8 questions for candidates running for the Illinois House in districts outside the Chicago area
Seats in the 118-member
Currently,
But in the suburbs and the rest of the state,
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Fixing the unfunded liabilities is going to take a three-pronged approach: changing the IL Constitution, funding the liability and structurally changing the way we do pensions. First, we have to change the wording in the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Even with the pandemic and corruption at all levels dominating the headlines, the top priority I hear time and again in that the property taxes are killing my constituents. If they can leave, they are making plans to leave within five years. If they cannot, they are resigned to the fact that they will always rent their house from the government and some are becoming despondent. They want to see us go after the dollars on their property tax bills, not the pennies. However, another common theme is that the don’t want to see their local taxing bodies, especially the schools, handcuffed by oppressive limitations and mandates from
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top two priorities are getting
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I think we need to address property taxes while keeping schools funded. Most of the municipalities in my district are heavily residential. Many of the people who have moved here and continue to move here come because we have solid schools, save communities and room to breathe. We have some of the finest and well funded bike paths and park districts around. We also have good quality school districts. However, they are not well funded. All but two districts are in the worst category for funding with those two in the second worst. All districts are funding at a higher rate than the state expects with some as high as 3x the rate. Currently, the state is offering
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Due to the fact that he is under investigation, I think that Speaker Madigan should step down as Speaker of the House.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Just one? In my opinion, if we want to make representatives more accountable, we need ranked choice voting. The only power we the people have over our representatives is the power to vote them out. However, the districts have been drawn to ensure the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
If you had asked me this question at the end of May, I would have said an F. Now I would say he is at a D+. I liked that he went to regional monitoring and solutions. However, he was about 2 months too late to prevent the crushing economic and societal consequences we are seeing. His implementation of rules are heavy-handed and see arbitrary at best. I am concerned that he has decided to go state-wide with the mask mandate. This is not because I think it is unnecessary, but because he has shown himself to be quick to implement state-wide measures when small areas of the state actually need them. I am concerned that we have one person making policy decisions for 12.7 million people. Yes, I understand that he is considering input from many people, but he is still the only person making the decision. The percentage of people in the committee needed to stop that decision from becoming policy is far too small. I would advise him to call the
As a Veteran, I understand the importance of planning and being able to execute objectives. We need pension reform so our shortfalls never happen again. We need to protect current retirees and we need to explore short term revenue options as a solution for the shortfall. Of the 50 states we are the only state that requires a constitutional amendment to fix this. We are incredibly inflexible. We have to find a way to be able to make adjustments and protect working families.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support this. I do not believe the middle class voters will be protected. There is nothing in the amendment that will protect middle class families. In all other states that have installed a progressive tax in the past thirty years, lawmakers broke their promises to working families by raising income taxes and property taxes.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Cut taxes. Stop violence. Get us back to work.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Balancing the budget and protecting working families.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Businesses must stay open. Business have to be protected from rioters and looters in this environment. Relief from taxes and overbearing regulations.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No. Working families deserve to have a government they can trust.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We should have fair maps to promote competition on the issues and not on influence. Legislators can currently become lobbyists immediately after they resign. They should not be able to lobby while in office or for five years after. We should have term limits for the Speaker.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
The Governor should trust
As we work to bring revenue to our state we must ensure that this revenue is prioritized in paying our unfunded pension liabilities.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do support the graduated tax model. Over 98% of my constituents are projected to either stay the same or decrease in percentage. I took that into consideration when I voted for it.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
I will move forward with the work that I’m currently working on. Policies that promote COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT within community relations with law enforcement. I will also move forward with Constituental Services within my district. As of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Beyond COVID, residents need property tax relief and see the return on their investment concerning Rebuild Illinois. I strongly believe that we invest in our youth and decrease the skills gap to increase our tax base. When we do that, more jobs will come, more people investing in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
As the judicial process plays out I have no desire to grandstand and state the obvious if Madigan is implicated. What I am proud of, however, is that I have been a supporter of bipartisan legislation that calls for strong ethics reform and term limits for leadership long before this happened. I can do that boldly because I have never accepted financial contributions from Madigan’s campaign.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I am an co-sponsor of majority of the Republican ethics reform proposals. The proposals that I feel is needed is creating the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I believe he’s done a great job thus far in managing the pandemic. My biggest feedback is that I feel that he should have been more aggressive in pressuring the
