I’ve Seen This Act Before and It Doesn't End Well

I was asked to run for La Grange trustee by concerned citizens who believe we can lower the cost of government while still delivering high quality services. In fact I was not interested in running at all unless we addressed the very real issue facing La Grange – the rising cost of government. Every year our taxes get raised but our debt continues growing - at an alarming rate. This is a clear indication that our government is not efficient and in many cases effective with our tax dollars.  I believe our government should heed the warnings from the automotive industry.

I spent my entire career in the private sector helping transform automotive companies around industry best practices.  I find there is an eerie similarity between the culture of 1980’s automotive industry and our current government. When I started my career in 1984 American car companies still had dominate industry positions but were losing market share at an alarming rate (since the early 1970’s). Japanese automakers were gaining millions of customers (at the expense of the big 3) because they provided a higher quality vehicle at a lower cost.

Japanese companies had developed “lean” business practices that provided a strategic advantage - especially in cost leadership (even with US transplants). American car companies were slow to accept industry best practices in part because they were tied into old paradigms like “this is the way we’ve always done it and it works” or "not invented here" or “our customers will always be loyal to us" or "must keep the peace" and my favorite “we can grow out of our debt problems”.  Roll the clock to 2008 and two of the biggest car companies in history had to file for bankruptcy protection and received a bailout from the taxpayer.

Does this not sound eerily similar to the situation we are facing in Illinois (at all levels)? We have massive debt due to unfunded pension liabilities ($29M in La Grange). Our taxes get raised every year but our debt keeps growing - at an alarming rate. And thousands of taxpayers have left Illinois for more tax friendly states - and will continue to do so until Illinois addresses the debt. We need leadership that can face the reality that the cost of government is the primary barrier to growth. La Grange citizens are taxed enough already and can not bear the burden of more taxes.

Our leadership needs to establish new paradigms around innovation, transparency and accountability to lower the cost of government while still delivering high quality services.  I can assure you that if it were possible to roll the clock back to the 1980’s the failed automakers would aggressively implement best practices to save the business and protect all stakeholders. I support independent candidates Mike Horvath and Joan Hoigard for Trustee and Lisa Sher for Village Clerk. We share similar views on how to bring more innovation, accountability and transparency.