A conversation with Janice Bennett, candidate for Elgin Township Board Trustee
The following interview excerpts have been edited for clarity and flow with Janice’s approval.
Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got involved in politics.
Well, I grew up in Evanston on Maple Avenue, and a few years after I got married we moved out to the Fox Valley area because the homes were a little bit cheaper out here than in Evanston. So I raised the kids there, and then in 1992 we bought a house here in Elgin. I do like it here because all the houses are different – I’m very happy to be living here in Elgin.
I’ve retired recently, but before that I worked for Zurich Insurance Company for over 32 years. I started out as a collection specialist with large corporations. Then eventually I ended up in a tech environment, helping insurers to get on the website and run reports on their losses.
I got involved in politics around 2000. We had a friend that was going to run for State rep, and you know, you need an army. So he asked if my husband and I would help, and that’s how I got started. Then I was appointed a precinct committeeman, and I’ve been a committeeman ever since.
Why are you running for Elgin Township Board Trustee?
Well, most people say you run for office for fame and money. Well, the Paparazzi run after Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and those people up there. We’re kind of on the low end, so there’s not going to be many pictures of me in the newspaper here. As far as the money is concerned, I don’t even know what the salary is. I know it’s kind of on the low side. It’s not going to give me a week in the French Riviera.
So the reason I’m running is that the Township touches things that I care about most.
Senior services. You know I am a senior, so I understand that they don’t want to have to depend on their family for things. They want to be social. They want to be able to get out and enjoy things. So I certainly agree with that. You want to be independent.
The other is the Mental Health Board. We need to make sure that people who need help can get it. Because you can still lead a productive life even if you are challenged with some mental health issues. The Mental Health Board is helping adults that are challenged to live an independent life.
So that’s what I want to see. That’s what I want to continue working on.
If you’re elected as trustee, what are your top priorities for your first year?
Well, with all the cuts that are coming in from Washington, DC. I know it’s going to trickle down to the township level. I do want to make sure that our not-for-profits are funded as best we can, so they’re not reducing any of their programs. Meals-on-Wheels, things like that. I don’t want to see any reduction there.
The other thing I want is transparency. I want to record the meetings and then also post them on Facebook so if you can’t make the meeting, and not many people do, you can still go to the Facebook page and see what the meeting was about and what we voted on.
Those are the main things that I want to see happen this year.
Picturing yourself in four years, if elected, how will you know if your term was successful?
More action within the community is what I would like to see most at the end of the 4 years.
I’ve worked on the township campaigns before, and you’re knocking on doors, and people will say “I don’t know what the township does.” So I would like more people to know what we do and how important it is.
We’re running as a team [the Elgin Township Democrats] and we’ve come up with some ideas. Like having a forum on how to start a new business, or a job fair. I understand from the county that some new businesses are coming into the Elgin area. A job fair would be helpful to them, I’m thinking. There’s a beautiful building on McClean avenue and that could be very useful with getting people involved.
What are your thoughts on the proposed 0.75% tax increase?
I support it 100%. It’s not a property tax. The county has not raised property taxes for 12 to 14 years, but they have absorbed inflationary dollar amounts with no increase in their budget. A lot of the things that they want to do are mandated by the state, but they’re not funded by the state, so they have to put the funds up themselves.
There’s a Children Advocacy Center that helps abused children. Children that are exploited. And the State’s Attorney holds those people accountable for their criminal actions. How can you say no to helping children, you know?
It’s also mental health. They’ll be putting more money into mental health, hiring social workers that will help with mental health.
Like I said, it’s not a property tax. It does not include groceries. It does not include vehicles, and it does not include your medicated prescriptions. And it’s for everybody. So if you’re from McHenry and you come into Elgin to shop and spend a hundred dollars on retail, you’ll be paying 75 cents. I don’t think that’s going to hurt a whole lot of people, and it’s for everybody anybody coming through Kane County will be subject to that tax if they stop and buy something!
So yes, I do support it 100%. Yes.
Why should people vote for you?
I am not a professional politician. I’m down to earth. I have empathy for people who are struggling, and I think I could be an asset to the Elgin Township Board.
I am approachable.You would be able to come up and talk to me at any time. I’m not standoffish. I do like to interact with people, and I like to meet new, different people. Everyone’s unique. And what a world we would live in if everybody was the same? So I like to have unique people around me. It gives me a different perspective on life, and it would be a very boring world if we were all the same.
So I’m hoping people will take that into account. I’m level headed, I think things through, and I hope they will vote for me.
