CAC director: For the Good of Illinois shows promise

(http://www.pioneerlocal.com/elmhurst/news/1071050,em-andrzejewski-072408-s3.article)

July 24, 2008

By JEFF DANNA

Even though Adam Andrzejewski's staff is small, it shouldn't be underestimated.

That's according to Terry Pastika, executive director of the Citizen Advocacy Center, a good-government nonprofit that has called Elmhurst home for nearly 15 years. She had the chance to speak with Andrzejewski for the first time recently. She said she still isn't quite clear on the exact mission of For the Good of Illinois, but it's always good to see new watchdog groups.

"The more organizations there are highlighting the need for accountability and transparency is good in that it provides more resources to the public to become more informed about how government works," Pastika said. "In Chicago, there's only a handful of organizations focused on good government."

While most of these types of organizations are truly nonpartisan -- "Good government issues don't have a partisan label," Pastika said -- she did note For the Good of Illinois' IRS nonprofit designation, 501(c)(4).

Unlike 501(c)(3) organizations, such as the Citizen Advocacy Center, 501(c)(4) groups "can do a substantial amount of lobbying," she said. Plus, their contributions are not tax deductible.

Still, that doesn't mean their members necessarily have the ambition to run for public office. Andrzejewski said he plans on trying to bring about change as an average citizen rather than a politician.

And Pastika, paraphrasing anthropologist Margaret Mead, said never underestimate the power of a small group of citizens to bring about change.