The pension program is a promise to those employees enrolled and a promise should be kept. They paid into it . That being said, legislators need to address the problem. The unfunded balance needs to be paid and the pension programs need to be secured. Recommendations like re-amortization of the balance and full funding in the budget need to be considered.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The people I have met and listened to are very disheartened by the workings of government. They feel a loss of control, they feel they are not being heard. The legislators need to earn the trust of the people. True ethics reform focused on transparency and honesty needs to be taken up immediately. This State suffers from apathy and pessimism. Influence from lobbyists and big corporations needs to end, the people need to see that they are being served, not special interest. When the people see that legislators have the best interest of the those they serve then we can work toward growing a stronger Illinios.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Addressing our tax structure will be a top priority to get relief for homeowners. For too long State responsibility has been passed on to our local municipalities, forcing them to pass the shortfall on to home owners through increased property taxes. My experience in nonprofit management positions me to look at and manage budgeting in real and transparent ways. If education is the economic driver of a community, small businesses and other employers are the engine. Small business owners are people with highly-specialized ideas and skills, and their children are our district’s students. When they are provided a fair chance at success, they strengthen and grow the 71st’s economic prosperity. I plan to further ensure small businesses' success by helping pass legislation that will make it easier for owners to secure small business loans, grants, and tax credits. This goal can be achieved by investing in our Small Business Development Centers throughout our region, such as those offered by
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Residents are leaving because of the insecurity and inefficiencies they feel from the financial crisis with the State.The State needs to be run like a nonprofit not a business. The non profit model follows the mission of the organization and all programs and services reflect that mission. The non profit serves the community to make it stronger and improve the quality of life. A business model is focused on profits and making share holders happy sometimes over the well being of the customer. The business model looks to cut costs to improve profits, not necessarily be efficient. As the director of a non profit, I know we are constantly reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of our programs and services. Programs that are not effective are changed or discontinued. Non profits don’t have the luxury to waste resources. All legislative action should be mission-centered to ensure the programs and services provide the highest quality of life for the people of this State. I will take my experience and leadership to
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
We are living in an era of dismal public trust in elected officials. Even the slightest implication of wrongdoing, whether founded or unfounded, further erodes that trust. This is why we must allow due process to ensure that the truth of the events, in this case, is known. If these allegations were to prove true, it would of course be appropriate for Speaker Madigan to resign all positions held. However, in the era of both social and mainstream media, it is easy to forget that the court of public opinion is not, and should never be, the force that determines a person’s guilt or innocence. Due process is one of the Constitutional rights we hold most sacred--for good reason. The current legislative panel set to investigate should do their job in a timely and fair manner and make their recommendations as well.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I believe the government should work in the best interest of the people. With that being said, legislators should not be able to influence the other levels of government. From federal, state to municipal government, leaders should work in tandem for the people they serve. Lawmakers should be prohibited from becoming a lobbyist after their term and I believe it should be for ten years.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
Considering
Our present system is completely unsustainable. Pension benefits have been left unchecked and that has led to financial insolvency. In addition, municipalities continue to suffer because changes have not been made to pension funds. We must make our full pension payment annually going forward. This is crucial to ensuring the long-term viability of our pension systems. Police and fire pensions need to be fully funded by 2033, and yet far too many members of the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the Constitutional change because the middle-class taxpayers cannot be protected. The 2021 budget included over
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Taxes, unfunded mandates, ethics and broadband services. We can’t continue to increase taxes and not reduce spending. Unlike our households,
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Ethics reform and reduce spending.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Not only my district but the state of
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan should resign from his role as Speaker and Chairman. He has corrupted the legislative process to enable self-dealing over good public policy. The cost of corruption is simply too high for our beleaguered taxpayers.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Requiring at a minimum of one year between leaving an elected State office before registering and working as a lobbyist.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
First, we need for lawmakers to take the problem seriously. Imagine paying 100 percent of your bills with just 75 percent of your total income. That is exactly what
The pressure pensions are placing on the budget are not sustainable. The more we spend on pensions the fewer dollars we have for other spending priorities.
We need a Constitutional Amendment to give lawmakers the ability to reform
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I oppose the progressive income tax. The graduated income tax is code for massive tax increases and that is the last thing
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The biggest concern I hear from people when I am on the campaign trail is the high taxes in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
I will focus on jobs and taxes. We need to bring middle class and working-class jobs back through smart deregulation and lowering the tax burden in
? Re-Tailor our regulatory policies to benefit working class wages & new opportunities instead of just legislating to benefit the trial lawyers & special interests
? Take advantage of our ability to be an Energy Producer and Exporter
? Create a robust all of the above Energy Plan to utilize our vast Natural Resources to put people to work on Solar, Wind, Coal, Oil, and Gas.
? Lower taxes by implementing structural reforms to reduce spending such as a spending cap that ties the growth of government to a rolling average of economic growth. We need population growth – not a mass exodus out of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need a change in leadership in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I have already called for Madigan to resign his position as Speaker and to resign his House seat. I have even called out my opponent for refusing to call for Madigan’s resignation.
My opponent is bought and paid for by one of the most corrupt politicians in the history of
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We need term limits in
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I have traveled all across the country as part of my job and I have seen first-hand how many different states have handled the coronavirus pandemic. I have seen very little evidence that states with strict lockdowns were any better off than states without the strict lockdowns. The Governor continues to show his hypocrisy. His daughter has been competing in equestrian events out of state in violation of his own rules. His daughter can compete, but other kids can’t? He says he is following the science. So how exactly does that work? How is it safe for his daughter to compete but not other students? What “scientific” principles are at work here? Obviously, there is no science. If the Governor is going to stop school kids from playing sports this fall, my advice to him would be to make sure his rules applied to his own family as well. Otherwise his rules look like the capricious actions of a power-hungry politician.
