Glen Ellyn Democrat Paula McGowen wants a seat on the DuPage County Board, pitching expanded mental health services and a pay cut for board members as central planks of her District 4 campaign.
McGowen, 72, is a Milton Township trustee and former member of the Regional Board of Education. She is the Democratic nominee for the four-year District 4 seat held by Republican Grant Eckhoff, the second-longest serving Republican on the board, according to My Suburban Life.
In a candidate questionnaire published by the Daily Herald, McGowen said her top priority would be expanding mental health resources beyond the county's existing Crisis Recovery Center. The center handles immediate crises, she said, but longer-term care remains out of reach for many residents.
"While the Crisis Recovery Center is serving an important purpose for individuals experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, there is also a need for longer-term care," McGowen said in the questionnaire.
She also took aim at board member compensation. The board approved salary increases that will bring part-time members' pay to $62,000 by 2030, and long-time members will receive a pension, McGowen said. She called the raises a real disconnect from what families in the community are experiencing and said she would support reducing salaries at the next opportunity.
Affordable housing is another focus. McGowen said down payment assistance alone does not address the underlying shortage in DuPage County and pointed to DuPage United as an organization that has shown workforce housing is possible. She said the county board should partner with municipalities, nonprofits and developers to expand options for working families, seniors and young adults.
Demand is growing at Milton Township's food pantry, McGowen said. As a trustee, she has seen the pantry extend its hours and increase senior lunches from once every three months to once a month. Appointments that once had an open schedule now fill quickly.
On bipartisanship, McGowen said board members should be able to express opposing views without losing their voice at the table. She called the conflict between the county board and countywide elected officials "unnecessary."
McGowen competed against Syed Hussain, a former Wheaton City Council candidate, for the Democratic nomination. No candidate questionnaire for Eckhoff was available from the Daily Herald as of Oct. 19.
