Campaign info

Position sought: DuPage County Board Member, District 2

Political party: Republican

E-mail address: pete@dicianni.com

Phone: 630-834-4059

Address: 619 Hillside Ave., Elmhurst

Campaign committee: DiCianni for DuPage

Website: www.petedicianni.com

Personal info

Family: Wife, Rose DiCianni; children, Natalie, Peter and Brianna

Education: Bachelor's degree in business management from Elmhurst College Center for Business & Economics in 1988. Graduate of York High School in Elmhurst.

Occupation: President/CEO of DiCianni Graphics

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices: Mayor of Elmhurst (2009-present); DuPage Storm Water Commission (2009-present); Western Access Task Force (2009-present); task force advisor to Hon. Judy Barr Topinka.

Is there any additional experience you believe qualifies you for the position?

I think my 27 years of business experience coupled with over a decade of civic and public leadership makes me uniquely qualified to serve DuPage County.

Candidate Questions

What would your priorities be if elected to this office?

Low Taxes, Economic Development and Job Creation: Recruiting businesses that will be a good fit for our communities. Lessen the tax burden on residents by stimulating sales tax producing businesses. Create quality and reliable jobs for our residents.

Storm Water Management: Secure more county funding for local storm water projects. Protect the quality of life and public health of our residents. Protect property values for our local residents.

Intergovernmental Cooperation and Reduction of Costs: Regionalize services to give the best quality services at a low cost. Eliminate duplication and waste to save you money. My skills as a businessman and Mayor will be very important in this area.

Maintain and Enhance a High Quality of Life: Keep DuPage County residents safe. Be an advocate for safe & quality schools for our children. Be mindful of our senior citizens and their needs.

What sets you apart from other candidates?

My proven leadership, experience and passion both in the business and government clearly makes me a unique candidate for this position. Having served 27 years as a CEO of a DuPage company that I founded at age 18 out of my parents garage, along with 10 years of non-profit human and social service experience helping children, families and seniors. Lastly, four years of CEO experience as a mayor in one of the toughest times our country has ever seen moving our town from working in the red to now working in the black yet still providing a high quality of life for our residents.

What can the county do to promote job growth and draw new businesses to DuPage County?

Continue to keep our commercial property and sales taxes low. Invest in roads and infrastructure, such as western access, which will allow us to move goods and services around faster and make DuPage even a bigger economic engine that it is. Look to offer incentive tools to lure businesses from outside the county, especially those that bring jobs and sales tax.

What would you do to practice fiscal responsibility in DuPage?

As a mayor, I solved a $7 million shortfall in our budget when I was elected to office. I would assemble a citizens task force, utilizing the many talents of business leaders in this county to analyze and determine what services are important. These are the practices I brought forth to Elmhurst, where we enjoy one of the lowest tax rates in the county, but deliver a superior quality of life with quality government services. These leadership qualities I will bring forward to the residents of DuPage County.

What ideas do you have for improving the county's infrastructure and transportation?

Embrace western access to DuPage County. This will be the conduit to O'Hare Airport, and, combined with our current highways, will allow DuPage businesses the opportunity to compete and succeed. As mayor, I understand this project and have been appointed by the governor (Western Access Task force member, 2009-present) to see this project through.

We also must invest in stormwater projects, as they are critical for economic development and protecting property values and quality of life for our residents. As a DuPage Stormwater Commissioner and the lead mayor in 2010 to bring home millions of dollars in FEMA money to our residents and businesses, I can hit the ground running in this area.

In what ways can the county operate more efficiently and improve technologically?

In these tough economic times we must do more with less. The only way to do this and still provide a high quality of life that is expected in DuPage County is by working intergovernmentally. This means that if we have two agencies doing the same thing, they must find a way to eliminate duplication or waste.

Do you support a gaming bill that would increase the number of casinos or other gambling venues in Illinois?

I am not a proponent of gambling.

What do you suggest for property tax relief?

A push for economic development, which will bring in additional new growth in property and sales taxes and lessen the burden on our residents.

Who are your political heroes and why?

Presidents Ronald Reagan and John Kennedy because they are people who I believe inspired Americans to work hard and to give back. Both dealt with tough times and worked in a bi-partisan manner to get things done for Americans. As an Italian and Irish Catholic, Kennedy inspired my entire family, especially my mom. Attorney General Jim Ryan is also a political hero of mine. He is a man of leadership and integrity and I'm proud to call him my mentor and my friend.

Have you ever been convicted of a felony, sued successfully or had a restraining order placed against you? If so, please explain.

No.