Our unfunded pension liability is the single issue which impacts all other decisions in state government. Our pension costs squeeze the budget and put pressure on funding for programs across the state, in effect reducing what we can spend on other important programs. We must tackle the pension issue head-on, finding ways to ensure our obligation is met, but also finding a way to live within the revenue coming in the door currently. There are so many issues which play into this, and I believe we must put everything on the table to find a solution.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I voted against SJRCA 1, the tax amendment, when it was debated in the House. I will vote against the amendment as it appears on the ballot this fall. I do not believe the tax amendment is the correct course for our state. Though this tax amendment is sold as “only taxing the rich”, by allowing for graduated rates there is absolutely no protection from eventually raising income tax rates on all taxpayers.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Currently I hear from people of the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
1. Continuing to work with local, state, and federal partners to revitalize the economy of
2. Enacting meaningful ethics, lobbying, and campaign reforms in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The exodus from
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
He should resign as Speaker and resign from the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
It is ridiculous that
One excellent step forward would be to enact campaign finance reform that at least aligns
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
While I believe the Governor has been sincere in his efforts to confront the pandemic, the lack of clarity on moving through the phases of his Restore Illinois plan is frustrating to so many Illinoisans. We saw this play out recently with the way he responded differently to rising cases in
Implement a defined contribution plan vs a defined benefit plan with structured buyouts and early retirement options
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Emphatically no. Taxpayers will not be protected from future tax increases as long as the pension crisis is not mitigated.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I hear most often that the incumbent, while he votes consistently down party lines, has not sponsored a single meaningful piece of legislation in the 21 years he has been in office. The people of the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
The rights of women and children.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Not much, if we change the constitution to implement the progressive tax structure.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Absolutely not. He should be completely removed from the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Each and every member of the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I don’t feel he has been transparent with the data. My concern is that I do not trust him, nor do the people of the
We have to meet our pension obligations. Passing the Fair Tax will help, and we must not allow any further eroding of pensions and absolutely not borrow form pension funds.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes I support the Fair Tax. Middle class taxpayers are already at risk of hikes at any time. The graduated tax will be more equitable relative to incomes, and will ease the property tax burden on school funding.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Economic recovery following the pandemic.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Ending cash bail and passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Invest in supporting our people and providing innovation and incentives for clean energy jobs, and for diversification and expansion of our crops and agriculture.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
The investigation needs to run its course so any accused/accessories are given due process.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I have not looked into ethics reform. I am an honest person. I think people should be held accountable for their actions and honest and fair to the people they serve.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I am glad to have a governor who followed the science and has kept us as safe as he could. I do not think any large schools or colleges should have opened in person without available widespread testing, such as U of I has. ISU has hundreds of cases now, and I fear for community spread. I am concerned about money spent on setting up a hospital site we didn’t need, but I am glad he was willing to be prepared for a large number of cases.
We must first start with and pass a truly balanced budget. Absent this, the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
No, I didn’t support the ballot question when it was brought forward for an up or down vote in the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Public Corruption. My constituents don’t expect perfect government, but they do expect an honest one and a process that works for them. The recent indictments and guilty pleas surrounding the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Reduce taxes and ethics reform.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
It is difficult to do business in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No, the Speaker needs to resign immediately and from all positions that are both political and official. I have called for his resignation multiple times and my position is unwavering.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We must put an end to the lawmaker/lobbyist practice. It is unfathomable that in
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
Pension reform only occurs when
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support a Constitutional change from a flat tax to a graduated income tax because I don’t trust
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
In my role as mayor and as I travel the district, I hear the disappointment residents have in the corruption in our state government. Legislators must enact true and comprehensive ethics reform. Illinoisans must know their representatives are truly there in their interest, and not in self interest.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top priority in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Yes, Speaker Madigan must resign all positions in state government. He has stood in the way of reform for
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Although many reforms are necessary, closing the revolving door between legislating and lobbying is the most urgent.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I would advise the Governor to work with the state legislature as well as state and local officials to ensure our state’s response works for each region. In Pekin, we reprioritized our budget by
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support a graduated tax, both the Fair Tax and future graduated tax plans. Middle class taxpayers can easily be protected from future hikes by the legislature simply deciding to do so, by placing a fair amount of the tax burden on upper class taxpayers. It’s not hard, in theory, to protect the middle class - what’s hard is convincing legislators who are being bankrolled by wealthy interests to protect the middle class.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
They want jobs with good pay and good benefits, affordable health care, affordable and easily available child care, and well-funded and affordable education.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Jobs - supporting small business creation and growth by reducing state regulations. Supporting unions in providing collective bargaining rights for employees. Transparency and accountability -
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Better pay and benefits are what draw people out of
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
To the extent that his remaining in his state government positions will compromise the investigations, then he should be temporarily removed from those positions until the investigations are complete.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Independent, bipartisan citizen oversight boards, with broad access to state records (transparency), and with the authority to enact disciplinary measures for violations of ethical standards (accountability). Voters should not have to wait until the next election to address the unethical conduct of an elected official.
This would also be an excellent ethics reform proposal for state agencies as well. A board would be appointed for each state agency and would be able to receive and investigate complaints at their discretion. As a state employee I am unfortunately very familiar with how little transparency and accountability exists in the conduct of state business by state agencies. That needs to change too.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
First, we need to make the full pension payments. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past as Pritzker has proposed. Then, we need to fully implement the already-passed tier 3 benefits so that new hires are moved to a hybrid system that includes 401k-style benefits. That just makes sense financially for taxpayers, and it makes sense financially for the modern workforce that changes jobs more frequently and wants more control over their retirement. Furthermore, for future pension reforms, everyone must be at the table, including labor and those who are impacted by pension reform.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I voted against the graduated income tax constitutional amendment because I believe that we should not be making it easier for lawmakers to increase income taxes and grow state government. I also believe the flat income tax is one of the last competitive advantages in our tax code, depending on the rate, because it applies to everyone, not just particular segments of the population.
