2023 Efficiency Report Revision 4 - Flipbook - Page 6
boundaries, with three trustees residing in DuPage County and two trustees
within Cook County. This demographic is selected to represent the areas
covered by the District proportionately.
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Transparency:
As a fire protection district, the District generates most of its revenue through
property taxes (approximately 70% per the 2023 budget plan). Consequently,
transparency about where tax dollars are going, what they are being spent on,
and why that spending is necessary is essential in maintaining trust with the
community. By having a board that singularly assists matters of the District,
transparency is increasingly straightforward.
Rather than wading through countless action items on many government
services, the public can quickly and easily view detailed agendas, minutes, and
budgetary decisions exclusively for EMS, fire prevention, fire suppression, and
rescue. Accessibility to this information, and the trustees themselves, is
invaluable in pursuing transparency.
Please see section VII (pg. 13) for further discussions on transparency, including
where to find public information on the District and how to contact your District
Trustees.
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Accountability:
Transparency and accountability within the public sector go hand-in-hand. As
such, much like the transparency benefits associated with the Board of Trustees
at the District, increased accountability is also achieved through this body. As a
taxpayer, not only is it valuable to see where one9s money is supposed to be
going, but it is equally valuable to ensure it actually gets there. In other words,
having transparent budgetary decisions and agenda items encourages
expectations to be met and promises to be kept. This visibility utilizes public
pressure to ensure accountability amongst District officials.
Overall, community members want to trust that their public servants will do what
they say, especially concerning taxpayer dollars. When residents feel that they
have better access to their trustees and are comfortable knowing they can track
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