As early voting expands to all 50 Chicago wards and locations across suburban Cook County on October 19, I continue to ask Cook County residents to vote for me as Cook County Board President.
I am asking Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, Green Party members, Forward Party supporters, and everyone who feels left behind, betrayed, or lied to by Cook County government to consider what I stand for.
Regardless of political affiliation, we all live in the same county. We all deserve a government that is transparent, accountable, and focused on delivering results.
As a Libertarian, I understand that some people may have questions about what I believe and what I would do if elected. That is why I want to be clear about what I will not do, what I will fight to accomplish, and what residents can expect from me.
What I Will Not Do
I will not sell off Cook County assets that residents and county government depend on.
Selling essential public assets to cover short-term budget problems does not address the underlying financial issues. Once an asset is sold, taxpayers may lose its long-term value.
If Cook County relies on an asset to provide services, or has made commitments to residents involving that asset, we should not sacrifice its future for immediate financial relief.
We should evaluate unused or surplus county property separately, because it could be put to productive use for housing or economic development.
I will not eliminate sanctuary policies that protect residents.
I believe Cook County should respect every resident’s constitutional rights and dignity.
Our county’s sanctuary protections serve an important purpose. Residents should not have to fear interacting with local government, seeking medical care, or reporting crimes because of their immigration status.
We can maintain these protections while respecting the law and the rights of everyone who lives in Cook County.
I will not forget that Cook County is more than downtown Chicago.
Cook County includes Chicago’s neighborhoods, its suburbs, and communities that often feel overlooked.
Residents of the South Side, West Side, south suburbs, north suburbs, northwest suburbs, and everywhere in between deserve representation.
County government must work for the entire county, not just its most visible neighborhoods or the communities with the strongest political connections.
I will not serve more than two terms as Cook County Board President.
If elected, I will voluntarily limit myself to two four-year terms.
Public office should not become a lifetime position. New leadership and new ideas are important for keeping government accountable.
I will not pursue another elected office while serving as Board President.
If elected, I will end any other campaigns for elected office and focus on fulfilling the responsibilities of Cook County Board President.
The people of Cook County deserve someone focused on the responsibilities of the office they were elected to hold, not someone constantly looking for their next political opportunity.
What I Will Fight to Do
I will fight to make every tax dollar accountable.
Taxpayers deserve to know where their money goes, why it is being spent, and whether it is delivering results.
Cook County must justify its spending, identify waste, and make financial information easier for residents to understand.
Every dollar the government spends is a dollar earned by someone who worked for it. Government should be held to the same expectation of financial responsibility that residents face every day.
That also means greater transparency around property tax levies, county contracts, and spending decisions. Residents should not have to dig through complicated government reports to understand how their tax dollars are being used.
I will fight to ensure Cook County Health provides the best healthcare possible.
Cook County Health is one of the county’s most important responsibilities.
Patients deserve quality care, healthcare workers deserve the tools to do their jobs, and taxpayers deserve a financially responsible healthcare system.
We must also prepare Cook County Health for changes in federal funding rather than assuming today’s funding levels will continue forever.
A healthcare system this important needs a long-term financial plan that can survive major funding disruptions. We cannot expect federal funding to remain unchanged indefinitely, nor can we assume local taxpayers can always cover the difference.
Protecting healthcare access and demanding financial accountability must go hand in hand.
I will fight to ensure Cook County receives every tax dollar it is owed.
Whether funding comes from the State of Illinois or the federal government, Cook County should actively pursue every dollar it is legally entitled to receive.
We cannot keep asking residents to pay more while significant state and federal reimbursements remain outstanding.
Accountability must apply to every level of government, including the state and federal governments that make financial commitments to Cook County.
I will work with federal law enforcement to get violent criminals off our streets while protecting everyone’s constitutional rights.
Violent crime is violent crime, regardless of someone’s immigration status.
I support cooperation with local, state, and federal law enforcement in legitimate criminal investigations to protect our communities and hold violent offenders accountable.