Middle-class taxpayers can be protected from future tax hikes by increasing the vote threshold required to raise an existing tax or levy a new tax, making it more difficult for lawmakers to secure enough votes to pass a tax increase. I am a co-sponsor of HJRCA 34, which would require a u2154 vote in both chambers of the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I hear from constituents on issues of policy and on issues where we can help them with constituent services. First, on policy, the top issues I hear about can be broadly categorized as the needs for fiscal discipline and ethics reforms. That is why those have been two issues I have focused on throughout my time in the legislature. On issues of constituent services, right now the top two issues are unemployment and issues getting FOID cards. For both of these topics we have seen complete failure by these agencies to fix the system wide issues. That’s why I have called for structural reforms, hearings, and audits for these agencies. Government agencies should be responsive to our constituents especially when it comes to unemployment during this pandemic or an issue with a constitutional right like carrying and owning a firearm. It is a shame that so many people are unable to get answers and must turn to their local legislative office for assistance.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
The top two priorities I hear from constituents are my top priorities. I will continue to push for meaningful ethics reforms and fiscal discipline. I’m proud to be a leader on ethics reform. While I was chair of the legislative ethics commission, we finally appointed a permanent LIG and worked through the backlog of ethics complaints.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The top three things are educational opportunities, career opportunities, and internet access. In a world right now where people are finding out that more jobs can be done from home than we thought, this provides a unique opportunity for rural communities. People who grew up or want to live in small towns may have the opportunity to work remotely for businesses who are located in larger cities. In order for this to happen though, we must have access to fast internet. Investment in internet access is crucial for these job opportunities and for educational opportunities. Additionally, we have great programs called CEO programs in the counties I represent that introduce high school seniors to the entrepreneurship opportunities, and great careers that are available here. These programs have the goal of keeping younger generations here to invest in and improve our communities. I believe, building on programs like these and existing job training programs is a great start to keep our residents here and build new businesses here.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
The Speaker should resign and candidates for the legislature should be asked whether they pledge to vote for someone other than Madigan for Speaker. I will not vote for Madigan. Voters deserve to know where candidates stand. If I were a democrat, I would also call for his resignation as chair of DPI - however - they get to decide who is leading their party. Unfortunately, they are sticking with him. The
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I don’t think any single ethics reform is going to solve all of the issues
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
What has been missing from the entire coronavirus pandemic response has been broad input and true accountability. I believe the Governor’s go-it-alone approach is unconstitutional and, frankly, makes the pandemic response more political and polarized rather than effective. This pandemic is too important and dangerous to mess up - that’s why from the beginning I have called for true legislative input. I’ve called for hearings on processes like unemployment that have been a failure. I’ve called for accountability for the billions of taxpayer dollars being spent. And, I’ve led legislative efforts to plead with the governor’s office for common sense changes to the response like targeted regionalization and support for childcare. What is clear is that we can’t let governing by executive order happen again which is why the legislature should pass a bill I’m co-sponsoring, HB 5780, to require formal legislative input after 30 days into a disaster like this. My advice to the Governor is to call us back to legislative session and seek formal input from the legislature.
Step one is for our elected representatives and lawmakers to work together for the betterment of our state as a whole, acknowledging that somewhere in between fashioned optimism and partisan cynicism there must exist a middle ground reality that can be found with compromise from all parties. We must acknowledge that any short-term gain cannot come at the expense of long-term speculation. In short we cannot, and have not been able, to kick the can down the road leaving this situation for future generations to tackle. We have a responsibility to honor the privileges and obligations we have made, while simultaneously establishing a fair and equitable path forward for new employees and the tax-payer alike. We also have a responsibility to cut spending appropriately across the board, allowing state agencies first to spearhead their own budget cuts, while balancing immediate needs.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes I support this idea, and I believe that middle-class taxpayers can be protected from future hikes through measures that codify brackets and demand a bipartisan review to take place at set times in the future, wherein the factual findings are presented to the people of
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I hear time and time again the feeling that
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Working to revitalize rural economies is a top priority. Finding comprehensive ways to maintain the jobs already in-district while expanding new ones is a must. Second, but not any less important, is supporting and expanding mental healthcare resources in rural communities, and specifically resources for our Veteran community. Barriers to access programming for those in need must be brought down, and fully supporting and enabling rural mental and behavioral health providers who are already living and working in the 95th is important for the long-term future of our entire health.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Creating tax relief and/or stimulus for small and rural businesses who already face a mountain of burden is important to keep the businesses we have alive and running. Shaping a future where residents can see themselves living safely, comfortably, and healthy in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan deserves the same due process, and should be afforded the same rights, as any citizen of our great nation. With that said, the highest offices of leadership must be beyond suspicion and reproach. The unfolding federal investigation will assuredly provide a clear picture of the situation, and trusting our law enforcement and legal professionals to do their job unencumbered by partisan politics is critical. If found guilty, Speaker Madigan will need to face the consequences and their full measure; if not, the people of his district have every right to vote for whom they believe will best serve them. As for the position of Speaker of the House, I do believe it is time to allow new leadership to move our state forward.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Leadership position term limits.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the progressive income tax, and believe that we can protect the middle class by introducing legislation to cap future tax rate increases on Illinoisians making 200% of the median
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Opportunity. We’ve seen unemployment rates above 30% in parts of the 96th. We need to incentivize the creation of new businesses that don’t just provide jobs but actually provide quality employment.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Defunding politics. We need to remove corporate cash through intensive campaign finance reform in order to restore the voice for the people of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need an increase in not just jobs but quality employment if we want our residents to stay in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Pending Federal action on citizens united, we need to limit corporate campaign contributions to the same level as an individual. currently an individual in
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
His response has kept
