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Garrett served with dedication
Updated: January 14, 2013 2:26PM
As we approach the upcoming election, we should celebrate the incredible contributions of retiring State Sen. Susan Garrett. She has steadfastly supported the best interests of her constituents and Illinois.
These contributions occurred because Susan relentlessly confronted the Springfield political establishment to improve people’s lives. Her principled determination and selfless public service were extraordinary. It was no surprise that she regularly received bipartisan voter support from voters like me, a past Republican election Judge.
Susan’s gold-standard performance set a high bar for her successor candidates. Here are some areas where they should be evaluated:
• Commitment to ethics and government transparency. Illinois is corrupt and many political deals appear to be secret and self-serving. Courage is needed to confront these issues.
• Capability and determination to resolve Illinois’ financial disaster. Our state is among the worst financially. We need legislators who can meet this challenge and see it as a top priority.
• Concern for ordinary people. Real, but different, problems confront all constituents. Genuine empathy is rare.
• Confidence to incorporate constituent views and support their interests. This distinguishes candidates who want to impose their views on the electorate from those who want to listen and learn. Openness is a virtue, as is a vibrant interaction with the voters.
• Humility.
Neither candidate has demonstrated respect for the contributions their predecessors have made. This is a shame. It speaks directly to the challenge we will have in replacing the contributions Susan Garrett has made.
Mike GriemLake Bluff