However, that cooperation must respect due process, individual liberties, and the constitutional rights of every resident.
Public safety and individual liberty should never be treated as mutually exclusive. Protecting our neighborhoods should never require abandoning the freedoms that make our country what it is.
I will fight to remove Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers that threaten our privacy.
Illinois has already experienced improper federal access to license plate information collected through Flock’s network.
I oppose government surveillance systems that collect and store information about residents who have committed no crimes.
I am especially concerned about unauthorized access, improper immigration enforcement, and sharing information for purposes unrelated to legitimate criminal investigations.
I will oppose renewing or expanding county-funded automated license plate reader contracts and work to eliminate these systems through the county’s available legal and budgetary authority.
Public safety does not require building a surveillance system that records everyone’s movements. We must protect the Fourth Amendment and demand accountability for how government collects and shares information.
I will fight to remove barriers preventing new homes from being built.
Cook County needs more housing opportunities.
We cannot continue complaining about rising housing costs while communities maintain regulations that prevent new homes from being built.
I will work to reduce unnecessary barriers to construction, encourage zoning reform, and hold local governments accountable for unreasonable permitting delays.
I recognize that much of the grant funding Cook County administers comes from state and federal sources with specific requirements. Those funds must be distributed according to the rules attached to them.
However, where Cook County has discretion over development funding, I will work to prioritize communities that commit to modernizing zoning regulations, reducing permitting delays, and allowing more homes to be built.
More housing means more opportunities for families, stronger neighborhoods, additional customers for local businesses, and a larger tax base to support essential services.
We cannot expect our population or tax base to grow while making it unnecessarily difficult for new residents to find homes.
I will fight to ensure Cook County honors its pension obligations.
When someone dedicates years of service to Cook County, they deserve to receive the retirement benefits they were promised.
This commitment applies to employees throughout county government, not just one department or agency.
I will work to meet the county’s pension funding obligations, support long-term financial stability, and ensure taxpayers understand the cost of those commitments.
Ignoring pension obligations today only creates larger financial problems tomorrow.
We must balance our commitments to current and retired county employees with our responsibility to current and future taxpayers.
The Next Four Years Will Be Challenging
The next four years will be challenging, regardless of who holds the Office of Cook County Board President.
Cook County faces difficult decisions involving property taxes, healthcare funding, pensions, housing, public safety, and the cost of providing essential government services.
I will not promise that we can fix every problem overnight. I will not pretend that every difficult decision can be avoided.
Some decisions will be unpopular, but avoiding them only passes the problems to the next generation.
For too long, governments have operated under the assumption that funding will always be available, that taxpayers can always pay more, and that tomorrow’s leaders can figure out the problems created today.
We need to move away from that approach.
We must prepare for financial challenges before they become emergencies. We must question whether programs are delivering results. We must recognize that throwing more money at a problem does not automatically solve it.
We also must recognize that growing Cook County’s population, encouraging new businesses, and expanding our tax base are just as important as controlling spending.
Government cannot tax its way to prosperity while making it harder for people and businesses to stay here.
Most importantly, we must remember that Cook County government exists to serve its residents, not the other way around.
This Election Is About More Than Political Parties
I am not asking everyone to become a Libertarian. I recognize that we will disagree on some issues.
I am asking residents to look beyond political party labels and examine what candidates are actually promising to do.
Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Green Party supporter, Forward Party supporter, or someone who has simply lost faith in government, you deserve to know where I stand.
I am an Austin neighborhood resident, an IT professional, and a taxpayer who wants better government. Like so many other residents, I see the impact of government decisions on our neighborhoods, our finances, and our futures.
I did not enter this race believing that one person could solve every problem facing Cook County.
I entered because I believe government can do better, and residents deserve someone willing to question how things have always been done.
I believe Cook County can become more transparent, more accountable, and more financially responsible while continuing to serve those who depend on it.
The next four years will require difficult decisions, new ideas, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Regardless of who you have voted for in the past, I am asking you to consider what kind of Cook County you want for the future.