We’ll have to do some serious negotiations with Unions representing state workers in order to protect provisions of those contracts regarding their pension benefits while at the same time trying to fund them in a way that doesn’t bankrupt the State. I suggest protecting the current employees while changing the retirement provisions for any and all new hires effective 1/1/21. Since new employees actually end up funding the pensions of older employees, this will take a lot of thought and preparation. A maximum limit on annual pension payouts to individuals could also be set in the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the graduated tax as proposed. There is no way to control what the Legislature will do in the future. Under this proposal, if they can’t agree to a balanced budget, all they have to do is drop the ceiling to collect more tax revenue by enlarging the pool of people that they draw from. This could happen annually. It also leaves pensioners open to having their previously untaxed benefits taxed. That could really hurt our senior citizens. This is not the time to raise taxes on any of our citizens without the Legislature having a concrete plan to reduce wasteful spending. We need to prioritize all of the State’s spending and delete those projects that aren’t absolutely necessary.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Prioritizing spending, pension reform and enacting strong ethics reforms. They seem to be appalled at the corruption that has been recently exposed regarding Public Official A and ComEd. They feel that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Reduction of unneeded spending and serious ethics reform including term limits.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Make
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
He should voluntarily step down from his position as Speaker of the House. Our elected leaders are to be held to a higher standard and until this investigation is completed
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Term limits of four years on all leadership positions in the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
Initial reaction to an unknown health emergency was proper in it’s intent to keep us from overwhelming hospitals and medical supplies. His continued extensions of his original E.O. with out the advice and consent of the
The Illinois State Constitution mandates that workers be provided the retirement they lawfully contributed to. We must elect officials who will fight to properly fund these systems that have been neglected for far too long.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes! Make the wealthiest 3% of Illinoisans pay their fair share of taxes to relieve the tax burden from the working class. Those middle class and low-income workers want a WAGE increase. A tax break won’t help the 40% of
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Constituents, including me, want healthcare! Medicaid needs expanded to all youth as well as any other Illinoisans lacking decent healthcare.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Covered 19 has shown the massive inequalities in healthcare, education and jobs. Medicaid must be expanded to all Illinoisans. Improve fiberoptic infrastructure in every residence, school, college, business and hospital during in-home learning, working from home, and telehealth. Paychecks need increased to
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Invest in new technology! Solar installer and wind turbine technician are two of the fastest growing jobs in the US. Fiberoptic infrastructure and information technology are very important to advance a community into the future.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I am whole-heartedly against corruption from any party, however our justice system is innocent until proven guilty. It is imperative that we require due process to be acknowledged in every case. An officeholder should uphold that position with the upmost regard at all times, so any violation of a law that lawmaker swore to protect, shall not be tolerated in any instance.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Remove the lobbyist, PAC and corporate corrupting influence of money in the political system. The people need government and elected officials that will stand up and fight for all its citizens.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
The gubernatorial Executive Orders definitely saved lives over the lack of any coherent national response. Pritzker, as well as all governors, must highly prioritize ALL correctional facilities, especially where massive outbreaks across
We can’t keep pushing these problems off into the future to deal with, because ultimately it is the retirees who have worked hard and paid into the system that suffer because of our state’s mismanaged budget priorities. The
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes I do. I will fight to ensure that the middle class is not bearing the brunt of our tax burden and that those who have benefitted the most from our society will contribute to the system so everyone has a chance to prosper like they do.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The number one issue I hear concerning Illinoisans is the cost, quality, and accessibility of health care, especially in an underserved district like 102. We cannot keep electing career politicians who have no intention or interest in working to lower the cost of prescription drugs or bring investment to spur hospital development in the area. My father took his life because of the incredible burden of medical debt - I know how detrimental these situations can be. We need young new leaders with personal experience who are fighting to make sure that families get the care they deserve without having to come home and worry about the bill.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
We need leaders who have long-term goals for the families they represent. If elected, revitalizing my district will be a priority on day one, with good-paying jobs in new industry markets, access to proper healthcare, and quality education. Secondly, we can no longer sit by and allow special interests to dictate, through corrupt politicians, what goes on in the state of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
One way a Representative of
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
If the allegations are true, then Speaker Madigan should resign from his leadership position. His voters should decide whether he keeps his seat.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Fair maps (end partisan gerrymandering). We need an independent commission within the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
His performance was better than many other Governors, but without actually containing the virus, we have essentially postponed the inevitable. We need to extend the rent moratorium, delay evictions and foreclosures, keep the water and lights on, and keep workers paid, otherwise we will have a wave of homeless and financially desperate people placing an enormous burden on the state. Mask requirements must be enforced, otherwise we extend this hell and lose more lives, which hits everyone financially through the loss of state revenue. We need to focus on making sure a COVID diagnosis will not push individuals and families into medical debt for treatment and care, which should be covered.
We need structural – not cosmetic – changes to get the situation under control. First and foremost, we need a Constitutional Amendment to give the Legislature the statutory authority needed to implement the reforms we need. This was done in
Other reforms include eliminating compounding COLAs and going to simple COLAs, capping the maximum amount of total pension funds a person can receive and incentivizing employees to move from a defined benefit retirement to a defined contribution system.
About
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
The only way to protect middle class taxpayers is for voters to defeat the progressive income tax on
The rates being advertised are not part of the actual language to change the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I hear a lot about taxes in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Beyond the macro issues of ethics reform, pension reform and economic policies, one of the issues I am working on at the local level is putting long-term plans in place to improve the facilities at
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need to bring jobs and opportunities back to
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan has ruled
The ComEd saga proves beyond a shadow of doubt that Speaker Madigan is corrupt. In recent months, several of Madigan’s top male lieutenants have been forced to resign due to allegations of acting inappropriately with some of their female colleagues. One by one individuals close to Madigan have fallen on the sword to protect his regime. How many more of these abuses of power are we going to allow let stand without doing anything about it?
