Voter Guide - Candidates for Office in Cook County, Illinois

Voter Guide - Candidates for Office in Cook County, Illinois
General Election – November 4, 2014
Compiled by the League of Women Voters of Cook County, Voter Service Committee
The information provided on the candidates comes from public sources and has
been verified as much as possible.
The League never endorses candidates or political parties.
Information in this Voter Guide includes:
• Overview of Cook County • Candidates for Cook County President, Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer, Assessor and Board of Review Commissioner(3rd District) • Candidates for Cook County Commissioner (all 17 districts) • Candidates for Metropolitan Water Reclamation Commissioner (3 positions) • Information on Voting for Judges To access a Sample Ballot: Chicago residents: http://www.chicagoelections.com/page.php?id=163 Suburban Cook County residents: http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/elections/voterprofile/Pages/default.aspx COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS Cook County is a home rule county that is responsible for providing essential services in the areas of public safety, public health, the court system, elections, tax assessment and appeals, the recording of deeds, maintenance of county highways, and the management of 68,000 acres of Forest Preserve. Cook County contains 128 municipalities with approximately 5.3 million people within 946 square miles and there are over 800 local governmental units within the county. The County is governed by the County Board President who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the County and a 17-­‐member Board of Commissioners, elected from single member districts who serve as the legislative body of the county. The President and all Cook County Commissioners, who are elected to four year terms by the citizens of the County, also sit as board members for the Cook County Forest Preserve District, which is a separate government entity. There are also independently elected officials who run additional Cook County governmental offices that oversee many of the functions and services of county government. These elected officials serve four year terms with half being elected in each election cycle. COOK COUNTY OFFICES UP FOR ELECTION – Nov. 4, 2014 Budget numbers in this Voter Guide are from the 2014 Cook County Proposed Executive Budget. CONTESTED RACES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT The President of Cook County is the Chief Executive Officer who presides over the meetings of the Cook County Board and directs the administrative function of the county as a whole. The President has a $312 million budget and a staff of 2,468 employees. CANDIDATES: Democrat TONI PRECKWINKLE Website: www.tonipreckwinkle.org Current Job: Cook County President since 2010 Education: BA and MA, University of Chicago Republican No Candidate COOK COUNTY CLERK The Cook County Clerk is the official custodian of Cook County records and books. The office maintains and copies vital documents i.e. birth certificates, marriage certificates, prepares agendas and tracks proceedings of Cook County Board Meetings, and is responsible for administering all elections in Cook County outside of Chicago. The Clerk has a $37 million budget and a staff of 278 employees CANDIDATES: Democrat DAVID D. ORR Website: www.davidorr.org Current Job: Cook County Clerk since 1991 Education: BA, Simpson College -­‐ MA in American Studies from Case Western University Republican No Candidate COOK COUNTY SHERIFF The Cook County Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county and is responsible for providing services and security to all county court facilities, administering the Cook County Jail, and policing the unincorporated areas of Cook County. The Sheriff has a $471 million budget and a staff of 6827 employees. CANDIDATES: Democrat THOMAS J. DART Website: www.sherifftomdart.com Current job: Cook County Sheriff since 2006 Education: BA in History and General Studies, Providence College JD Law Degree, Loyola University, Chicago Republican No Candidate COOK COUNTY TREASURER The Cook County Treasurer manages the property tax collection system in Cook County by accurately collecting, investing, distributing and issuing refunds on real estate tax payments in Cook County. The Treasurer has a $12 million and a staff of 92 employees. CANDIDATES: Democrat MARIA PAPPAS Website: none Current Job: Cook County Treasurer since 1998 Education: BA, Sociology, West Liberty State College, West Virginia -­‐ MA, Guidance/Counseling, West Virginia University – PHD, Counseling/Psychology, Loyola, Chicago – JD, Kent College of Law, Chicago Republican No Candidates COOK COUNTY ASSESSOR The Cook County Assessor establishes a process for fair and accurate property assessments within Cook County, seeks equitable tax policies, and communicates information about property assessment and taxation to the public. The Assessor