DuPage County spends $220,000 to enlist state, federal lobbyists

DuPage County Board members have renewed contracts with three lobbying firms to push their agenda at the state and federal level.

The board has agreed to pay the group of lobbyists $220,000 to represent the county’s interests before lawmakers.

The board awarded a $90,000 a year contract to retain Roger C. Marquardt & Co., a Wheaton-based lobbying firm vouching for the county in Springfield.

A second state lobbyist, Park Ridge-based Raucci & Sullivan Strategies, will be paid $50,000 under a one-year contract. Two of the firm’s primary lobbyists – former Republican state Sen. Dave Sullivan and Marc Poulos, a member of Gov. JB Pritzker’s transition team – will be working for DuPage. The firm’s list of clients includes ComEd, Metra and the city of Des Plaines.

During an abbreviated legislative session this spring, the county’s lobbying team fought attempts to weaken or repeal state legislation banning pet stores from selling dogs from commercial breeders.

“With regard to the state legislature, it is important to have a strong team in Springfield who can react quickly to provide our delegation and other members of the General Assembly with the information that they need to advocate on the county’s behalf,” said Dawn DeSart, chair of the county board legislative committee.

The third firm, BGR Government Affairs, has been the county’s federal lobbyist since 2009. BGR Government Affairs will receive $80,000 for lobbying work over the next year. A Wheaton native, Bill Viney, is the firm’s principal.

With the return of congressional earmarks, the D.C. lobbyist has worked with the county to identify federal funding priorities. Earmarks are now officially dubbed “community project funding.”

“At the federal level, Bill Viney has proved to be a valuable resource to members and to staff, interpreting Treasury guidelines for both the Cares Act and the ARPA money, to provide overviews of critical federal legislation throughout the year, arrange meetings for members when in D.C. and keeping us updated with weekly reports,” DeSart said.

DuPage was allotted $179,266,585 under the American Rescue Plan relief package.