It is time for him to resign his House seat.
It is time to close the book on corruption in
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
The culture of corruption is more than just bad actors. If we are going to change
We need structural changes in the way the
Some specific reforms include:
HB 4421 - Ends COLAs for legislative and executive officers and appointees.
HR 588 - Requires that if a bill has five bipartisan sponsors the bill must be discharged from Rules and called for a vote in committee.
HJRCA 44 - Places term limits on State Representatives and State Senators by limiting the time served in each chamber to 12 years.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
The whole point of shutting down our economy was to flatten the curve. According to an article from the Hill, flattening the curve was necessary because the "nation’s health care system has a fixed capacity of the number of people it can treat per day, which is marked by a straight line on the graph. A higher curve would likely exceed that capacity, meaning that people would be left waiting for days to be seen and treated by medical professionals. The flatter the curve, the more likely it is to fall under that maximum capacity, allowing each patient access to the resources they need. We shut down to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed and we have accomplished that goal. It is time to reopen
The first thing we need to do is pass the Fair Tax Act. Then we need to put a program in place to pay the bill this state owes to its workers.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I am a fierce supporter of the Fair Tax Act because it’s a simple solution to a problem we shouldn’t have. The more money someone makes, the more they pitch in to make society a better place. For decades the rich have been getting richer and the poor have been getting poorer. If we don’t pass this amendment, we risk losing the middle class altogether. The way I see it, we can’t afford to protect the middle class without the Fair Tax Act.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Constituent Services is one of the most important parts of my job. My district office hears from constituents non-stop. The top five issues we’re currently helping with are COVID-19 response (unemployment), housing insecurity, poverty, gun control, and criminal justice reform.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
If you send me back to
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
While
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
On
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I currently have two ethics bills in the House. HB4041 requires legislators to declare a conflict of interest before taking action on a legislative matter. HB4943 Requires governmental entities to implement ethics training programs and harassment and discrimination prevention training programs to be completed, at least annually, by all officers and employees of the governmental entity. My ethics agenda is grounded in the concept of due process. Any ethics legislation that foregoes due process sets a dangerous precedent.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I think
I believe we can take back control of the pension problem, and restore some fiscal responsibility to the state.
That said, we made promises to public sector workers. As a Libertarian, I believe in always honoring contracts, which is why I support Mazzochi’s constitutional amendment that protects existing earned benefits while cutting future benefits. And I am not alone: a recent poll showed that 51% of Illinoisans also support the amendment.
But there is more that can be done legislatively to alleviate the pension problem. I would support legislation that: 1) increases the funding target from 90% to 100%, 2) applies a pensionable salary cap at
For Illinoisans who are unfamiliar with the dire state of the pension system here in the State, I encourage them to read the excellent report titled “Illinois Forward: A 5-Year Plan for Balanced Budgets, Declining Debt And Tax Relief” by the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the “Fair Tax”. There is nothing fair about a graduated income tax. Fairness is treating people equally, which is why I support a flat income tax. Governor Pritzer and Speaker Madigan want the constitutional amendment so they can write blank checks against the future of Illinoisans. They have demonstrated clearly that they have a spending problem. I have no trust that the so-called “Fair Tax” rates will not increase in the future as our financial prospects become more dire.
I will vote against any graduated tax, while also voting to balance the budget and restore fiscal responsibility to the State.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
One topic comes up again and again: Taxes. When I was out petitioning, when I am out canvassing, when I go to speaking events, the one thing on all Illinoisans' minds is the current tax burden. Property taxes are too high. Income taxes are too high. People struggle to pay their mortgages as a result. People cannot save enough to buy a house in the first place. People struggle to put food on the table. And I sympathize. That is why, besides fairer, more transparent government, taxes are one of my primary planks. The top priorities of lawmakers in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top two priorities are to draft fair, unbiased legislative district maps in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Again I come back to taxes: income, property, and corporate. People leaving the state rank the high taxes as the number one issue in determining their move. Small businesses are unable to start, grow, and survive in the current climate. Large companies are reevaluating their operations in the state. I constantly read about the diaspora of good, hard-working, and industrious citizens from the state. Take Jimmy John’s as an example. In 2013 the company moved its licensing division to
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
While the investigation is ongoing and I will reserve my final judgement, it looks fairly damning of Speaker Madigan to me. Based on what we know, Madigan worked closely with ComEd lobbyists and was overly favorable to legislation affecting the company in return for jobs and favors for political associates in addition to more than
But this is beside the point: Speaker Madigan should step down as Speaker of the House, resign his position in the House, and resign as Chair of the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Term limits. Incumbency allows special interest groups to take advantage through lobbying, bribery and political favors. Lifelong politicians forget what it is like to be a normal working class person. Integrity diminishes the longer politicians are in office. I am not running to represent myself or my family. I want to be the voice of The People. I believe The People need more voices, which is why I will introduce legislation to impose term limits on all State Congressional and elected Executive offices.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
COVID-19 is a real problem. The disease has caused immeasurable harm to the State and our People. However, the way Governor Priztker has handled the pandemic stamps all over people’s rights. He has acted as an autocrat and an authoritarian. Businesses and people need to take the responsibility for themselves. Businesses should be able to decide for themselves whether masks are required in their establishments. And patrons need to respect their wishes. I believe in the goodness of people and that they will make the right decisions. I do not agree with authoritarian government rule.
