Olson focuses on DuPage County local issues - Illinois Review

Idealogues love to pontificate on philosophical topics that inspire and enthrall the masses, but any practical politician knows well that "All politics is local," and when it gets down to it, "pothole" issues are the ones that determine election outcomes. It's difficult to visualize dreams for a better tomorrow when the street outside your house is undriveable and your neighborhood drainage system causes flooding every spring.

DuPage County Commissioner Deb Olson has been focused on public works issues since she was first elected in 2002. "People rely on government to keep their neighborhoods safe, their streets in good repair, their water coming in, and flood water draining away from their property," Olson told Illinois Review Monday. "Those are the basic things that people depend on government for."

Now Olson chairs the county's public works committee to make sure residents' basic needs are met. She'd like to be the next DuPage County Board chairman. If elected, the 46 year old would head one of Illinois' most influential counties.

"State government's been expanding while local government has downsized," the Wheaton resident said, "but even with downsizing, we're still providing excellent services."

Olson says she's worked hard to promote government transparency and accountability, while refusing to accept county board pay increases. "I sponsored ordinances to make DuPage County's finances more transparent and worked hard to lower property taxes and because I've refused pay increases over the years, I'm paid about $4000 less than other county commissioners," Olson told Illinois Review Monday. "I've always voted against pay increases, and I won't take them."

With current DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom's decision not to seek re-election and rather run for governor in 2010, the open seat has provided an opportunity for DuPage political figures to move into different slots. Olson's formidable opponents in the GOP primary are two area state senators -- Carole Pankau and Dan Cronin, who is also the DuPage County Republican chairman.

Olson says the new county chairman will have an opportunity to do some things a little differently. "I think there will be an opportunity to heal tense relationships between municipalities and the county commissioners. I've already worked to establish relationships with townships, and that will be important in moving forward if I'm elected chairman. The county board chairman needs to be a policy leader and needs to work collaboratively with county board members."

But Olson's not overly confident about a victory on February 2. "I've got an excellent ground game, but Cronin's the county GOP chairman. He's got support in his areas, and I have support in mine." "It's going to be a close race, every vote is going to count," Olson said. "I'm telling everyone to vote early because we really don't know what February 2 will bring." Not only is the bid for DuPage County chairman a close one, the closer February 2 looms, the dirtier the race has become. Press releases accusing Olson of accepting donations from county-contracted companies have been distributed to media sources. One of those companies in question was her own parents' firm.

Another accusation that Olson received stipends for her work on committees was totally false and had to be retracted by the source. "We ended committee stipends in 2007," she said. "And I led in that effort." Both state senators Cronin and Pankau voted to legalize video poker in Springfield, but Olson voted along with the county board to reject video poker in DuPage County. Both senators took campaign donations from gambling interests, and then voted in favor of their legislation.

Olson said that she was disappointed that Illinois Citizens for Life chose to endorse one of her opponents over her. "I'm prolife, and have always been," Olson said. "When I read that my opponents' the only 'endorsed prolife candidate,' it's disturbing because I've never wavered on that issue the whole time I've been involved in politics." Olson, her husband Don and grown children have attended Wheaton Evangelical Free Church. There Olson's been involved in promoting Christian values in politics and the community. For a while the Olsons homeschooled their children and Debra was active in Concerned Women for America and noted that Illinois Family Institute was founded in DuPage County.

"We're focused on making DuPage County one of the best counties in Illinois and the nation," Olson said. And those dreams begin with the not-so-glamorous chores of keeping those ever-hungry potholes filled, growing neighborhoods safe and the residents content. In a Republican-ruled county like DuPage, the person who'll be given that task will likely be chosen in the February 2 GOP primary.