members by 50% from the current $48,620. Peickert said that voters were outraged when informed that the Board voted themselves a 75% pay raise over the past 8 years and an additional 10% over the next 4 years.

“Most of them have full-time jobs,” said Peickert. “Public service should be a privilege, not a luxury.”

Peickert also noted that the Board members receive additional compensation for serving on committees, “Every Board member is on a committee. The chair gets an additional $3,000 and the vice-chair $1,000. The $50,000 salary is for Board meetings ONLY. That’s $2,025.83 a meeting. This is outrageous. They get as much as $9,000 a year to serve on committees. It’s not only bad government, it’s dishonest government. This has to go.”

Peickert claims the salary and committee “stipend” part of his plan would save an additional $360,000 and will have no adverse impact on the services provided by the Board.

“This does not solve the hole in the budget, but it’s where we need to start,” Peickert continued. “Cut ‘fat’, not services.”

Peickert claims that the $685,000 savings will help preserve important services, especially for the seniors, “Everyone agrees that DuPage has an aging population and that we need to plan accordingly. You don’t cut services that we need the most. Programs for our seniors should not be cut.”

Peickert reaffirmed his promise of not accepting any salary if elected, “The issue of salary is a big issue with the voters. They need to know that one person isn’t in this for the money.”

Bob Peickert is a former math teacher and spent 25 years as a director of a teachers’ organization. He is now a small business owner and member of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce.

Bob has raised his family in our area and wants to improve the future opportunities for his family, including his 5 grandchildren, and all families in DuPage County.

As a member of the DuPage County Board Bob Peickert would work for:

Property Tax Relief -The DuPage County Board and its Chairman must work harder to control unnecessary and excessive spending. The first step would be to roll back their big pay raises. The Board and its Chairman must also support a plan to reduce the reliance of property taxes to fund education. Residents are tired of escalating property taxes.

Environment and Transportation - The DuPage County Board and its Chairman must address ways for us to help our nation reduce its dependency on foreign oil by investing in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and water. The Board and its Chairman have not addressed ways to improve our public transportation system or to reduce traffic congestion on our crowded roadways.

Good government –We need good government in DuPage County. I believe good government begins with elected officials who demonstrate that their interests lie with the residents and not themselves. The DuPage County Board and its Chairman gave themselves a 75% pay raise over an 8-year period. Board members are paid $48,620 a year plus benefits to attend two meetings a month. As a County Board member, I will be a watchdog over these one-sided and one party elected officials.

District 1 includes all or parts of the following communities: Addison, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Elk Grove, Elmhurst, Itasca, Lombard, Medinah, Wood Dale, Roselle, Schaumburg and Vila Park. District 1 map: http://www.dupagedemocrats.org/dupageboard1.jpg

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Last updated October 17, 2006
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