Matthew Gladney — Democrat for District 6

Matthew Gladney was born at Burnham Hospital in the heart of Champaign. He attended Unit 4 schools and Parkland Community College. He has lived in District 6 for over 25 years.

Matthew has been heavily involved in our community his whole life, from being a Habitat for Humanity volunteer to a journalist for The Hub, a weekly newspaper publication focusing on community people and events. He has also written for The Kitchen Sync, a guide to the greater Champaign-Urbana area. Matthew has performed in local radio theatre productions, been a community volunteer, and was a sponsor of the 2006 Roger Ebert Overlooked Film Festival.

Roots to the community run strong in Matthew's life. He has lived in Champaign County for a total of 27 years — 25 of those in County Board District 6. He has an extensive family that has lived in the county for decades. He has been in a committed relationship with partner Ashley Rodman for six years.

Matthew is committed to serving the people of Champaign County, and will work hard to represent them. With a strong belief in social justice and fair treatment for all county residents, Matthew will work to develop sensibility and civility on the county board. Getting the job done for the people of County Board District 6 will be his top priority.

Matthew believes in smart growth for Champaign County. We live in a fast-growing county that continues to draw people from across the country and all over the world. It is therefore prudent to adopt a newer comprehensive growth plan, one that will assure that we continue to grow and prosper in the best, and smartest, way possible.

Matthew believes in a prosperous business climate for Champaign County. We are fortunate to have businesses small and large in our community. Owners and developers have worked hard to make our area a better place to live and do business. The county board should encourage entrepreneurship and promote good, stable growth for the businesses of Champaign County, be they large or small, local or national.

Matthew believes in a balanced budget for Champaign County. Responsibly funding county projects will be a top priority for Matthew. Projects that will make the greatest positive impact while using the leanest cost of taxpayer dollars is vitally important to ensuring a healthy budget for our county.

Matthew believes in preserving the environment of Champaign County. We live in one of the most fertile regions of the world, with rich and abundant farmland. To ensure we keep this wonderful area the way it is, an effort must be made to preserve our rivers and streams and natural woodlands. This will help keep our county's environment well balanced for years to come.

Matthew believes in a prompt and fair justice system in Champaign County. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally in the eyes of the law, and the county can make that a reality with a continuous jury system, allowing for swifter court dates, and a reduction in pressure on the county jail inmate capacity.

   Matthew's issues:

• Smart growth
• Prosperous business climate
• Balanced budget
• Preserving the environment
• Living wage
• Prompt and fair justice system