I continue to support the consideration model for pension reform as a way to reduce liability in a way that is fair to taxpayers and members of the pension systems.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
There is no reason to raise taxes on Illinoisans. Our state does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem. If we work towards balanced budgets that cut back on the waste in government we would not be having this conversation.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
We always hear about the need for decent fiscal management in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Ethics reform needs to be enacted immediately if we want to restore any faith in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The number one thing we can do as government is control property taxes. Local government reforms and eliminating mandates will help reduce property taxes which is one of the main reasons I hear from constituents as to why they are fed up with
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
How the Speaker can effectively govern is called into question now more than ever. He is innocent until proven guilty, however he should be including in his decisions what is best for
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
A more open and detailed statement of economic interest, modeled after the current judicial version, for elected officials across the state would help bring transparency to all levels of government and help hold officials accountable.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
No one runs for office expecting to have to manage government during a pandemic, it is a thankless and unforgiving task. However, the Governor decided to dictate instead of govern, cutting the
Just like most of
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
The fair tax bill has been consistently misconstrued by the top 3%, which has had a trickle-down effect on many people within the other 97% of us. We have been told that it will cause Illinoisans to face even higher taxes than we have experienced before, but here are the facts. Fair tax has been created and implemented by 33 other states to give back to the working class. The fair tax will lower taxes of the middle class and those that disproportionately face financial strain because of race, gender, sexuality, and generational poverty.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, our state has been facing an economic crisis for years. My constituents are concerned about legislatures budgeting capabilities and feel their needs aren’t being recognized by the state. We need to pay off our massive debt for the good of Illinoisans. Now that we are facing the economic effects of COVID-19, we must get our house in order. We are worried about people leaving the state because of our economic state, and I believe we need a full-package plan to recover; short term solutions just aren’t enough anymore.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
As I have said and will say again, the recovery of COVID-19 for small businesses, restaurants, and low-income communities is my priority entering office. We must face unemployment and debt head-on in order to bounce-back from the pandemic. Additionally, I feel that social justice must be priority in our government because of the changes in our communities. The younger generations no longer tolerate systemic racism and must use our power as policymakers to bring justice to all Illinoisans.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
My campaign slogan is RISE105. I am running in the 105th district, and I believe that the way to Revive Illinois is by Strengthening all parts of our communities (including municipalities, small businesses, etc.) and Energizing our constituents to use their voice in local and state government.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
As this is currently under investigation, he must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. If he is found guilty, he should be removed from his position for unethical reasons. However, he should be treated just like any other member of the office is treated in a courtroom, and given a fair trial. Just like the impeachment of
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I believe that placing members of the public on the legislative ethics commission, instead of just legislature. A third party will create a more accountable environment that encourages the legislature to make ethical choices and removes the unethical from office.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
A pandemic of this magnitude is something no one has experienced before. I believe that the Governor handled the situation as best he could, attempting to balance human lives and preventing economic turmoil. More importantly, I believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will serve as a lesson of preparedness for the future.
The first step toward solving the fiscal problems has to be passage of the Graduated Tax amendment. Just passing it doesn’t solve all the problems, but not passing it is much worse, because the economic pain is passed down to the middle and lower classes. This approach has the potential to put a drag on the economy. Specific to the pension, I believe there are hybrid pension ideas that are beneficial to both the pensioner and the state. I hear politicians on the right demanding a move to 401k style retirement plans for all state employees and I hear groups on the other side demanding we stay with 100% defined benefit plans. Someone has to lead these two sides into a discussion where common ground can be found.I also wonder about the feasibility of selling WWII style bonds. Patriotism is often thought of at a national level, but I believe many Illinoisans to be patriotic about our state. My thought is that citizens could purchase long-term bonds from the state. Citizens would benefit from a decent guaranteed interest rate and the state would benefit from the cash infusion as well as a lower interest rate than the 7% interest they are currently paying on overdue bills.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do support passage of the Graduated Tax Amendment because it actually
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
What I hear from the folks in my district is that they are tired of the divisiveness. Our current representative proposes removing
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Legislators simply have to address the rising cost of health care and prescription medicine. My opponent voted no on SB 667, the bi-partisan bill that capped insulin prices. I would have voted yes on SB 667 and I support finding other ways to control prescription drug prices. A second priority for me is to try and work towards a more just system of taxes and fees. If the Graduated Tax Amendment passes, I support measures to roll back or at least ameliorate many of the regressive fees that were passed during the last session. I believe the
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
It is my observation that the real issue of population loss began when former Governor
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I’m a believer that in America, you’re innocent until proven guilty. If Speaker Madigan is found guilty, then obviously he needs to go. Has the Speaker overstayed his usefulness and become the poster boy for term limits? Very possibly, but it’s a different issue than whether someone under criminal investigation should step aside simply because they’re under investigation. If there is an indictment of Speaker Madigan, then my calculus changes, depending on what is specifically charged. It’s possible that legal charges make leadership simply unworkable.Regarding the leadership of the Democratic Party, it is my view that political parties operate largely as public relations organizations and that new leadership for the party is long overdue. My supporters would like to see a
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I believe that in order to truly reform
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I think the governor’s approach undoubtedly saved lives and for that he is to be commended.
We need bold solutions to the pension crisis in
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Going to a progressive income tax structure in
They campaign that this is only a tax increase on the rich. What it really does ins make the same politicians that have made this mess and are beholden to the same special interests even more powerful-that is not a good idea.
