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Full Name: Jacqueline Traynere
What office are you seeking? Will County Board District 11
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Will County Board District 4, since 2008; Precinct Committee Person, since 2008.
City: Bolingbrook
Occupation: I work for the DuPage Township as its Administrator
Education: High School diploma; Harvard / Kennedy School of Government; A variety of college course work at 2 local junior colleges.
Campaign Website: jackie4will.com
The Will County Board has established broad parameters for how it should spend more than $133 million in federal pandemic aid including infrastructure, health purposes and economic development. What specific causes should the board focus on when spending that money?
My answer will be local in nature, to the district I represent. Many residents have had a difficult time coping with the pandemic and it has left a mark on our community, for that reason I would like to see expanded mental and physical health services at our Northern Will county Health Department. I have also seen the need to provide easier access to nutritious food to low income families and I would support a new Food Pantry for the area, one that is accessible to the community that would use it. I also would support Job Training programs, so people in entry level jobs can acquire additional skills.
The Will County Board has yet to decide on how to spend new revenue from its recreational marijuana sales tax. How should that revenue be allocated?
I believe that Education is a key component to turning your life around and creating wealth for your family. For this reason I would like to see a scholarship fund set up at our local colleges for any person that has been affected by the war on drugs. My second priority would be small business start up funds.
The board has been discussing what to do with the old county courthouse property. While it’s limited to using it for public purposes, what do you think should happen to the former courthouse building and the land on which it sits?
I am in favor of repurposing the courthouse. I have traveled extensively over the last 25 years and see the value in preservation of older architecture. I think the legislature can help with the ability to sell it, they have the power to remove the legal obstacles that would then allow for its sale. I would prefer to see the money we were going to use to demolish it used to help preserve it.
Do you think Will County should maintain the county executive form of government? Please explain.
No, it seems that it has not caught on in our state, we already have Cook County that is treated differently than all other counties, Will and Champaign County should not be different also. It causes confusion with voters that we represent and causes confusion in general with the County Board. I would like all 101 counties to have the same style of government. That would be easier for the legislature as well. Carving out special rules for only small portions of the population in our state causes confusion.
The county is conducting a diversity and inclusion study of its operations. While the study is ongoing, what do you think county government should do to ensure diversity and inclusion in its hiring and contracting processes?
I have always advocated for the inclusion of small and local businesses being able to compete for any tax dollars we spend on infrastructure. I will continue to advocate for this. We have broken up our larger contracts (for construction) so that smaller minority businesses can compete for the work.
The annual salaries of countywide-elected officials in Will County tend to trail their counterparts in neighboring suburban counties. Do you support raising salaries of countywide elected officials in Will County?
Yes, and I have continued to support this. In fact County Board Members have taken a cut in salary since joining the board in 2008. I would like to see this restored. I am also advocating for a smaller board with full time board members. I believe this would bring about better long term decisions for the residents we represent.
The county has seen an increase in opioid overdose deaths during the past year. Its substance use initiatives office has worked to combat the epidemic. What more do you think the county should do to prevent such incidents?
I think we are stellar in initiatives that are designed to combat the opioid crisis. We have the HERO program, we have also trained hundreds of first responders on how to administer NARCAN, a life saving product that reverses the effects of an overdose. I would like to see a bigger presence in our schools, teaching children more about the dangers of non prescription and prescription medications. It starts with our youth.
How would you encourage economic and employment growth within Will County?
Continue our membership in the Center for Economic Development. Work with local education institutions to enhance IT programs, the kind that would bring more IT employers to the area. We have plenty of logistics jobs, owing to being the largest inland port, but I would like to see some focus on tech careers and the employers who could relocate here because of the potential employees in the area.
Do you think there is a local crime problem? If so, what needs to be done about it?
I haven’t seen the statistics, to bare that out, but I know people are talking about it. The biggest way to combat crime is to ensure that crime doesn’t pay. We need good jobs that can support working family’s on one income. I see this as a central problem throughout the country not just our county. When family’s are taking on 2 and more jobs just to make ends meet, we increase the possibility that the children aren’t getting the attention that they need. We don’t have enough after school programs to keep the children out of harms way. I would advocate for more Youth community centers, especially in low income areas (possibly built with ARPA funds).
What local road and bridge projects should be a priority to get done in the county?
We are very behind owing to the fact that we were not allowed to have a gas tax until the last 2 years or so. All the other collar counties had one. That tax of just .04 per gallon is cumulatively bringing in over 12 million in road funds a year. It will take years for us to catch up with the need, but we will. Most don’t know that about 3.5% of USA gross domestic products travel through Will County. We need to the roads to keep these products moving. It took a strong stomach to vote for this tax, but it was the right thing to do.
Do you support decreasing local property taxes? If so, how would the county make up the difference?
The County portion isn’t the big part of the property tax bill, Education is. We need additional education spending from the state in order to lower that part of the property tax bill. That being said, the county is investing in a new revenue producer, that will bring additional funds to the county. Those funds over time will allow for sustainable budgeting that will help us lower property taxes at the county level.
Do you support stronger county government ethics laws? What measures do you support?
I don’t believe we have seen a problem here in Will County, if we do, I haven’t been exposed to it. I would however support much stronger measures for those exiting state government. The revolving lobby door needs to be closed.
What are your thoughts on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act?
Its good for transparency. As a Township Administrator I am called on occasionally to supply information to residents. We work hard to put as much information as possible out on the internet so that citizens don’t have to go through this process.
Please state your plan to maintain government transparency.
I will support the continued efforts of our County Auditor to make it easy for residents to see where the county is spending its funds. We have switched our entire board packets to electronic formats, it saves the environment and tax dollars. Every document we see the voters can see, these are the documents that shape our policy decisions. I would continue to push our finance department in getting all of the tools at our disposal to enhance the transparency of our finances.
What would you push for as a member of county government to boost local businesses?
Education and Job training. As I mentioned earlier, also small business loans.
Should government employees and officials be allowed to sign non-disclosure agreements with private businesses?
No, government employees and officials should always be transparent. If they are not willing to do so, they should move on the private sector.
Would you push for or against government officials and employees being allowed to sign nondisclosure agreements with private businesses?
Against this.