Compare the Candidates on the Issues

The Wysocki/Beckett Record...   Bob Kirchner & Lisa Bell...

 
They scuttled plans for a county board committee to study jail expansion in favor of meetings closed to the county board and the public. Beckett has publicly voiced support for a jail project. Spending up to $30 million on unnecessary jail expansion Bob and Lisa oppose unnecessary jail expansion and will work to insure that the county board and the public participate fully in the decision-making process.

 
They voted with board Republicans to limit spending on heavily-used county roads closest to the cities, like Curtis Road, and cut off funding for any new joint road projects. Refusing to fund the county’s fair share of heavily used “fringe” roads closest to the cities Believe the withdrawal of funding could hamper development and future tax base growth in Urbana. Will work to restore intergovernmental cooperation on roads. The county must be a responsible partner in using motor fuel tax dollars from city residents to fairly fund key roads.

 
Facilities chair Beckett has squelched open board discussion about the mold problem. First reported in June to cost $100,000 to $300,000, the cost has grown to $1.4 million— and so far, the county has been paying the bill. Letting county taxpayers get stuck paying the bill for up to $1.4 million to fix mold problems in nursing home construction Bob and Lisa believe that the contractors, who are insured, must be held responsible and that the county should recover all costs in full. The board has an obligation to keep the public fully informed.

 
The 2006 budget enacted under their leadership has a $10 million deficit. Previously, the Democratic majority passed balanced budgets every year for the past five years, 2000 through 2005— and operated without a deficit. Passing a 2006 county budget that has a deficit of over $10 million Believe that fiscal responsibility requires the county to have a balanced budget and will work toward that goal as a priority. Better financial oversight is needed and budgeted expenses should not exceed revenues.

 
Of the $4 million in construction contracts awarded to “minority and female-owned businesses,” only $324,000 is going to minority contractors. Beckett and Wysocki have blocked all efforts to allow an independent racial disparity study. Despite her promise to support the study approved by the board, Wysocki joined Beckett and board Republicans to vote against it twice. Blocking a racial disparity study, while awarding only $324,000 of the $20 million nursing home construction contracts— just 1.6%— to minority firms View this as evidence of the county’s failure to increase minority participation. Bob and Lisa will work to restore the contract for a racial disparity study approved by the board in November 2004. The county needs this professional, independent review by a recognized authority to provide legally effective remedies for fairness in hiring minority contractors.

Read about these and other issues on our issues page.