Ted Dabrowski, Wirepoints co-founder & Republican candidate for governor 2026, said that overlapping local governments in his area create duplication and waste, with multiple districts and officials earning high salaries, and that consolidating these entities could improve efficiency and reduce costs.
“We have overlapping governments, and they’re wasteful,” said Dabrowski on the Lake Forest podcast. “They’re the party bureaucracy; It’s why we’re so fat. I can give you the example of where I am, a neutral district in Wilmette. We have a high school district, and within that high school district are six feeder districts. All seven of those governments have superintendents, a super assistant superintendent, bookkeepers, and lawyers. It’s all duplication; It’s all waste.”
“Take our government as well,” said Dabrowski. “I got Wilmette City, Wilmette Library District, and Wilmette Park District. Why are they separate? A watchdog like me can’t attend tax meetings to figure out what they’re doing. They don’t coordinate their taxation, and all race to raise taxes. That should be one unit of government. A big part of that is consolidating the government.”
This full episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This episode of the Lake Forest Podcast features Ted Dabrowski, co-founder of Wirepoints and a Republican candidate for Illinois governor in 2026, who talks with hosts Pete Jansons and Joe Weiss about his background and experiences that shaped his views. He discusses topics such as property taxes, school funding and districts, superintendent salaries, the state pension system, immigration and affordability, and public safety laws. The conversation also covers why he is running for governor and his perspective on why some Illinois residents are leaving the state.
The Lake Forest podcast is hosted by Pete Jansons, an entrepreneur with a background in neuroscience; Rick Lesser, an attorney and former village trustee; and Joe Weiss, who has experience in multiple government and public service positions. The podcast covers topics and politics impacting the area around the city of Lake Forest, according to the Lake Forest podcast website.