has a $25 million budget and a staff of 360 employees. CANDIDATES: Democrat JOSEPH BERRIOS Website: none Current Job: Cook County Assessor since 2010 Education: BA, University of Illinois, Chicago Republican No Candidate BOARD OF REVIEW (3RD DISTRICT) The Board of Review is a three-­‐member board elected from three electoral districts (only district 3 is up for election in this election) that is vested with quasi-­‐judicial powers to hear and decide taxpayer complaints on assessed value or exempt status of real property in Cook County. The Board of Review has a combined $8 million budget and a staff of 125. CANDIDATES: Democrat LARRY ROGERS, JR. Website: www.larryrogersjr.com Current Job: Board of Review Commissioner since 2004 Trial Attorney – Partner at Power, Rogers & Smith Education: BS, Managerial Economics, University of California, Davis JD, ITT-­‐Chicago-­‐Kent College of Law Republican No Candidate COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Seventeen elected Commissioners constitute the Cook County Board, the governing policy board and legislative body of Cook County. The Board sets policy and laws for the county regarding public health and public safety and oversees safety and maintenance of county highways. The Board approves the annual county budget and oversees financial integrity of the county. The Commissioners have a combined budget of $7million and a staff of 86 employees. Commissioner districts were redrawn as a result of the 2010 census. To verify which district you reside in check one of the following websites: For city of Chicago residents: http://www.chicagoelections.com/page.php?id=163 For suburban Cook County residents: http://www.cookcountyclerk.com/elections/voterprofile/Pages/default.aspx CANDIDATES: District 1 Democrat RICHARD BOYKIN Website: www.boykinforcookcounty.com Current Job: Partner, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP Education: BS, Political Science, Central State Univ., Ohio JD, University of Dayton Law School Republican No Candidate District 2 Democrat ROBERT STEELE Website: www.robertsteele.org Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 2) since 2006 Education: BS, Bus. Ad/Computer Science, Republican No Candidate District 3 Democrat JERRY “ICEMAN” BUTLER Website: www.citizenstoreelectjerrybutler.org Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 3) since 1985 Education: BS, Political Science, Governors State University MA, Criminal Justice Studies, Governors State University Republican No Candidate District 4 Democrat STANLEY S. MOORE Website: www.commissionermoore.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 4) since 2013 Education: BA, Political Science, Southern Illinois University Republican No Candidate District 5 Democrat DEBORAH SIMS Website: www.reelectdeborahsims.org Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 5) since 1994 Education: Attended Chicago Public Schools and Chicago City Colleges Republican No Candidate District 6 Democrat JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY Website: none Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 6) since 2002 Education: Graduate of State Teacher’s College in Boston Republican No Candidate District 7 Democrat JESUS G. GARCIA Website: www.jesuschuygarcia.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 7) since 2010 Education: BA and MA from UIC Republican No Candidate District 8 Democrat LUIS ARROYO, JR. Website: none Current Job: Works at City of Chicago Dept. of Water Mgmt. Education: BA, Northeastern University (in process) Republican No Candidate District 9 – CONTESTED RACE Democrat FRANK L. MC PARTLIN -­‐ No information available Republican PETER SILVESTRI Website: www.petersilvestri.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 9) since 1994 Education: Graduate of Depaul University JD Law Degree, DePaul University Law School District 10 Democrat BRIDGET GAINER Website: www.bridgetgainer.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 10) since 2009 Education: BA, University of Illinois – MBA, University of Chicago Republican No Candidate District 11 – CONTESTED RACE Democrat JOHN P. DALEY Website: none Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 11) since 1992 Education: BA, Loyola University, Chicago Republican CARL SEGVICH Website: www.segvich.com Current Job: Political Staffer and Republican Party Committeeman Education: BA from University of Illinois, Chicago District 12 Democrat JOHN FRITCHEY Website: www.fritchey.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 12) since 2010 Attorney in Private Practice Education: BA, University of Michigan – J.D., Northwestern Univ. Republican No Candidate District 13 Democrat LARRY SUFFREDIN Website: www.suffredin.org Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 13) since 2002 Education: BA, Loyola U, Chicago – JD, Georgetown University Republican No Candidate District 14 Democrat No Candidate Republican GREGG GOSLIN Website: www.goslinforcookcounty.