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Vince Logan, a candidate for Will County Board District 7 in the March primary election, answered these questions from the Shaw Local News Network.
Full Name: Vince Logan
What office are you seeking? Re-election to Will County Board District 7
What public offices, if any, have you previously held? Will County Board, Will County Forest Preserve
City: Joliet
Occupation: Retired Teacher, former police officer, family business owner and charity co-founder
Campaign website: LoganForWillCounty.com or VinceLogan.com
In light of the increasing influx of migrants to Illinois, how do you propose the county should address the challenges?
Our country was built on immigration. They came to this country for various reasons: make a better life for their family, raise their kids safely and plan for their next generation. Since then, regulations and policies have been established for legal immigration. Certain areas of our country are experiencing overpopulation, while most are burdened with excessive taxation, and safety concerns have fallen in priority for the Illinois General Assembly. Existing residents are being displaced from their educational and religious institutions to accommodate migrants. Government facilities and hotels are being repurposed for housing, funded by taxpayers. It is imperative that this issue be addressed at the federal level by closing the borders until we can ensure the proper and safe integration of immigrants into our county. Will County has not experienced the significant surge observed in other sanctuary areas. Individuals arriving here are not fleeing persecution or seeking asylum; rather, they are drawn by the promise of free benefits and the opportunity to deplete our resources. If our borders remain porous, allowing entry without proper vaccination and health screening, or fail to intercept the flow of weapons and drugs, we risk encountering unfamiliar diseases and uncontrollable violence. It is imperative that we take every possible measure to safeguard the residents of Will County.
What are the top issues facing your county and what would you like to do to address those issues?
We have a couple. We are the fourth largest county, yet we spend over $200,000,000 more than the second largest and about $150,000,000 more than the third. If we are not fiscally responsible, Will County’s budget could exceed a Billion dollars. To put it another way, the county spends $2,230,000 A DAY and that includes weekends. Our departments have not done a good job of training employees during onboarding and then continuing as job descriptions change. Instead, they merely hire more people. I spent hours anaylizing the last budget. I would guess that other board members spent little time as they would have seen what I did. There is over-spending in almost every department. The Will County budget could be cut by millions, but instead, the Executive raised taxes by $18,000,000 and ultimately tapping in reserves to pay salaries.
Another issue is that we have become a reservoir for Cook County. We need to focus on OUR residents and not the surrounding counties. The City of Chicago has taken a chunk of our land for a project that will most likely never happen and Cook County mayors tried to push a highway that would connect 355 to Orland Park and then to Cicero. We listened to the residents of Homer Glen (and the mayor) and stopped that project that would have taken their property, destroyed their community and would have cost Will County $42,000,000 with NO apparent benefit to Will County.
Should counties do more to expand access to county government?
YES Being newly elected to the board, there is so much information that isn’t readily available to Board Members and sometimes suppressed by “technical reasons”. I recently found a report from 2019 that was never given to the board members. It had information that would have stopped a project years ago. Information is on the website, but it’s so confusing that people give up after a few minutes of looking. We need to do a better job of giving facts. People don’t want to attend meetings. They would instead just read a quick post of what’s going on. Maybe we can develop a platform to do that. The issue is that it becomes a one-sided media outlet for whoever controls it. We could possibly set up tours throughout the day. When someone walks through the halls of the county building, there are very few people to greet them or even speak to them. If there happens to be people in an area, they are behind glass and not readily available.
What challenges is the region facing in terms of attracting business and tourism?
We have the CED which does a good job attracting businesses. As for tourism, we need more “things to do”. We need to make Will County a destination county. We need to forge partnerships with airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, and local businesses to offer special packages, discounts, and incentives for travelers. Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, and travel writers to amplify the county’s visibility. Then organize or sponsor events, festivals, and cultural celebrations that highlight the unique heritage, traditions, and cuisine of the destination. These events can attract tourists and generate buzz, especially if they are marketed effectively. We would then launch targeted advertising campaigns across various channels, including print, television, radio, and online platforms, tailoring to different demographics and market segments to maximize reach and effectiveness. Of course during all this, we would include all our communities.
What would you push for as a member of county government to boost local businesses?
Will County can offer financial incentives such as grants, loans, or tax breaks to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them start or expand their businesses. These funds can be used for capital investments, research and development, or workforce training. Implementing procurement policies that prioritize local suppliers and businesses can stimulate demand for local products and services, supporting the growth of the local economy.
Should government employees and officials be allowed to sign non-disclosure agreements with private businesses?
Absolutely not. Why would they sign an NDA? Government officials should be transparent. Most are, but a few are not. I feel that elected officials should not be able to approve contracts, or have influence to approve contracts, for businesses that donate to their campaign, directly or indirectly.
Do you think there is a local crime problem? If so, what needs to be done about it?
Being a police officer for years, I saw this firsthand. There will always be a crime problem. Reforming the police, which the General Assembly did a few years back, doesn’t solve the bigger issue in the court system itself. Other than that, crimes, I would guess now, aren’t being reported as often because people don’t feel justice is being done.
What local road and bridge projects should be a priority to get done in the county?
Sitting on the Transportation committee, I see dozens of streets that need to be worked on. There are a few that could take less priority and maybe a few that could be tabled as we move funds to areas that need it most. A good example is the 143rd Street project through Homer Glen. When I came to the board, this was a road set to be made five lanes wide taking residents’ property connecting 355 (Lemont Road) to Cook County. Everyone agreed. I saw some issues with it, mainly because I couldn’t figure out why we needed to expand it. I did some research and found documents that were not made available to the board members. It appeared that the builders projected more traffic and a lot more population than there was. Not enough to spend $42,000,0000 when we have other projects that need funds today. Not to mention the Homer Glen mayor and everyone along that stretch of road didn’t want it. A vote was made to cease the project. A majority of the board felt as I did and it was ceased. Unions and Cook County mayors are not pleased with the decision, but residents spoke up and the board listened.
Do you support the Illinois gun ban? Why or why not?
This is not a county issue, but No. As a former police officer, I have first-hand knowledge of this as well. I am also a concealed carry instructor. People should have the right to protect themselves and their families when the police can’t be there. Obviously, this would be to protect them from more serious crimes. We do need to do a better job of vetting potential gun owners and dealers. Not to be cliché, but people kill people. There are more issues at hand than the sale of guns.
What is your opinion of the role of tax incentives in economic development and business growth? Should tax incentives be offered to corporations to entice them to plant roots in local communities? Why or why not?
YES. Our duty is to make our county better for our residents. Bringing them business, will enhance their lifestyle. If the business is given a tax break, they too can enjoy some of our county. They may also have some start-up costs and every dollar matters when is comes to running a business.
How would you classify the state of public health in your county? Do you believe access to affordable healthcare is an issue? Why or why not? If you believe it’s an issue, what ideas do you have to remedy it?
Public health is hurting in all counties. Insurance has corrupted our healthcare making every appointment or visit very expensive. Healthcare for those not paying taxes shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of taxpayers. It’s every resident’s duty to care for themselves and their family. Continuing to hand out free (unearned) health care will continue to strain our governments.