Issues

     As your representative on the County Board, Scott will fight to:


  • Streamline and increase the efficiency of our county government

  • Make the tough decisions today to better position our community for tomorrow’s challenges

  • Protect the Democratic majority on the County Board



Please submit your questions to bennettforcountyboard@gmail.com. Previously Submitted Questions:

  1. Do you support a reduction in the size of the county board?

    2. Yes, I do favor a smaller county board, and I would propose reducing the board to 17-21 single-member districts.
    This year, the County Board directed all County Departments to cut their budgets by 6%. Reducing the size of the County Board would demonstrate that the Board acknowledges that there is fat that can be trimmed on each and every line in the County budget—including the County Board’s own operations.


  2. Do you support single-member districts?

    3. As stated above, I would favor single-member districts.
    Campaigning over the last few months has changed my mind about the number and size of the districts. In its current form, Champaign County is divided into 9 massive districts, with three members elected from each district. If the boundaries were redrawn after the 2010 census to divide the County into approximately 21 smaller single-member districts, it would accomplish two goals:
    1) It would encourage visibility and participation, as a candidate could potentially meet all his/her constituents, and
    2) It would promote accountability, as the one district representative could not hide behind the votes of any other representatives in the district.


  3. Should the Auditor stay an elected position?

    4. Yes, I believe that the Auditor position should remain an elected position.
    The County Auditor acts as an accountant for the County Board, and either approves or rejects claims. In this way, the Auditor position serves as a watchdog for frivolous spending. The only way this office works is if the Auditor remains independent of the County Board. If the County Auditor became appointed by the Board, or became otherwise incorporated into the Board's operations, the integrity of the office would be severely compromised.