Why does DONT lie? The truth hurts.

The campaign against Supervisor Jill Brickman and the rest of an outstanding Northfield Township Republican slate can only rely on lies.

The truth hurts the machine Democrats challenging the Republican incumbents who have produced a solvent, effective government. Brickman and the Republicans have lowered taxes each of the last seven years and increased services, a track record unheard of in Illinois.

So the slate of Machine Democrats lie. The Democrats of Northfield Township, or DONT, manufacture fictitious statistics such as a low percentage of tax dollars reaching township residents in need, exaggerate others such as the large cash reserve, and write tall tales such as their suggestion the widely-recognized Northfield Food Pantry isn’t managed properly.

But enough about them. Let’s speak the truth.

The truth is that about 75 percent of property taxes collected for the Town Fund go to human service grants, assessor services, passport services, immigration services, voter services, and other vital township services.

The truth is that of the human service grants given to area agencies, the township gave $350,000 and the agencies collectively asked for $338,000.

The truth is that for every property tax dollar collected for the General Assistance Fund in fiscal year 2020-21, $1.32 was spent on General Assistance — financial aid and emergency services for our neighbors in need. The General Assistance fund ran at a deficit to run down the reserve after Supervisor Jill Brickman and Trustees Melanie Peterson, Dan Barrett and Itak Seo approved increased funding. (Shiva Mohsenzadeh also voted yes, but we’re left to believe that she didn’t understand her vote, didn’t know any better, or just didn’t care.)

The truth is the current General Assistance budget spent at a deficit in 2020-21, precisely to run down reserves, and that the $150,000 mental health allocation to the human services grants also cut into the Township’s “rainy day” fund.

The truth is that the Northfield Township Food Pantry, which Supervisor Brickman turned into a 501(c)3, less dependent on tax dollars and instead sustained through the generosity of our residents, has a surplus brought on by unprecedented giving in light of the pandemic. Donations surged six-fold in 2020-21. In April 2020, the Food Pantry removed the requirement that clients needed to show they qualify financially and simply opened the pantry to any township resident. Clients increased by about 50 percent.

The truth is that the Board of Trustees and Supervisor (except for Shiva Mohsenzadeh, whose yes votes evidently do not reflect her opinions) have lowered the levy each of the last seven years to allow taxpayers to recoup some of the surplus while allowing the township to pivot should reserves run low.

The truth is that no township resident in need has ever been turned away from Northfield Township services.

The truth is, despite the past year being a nightmare for many people, the next couple of years bring more uncertainty, making calls to raid the entirety of the reserve irresponsible.

The truth is that Northfield Township, under the leadership of Jill Brickman, reaches out to community organizations in targeted ways, identifying and locating social service organizations, churches, and advocacy groups that can provide much needed services to our residents. Our staff connects our residents with these organizations to provide care and support without increasing the cost burden on our taxpayers.

The truth is that Northfield Township’s offices are completely depoliticized as no jobs in the Township or the Road District are given to people based on political affiliation, let alone given to precinct captains, political donors, or other volunteers or shills.

The truth is the Township Board is, in fact, bipartisan. Lifelong Democrat Dan Barrett has served as a Trustee for the last two years. After not being slated by the Democrats, Dan joined the Republican slate to continue doing our good work and to reject partisan slogans like turning the township one color or another.

The truth is Shiva Mohsenzadeh voted yes on every single budget she has seen since taking office as a trustee.

The truth might be that the Democrats no longer want to abolish the road district but the truth is also that this would represent a 180-degree turn from the last time we had a contested township race, when the Democrats pushed abolishing it.

The truth is the Republicans’ near-sweep in 2013 preserved the Township Road District.

The truth is Highway Commissioner Tim Rueckert has done such a good job with the road district, the Democrats couldn’t find anyone to run against him.

The truth is that in December 2020, Shiva Mohsenzadeh told the Journal and Topics she would be a part-time Supervisor. In February 2021, after a posting by a Northbrook resident on Next Door that received a lot of response, Mohsenzadeh did an about-face saying she would be a full-time Supervisor.

The truth is one slate is interested in telling the truth and the other is unbothered by making things up.

The truth is a growing number of people in Northfield Township depend on our township government to perform its functions well.

The truth is, we need to re-elect Jill Brickman, Supervisor; Patricia Lechner, Clerk; Patricia Damisch, Assessor; and Trustees Melanie Peterson and Dan Barrett. And we need to elect trustee candidates Jeffrey T. Cernek and Robert Kamensky.