Candidates for DuPage County board chairman outline top campaign issue...Q. What is your top campaign issue?

Olson: Taxes and fiscal management.

Politicians promising to be all things to all people are what gets government in trouble. My most important "initiative" will be to keep the budget in check and county government under control.

I am distinctly different from my opponents because I have a consistent record of fighting tax increases and reducing spending, and have been recognized as an independent voice for the taxpayers.

Federal, state and municipal governments are all threatening to raise taxes to balance their budgets. That simply cannot continue to be the answer. Families suffer and businesses are driven out of the state because they can't bear the weight of taxation in Illinois.

All levels of government now must look to collaborate with each other and community partners to provide core services for less and reduce the tax burden on our residents. We will also have to be vigilant in controlling costs and streamlining services. The chairman must also have the will to stand against the constant desire of government to expand.

As a three-term county board member, I have already taken that stand. I have helped build collaborative relationships to construct roads, drainage projects and provide court-mandated services for lower cost and in less time. I have voted against bloated budgets, salary increases and perks for elected officials; have been a leader in making cuts, eliminating waste, and downsizing operations.

We have lowered the county's portion of the property tax rate and tax levy, bringing county government down to only 3 percent of your property tax bill. Today, DuPage County government continues to provide effective, essential services, yet is 10 percent smaller and has reduced the county's burden on property taxpayers by hundreds of millions of dollars since I was elected.

I have also consistently stood against flawed policies of previous administrations and fought to put county government on the right track. Building a coalition of fellow county board members, I led the proposal and adoption of historic reforms to DuPage County government, reforms that the state still has failed to implement. These reforms have resulted in greater transparency, an open and honest budget process, long-term budgets and capital planning, and more accountability for the dollars we spend.

As county board chairman, I will continue to be a leader committed to smaller, limited government, and long-term fiscal responsibility, restraint and accountability, which I believe is essential for the future of DuPage.

Q. What is your second-most important campaign issue?

Olson: Jobs and the economy.

My husband and I are small business owners, so we know firsthand how difficult this economy has made it to make payroll, retain employees and keep the bills paid. We understand that heavy tax burden and excessive regulation diminish competitiveness, profitability and the ability to grow. We also have four young adult children who would like to find well-paying jobs with benefits, which are scarce.

DuPage County has long enjoyed a strong economy and low unemployment along with a high quality of life. However, unemployment is now near the state and national levels. The current recession, massive spending and debt of our state and federal governments, and Illinois' added taxes and fees on businesses threaten to force more to move out of Illinois and continue to hinder job growth.

DuPage County government has, and must continue to, proactively address this situation. However, government does not create jobs, the private sector does. The county board chairman must actively engage the business community to foster an environment for stability and job growth.

DuPage is blessed with a strong base of employers of all sizes and types. DuPage is also home to several colleges, including College of DuPage, which has 30,000 commuters enrolled each year. For the past several years, DuPage has brought more people into the county for work each day than leave the county to go to their job.

We are home to first-class hospitals, high-tech research facilities and a National Tech Park, putting us on the cusp of technological innovation and growing employment opportunities in specialized health care industries. Our proximity to major transportation centers, including air, rail and trucking, make DuPage a strategic location for a variety of businesses and a regional player in transportation projects.

Utilizing these resources, the best way to advance economic development is a three-pronged approach:

First: Taking care of basic county functions. As chairman, I will take the lead in keeping taxes low, working with law enforcement to ensure safe neighborhoods, and long-term planning for infrastructure improvements to keep traffic flowing.

Second: Building partnerships. As chairman, I will work with our regional superintendent of schools and our local universities to promote excellent education for students ready to enter the work force or go to college.

Maintaining our commitment to DuPage County's public/private economic development organization Choose DuPage is critical to attracting, retaining and assisting businesses to provide well-paying jobs and meaningful employment. The workNet DuPage Career Center is also vital in work force training, development and assistance connecting to employers.

I will work with our local chambers of commerce to support small business creation and success. Working closely with municipalities, Pace and Metra on public transit options will also continue.

Third: I will work to promote regional projects such as western access to O'Hare and the I-355 Corridor Bus Rapid Transit System.

Q. What is your third-most important campaign issue?

Olson: Vision for the future.

Dealing with the challenges ahead, the chairman must be both a strong leader and a consensus-builder. She must have vision for local and regional issues, and be innovative and responsive to effectively do more with less. She must work collaboratively to build partnerships with other governmental leaders to provide better services at lower costs.

As a county board member, I know firsthand the issues we face in the years to come. On a local level, our county is largely built-out, putting land-use and redevelopment issues at the fore. Our transportation and stormwater infrastructure is constantly strained. The population of DuPage is aging and increasingly diverse, adding new demands on government. Maintaining strong law enforcement is necessary to deter crime and properly deal with offenders.

Regionally, we are positioned to both contribute to and benefit from projects and partnerships that can improve our local economy and extend our reach in a global economy.

Our challenges will not be solved with lofty semantics, but with thoughtful approaches to problem-solving and a get-in-the-trenches work ethic. We are a sophisticated, well-educated citizenry in DuPage with the resolve to get things done. New technological advances are on our doorstep that can lower costs, improve our environment, enhance our quality of life, and change the way we do business.

It is up to leaders in DuPage County to access this creativity and utilize these new resources to make government more productive, responsive, and lean. As the DuPage County Board chairman, I will be that kind of leader.