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 14) since 1998 President, Cabot Properties – Partner, Abington Partners Education: BS in Political Science, Southern Illinois University District 15 -­‐ CONTESTED RACE Democrat MICHAEL A. URBAN Website: http://www.facebook.com/ELECTMichaelUrban2014 Current Job: None -­‐ Worked at UPS until 2013 Education: Heating/Venting/AC Certification, Harper College Republican TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER Website: www.timschneider.us Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 15) since 2006 Owner, Waterwerks Car Wash – Owner, Golf Club of Illinois Education: BS, University of Illinois District 16 Democrat JEFF TOBOLSKI Website: www.friendsofjeffrytobolski.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 16) since 2010 Mayor of McCook Education: BA in History, Knox College Republican No Candidate District 17 – CONTESTED RACE Democrat JIM HICKEY Website: none Current Job: Derivative Trader, T3 Trading Group, LLC -­‐ Financial Analyst/Project Manager, Peace Village Education: BA, Depaul University – MBA, Benedictine University Republican ELIZABETH “LIZ” GORMAN Website: www.lizgorman.com Current Job: Cook County Commissioner (Dist. 17) since 2002 Owner of Gorman Insurance Group Education: BA in Marketing, St. Mary’s Univ. of Minnesota – MBA, Business Administration, Notre Dame METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS Although its name may imply otherwise, the MWRD of Greater Chicago is an independent government and taxing body, a special purpose district covering most of Cook County. The MWRD’s main purpose is the reclamation and treatment of wastewater and flood water abatement in Cook County and to protect the health and safety of citizens and waterways. Perhaps its most notable achievement is the reversal of the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. A nine-­‐member board elected at large with three commissioners elected every two years governs the MWRD. CANDIDATES: CONTESTED RACE VOTE FOR UP TO 3 CANDIDATES Democrats FRANK AVILA Website: www.cookcountydems.com/frank-­‐avila Current Job: MWRD Commissioner since 2002 Now retired from Avila & Assoc where he practiced land surveying and engineering for 45 years Education: BS engineering, Univ. of Illinois -­‐ MA, Finance, Univ. of Az. TIMOTHY ‘TIM’ BRADFORD Website: www.cookcountydems.com/timothy-­‐tim-­‐bradford Current Job: Rich Township Administrator Education: Information not available CYNTHIA M. SANTOS Website: www.CynthiaSantos.com Current Job: MWRD Commissioner since 1998 Development Director, Saint Viator Parish and School Education:,BA and MA, Political Science, Northeastern University Greens GEORGE MILKOWSKI Website: www.greens4MWRD.org Current Job: Retired, Chicago Public School Teacher for 35 years Education: BA, University of Illinois MA, Public Policy Analysis, University of Illinois, Chicago KAREN ROOTHAAN Website: www.greens4MWRD.org Current Job: Math Teacher Education: BA, Mathematics, University of Chicago MS, Mathematics, Brown University MICHAEL SMITH Website: www.greens4MWRD.org Current Job: Former CHA Police Officer Education: Currently taking classes at Kennedy King Comm. College Republicans R. CARY CAPPARELLI Website: www.rcarycapparelli.com Current Job: President of OMNI-­‐Communique, Inc. Education: BAJ, Drake University – MSJ, Northwestern University MA, Northeastern University – PhD Candidate, London Univ. JAMES (JIM) PARRILLI – No information available HERB SCHUMANN Website: none Current Job: Property Tax Analyst, Cook County Board of Review Education: BA, Public Administration, Governors State University MBA, Finance, DePaul University VOTING FOR JUDGES In Illinois we choose among candidates who have met certain legal requirements to serve as judges. The candidate runs for a designated position and a specific term of office. The term depends on the type of court involved (Supreme, Appellate, Circuit or Sub-­‐circuit). Every 6 to 10 years we vote again to decide if our elected judges should be retained. We also vote to fill the vacancies of judges who retire or chose not to run. Cook County Circuit and Subcircuit Judges The State of Illinois is divided into 22 judicial circuits of which Cook County encompasses the entire First Judicial district. Eleven Circuit Judges are elected on a countywide basis. The First Judicial District (Cook County) is divided into 15 sub circuits in which judges are also elected. Voters will be voting to fill vacancies for circuit and sub-­‐circuit judges as well as retention of judges who wish to remain in their position. Several nonpartisan websites with evaluations of judges by knowledgeable professional organizations are available for voters to view prior to the election. One recommended site, www.voteforjudges.org (scheduled to be available after September 30, 2014) reports the results of many bar groups that evaluate the judicial candidates’ performance and recommend whether he or she is qualified to be a judge.