Advocacy involves promoting the interests or cause of someone or a group of people

On Wednesday, May 7, I will be traveling to Springfield, Illinois, along with other elected officials to “advocate” for our Darien residents and for residents throughout DuPage County and the State of Illinois. As elected officials, we have a fundamental responsibility to act as advocates for our constituents, ensuring that their voices, needs, and concerns are heard and addressed in the policymaking process. I believe that by championing the interests of our residents to our state legislative representatives, we build trust in government, promote accountability, and ensure that public policies reflect the diverse realities of the people we serve.

As your Mayor, I am committed to keeping you informed about proposed legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that directly impacts our Darien community and your tax dollars. There are numerous issues confronting the state legislature this spring, and based on how those issues are resolved, they could have a negative impact on our Darien Community. Among other issues, three that we will be directing our attention to with state legislators are the following:

• Public Safety Pensions – Understanding potential legislative changes and how they might impact our local budget and your taxpayer contributions
• ​Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) – We will be advocating for the restoration of crucial funding that supports local projects and services. Since 2011, the City has lost out on over 14M in LGDF funding;

• Public Transportation – The state legislature has been working to assess several pieces of legislation dealing with mass transit reform, how it's governed and where the funding to support necessary changes will be derived.

Not only will we advocate on your behalf down in Springfield on these and other key issues, but I also want to introduce you to InvestInCommunities.org, which is a valuable resource providing reliable and up-to-date information on legislative efforts that affect Darien taxpayers. InvestInCommunities.org will provide you with key insights on not only the three policy areas I mentioned, but it will also cover other key issues that can impact local taxpayers. Please know that your Darien elected officials will work diligently down in Springfield to represent your interests and those of other communities in DuPage County. I urge you to visit InvestInCommunities.org to stay informed regarding ongoing initiatives, and if possible, contact our state legislators to share your perspective. Through our efforts in Springfield and your contacting our state representatives, we will be working together to ensure that our Darien Community continues to grow and to thrive.

 

          If you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your continued commitment to our community.

     

Alderman Kenny, Alderwoman Sullivan, Mayor Marchese, and Administrator Vana in Springfield with DuPage Mayors and Managers.