IL is in a fiscal death spiral. What are the chances that IL politician come back in a couple of years and say we are in a fiscal crisis (we are in a perpetual fiscal crisis) and say we have no choice but to raise taxes on working people because that is where the share of the money is.
We need structural reforms to reduce spending. We need a spending cap that ties the growth of government to a rolling average of economic growth. Hardworking families can’t outspend their incomes. Why should we allow this irresponsible behavior from our government?
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Property taxes, corruption, lack of influence and understanding about how
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Put in place the strongest anti-corruption and pro-transparency safeguards in the country and reforming spending to a level that is sustainable by dealing with our primary cost driver-the pension system. Standing pat on these issues is no longer an option.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
My district is overwhelmingly a working-class district and the people in the
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
It is time for Speaker Madigan to resign. I am encouraged that some
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I have sponsored what I call the
- HB4810: Creates an independent and aggressive Legislative Inspector General’s Office.
- HB4811: Modifies the law so that no member of the
- HB4812: Forces legislators to choose between public service and personal profit by strengthening the conflict of interest laws and demanding recusals.
- HB5370: Creates one of the strongest, most detailed, and most transparent economic disclosures in the country.
- HB4808: Provides accountability for agencies that ignore
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I have been very vocal in my criticisms of the Governor and his handling of the pandemic. Very little of our response to the virus has been targeted to those who we know by the numbers are vulnerable to becoming critically ill or dying. The lack of this targeted approach has left long term care (LTC) facilities exposed. Over half of our deaths are in this population statewide and nearly 75% of the deaths downstate are in LTC’s. The policies are way too proactively restrictive to the general population and way too reactive on the vulnerable populations. To this day, the state of IL does not have mobile testing units that can turn around same day testing for LTC’s in hotspot areas. So much of the response to this virus has been fueled by partisan politics which has not been helpful. About half the deaths in
I suggest three simple steps we can take to begin to solve this crisis.
1: We need a Constitutional Amendment. States like
Step 2: End Legislative Pensions
Many legislators are opting out of the legislative pension system. Let’s keep our obligations to current retirees but get rid of it moving forward. We don’t need a pension for a part time job.
Step 3: Move from compounding COLAs to simple COLAs. The compounding COLAs are contributing to the pension problem in a big way. Ending compounding COLAs would dramatically reduce our pension liability.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
No. I oppose the progressive income tax. The graduated income tax is code for massive tax increase and that is the last thing
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The voters I talk to want to see more jobs coming to
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Many of the communities in my district are on the
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
One of the first things we need to do is keep young people in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
There is no question Speaker Madigan should resign. He should as Speaker. He should resign his seat in the House, and he should step away from the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
There are a number of good reform ideas already on the table, but sadly the very people who are making these reforms so necessary are the very ones preventing these ideas from ever being considered. I have and will continue to push for the meaningful ethics reforms we need once elected to office. One reform I support is House Bill 4810. This bill creates an independent and aggressive Legislative Inspector General’s Office. We need a truly independent Legislative Inspector General who does not have to ask permission to act from the very people the office is set up to investigate. In order to be more effective, the Legislative Inspector General must truly be independent.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
First, I think the politicization of this virus has been very harmful to the country. What we need is facts and real information about the nature of this virus and unfortunately every piece of information we get is filtered through the prism of politics. We need the truth about this virus even if it goes against our worldview. Second, I think that the lockdown of our economy was not the right response. I never understood why we locked down healthy people but did little to protect our nursing homes and assisted living facilities. About half of the deaths in
I believe that police officers who are convicted of a felony should be ineligible for their pensions. This alone won’t address the pension crisis
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the graduated tax. I believe the graduated tax that we will be voting on in November does protect middle class taxpayers as only the top 3% of income earners in the state of
I do believe middle class taxpayers can be protected from future hikes, too, because I don’t believe the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
When I am out canvassing and campaigning, I often hear the issue of corruption,
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
1. Term limits on the
2. Climate change/green energy jobs in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I believe bringing high paying jobs and lowering taxes for the poor and middle class is key to not only keeping residents and businesses in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
He should resign from Speaker of the House and Illinois Democratic Party Chair until the Com-Ed investigation is over. If he is found guilty of any wrongdoing, he should be removed from his office.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I think term limits is the ultimate goal to increase accountability. We also need to look at campaign finance and think of ways to decrease dark money influence in politics. One way I believe this can be done is to move toward public funding of elections and public matching of funds for candidates who pledge to only accept small dollar donations. This will allow candidates to spend more time talking to voters and less time calling wealthy out-of-state donors.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I think Pritzker is doing a great job of listening to medical professionals and science about what we can do to mitigate the spread of the virus. The only concerns I have is that the rules and mandates seem to change day by day. I know that a virus that we have never seen before is unpredictable, but more consistency would be nice, especially when dealing with schools. Several schools in
We need long term solutions to the pension crisis. Short-term, Band-Aid solutions have failed to adequately solve the problems we are facing. We need real reform and we need it now.
The first step is to ask the voters to approve a Constitutional Amendment to give the Legislature the authority to enact the reforms we need. The courts have made it clear that absent a change in our
Having said that, there are some reforms we can enact. For starters, we should eliminate the Legislative pension and lead by example. We should also look at using simple COLAs for retirees rather than compounded COLAs and/or we should look at implementing a 401(K) style plan for new hires. Whatever course of action we take, we need to make real pension reform a high priority.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I oppose the Governor’s progressive income tax. If
But the reality of a progressive income tax is that over time every income tax bracket ends up seeing tax increases over time. It is easy for career politicians to raise one income tax bracket one year and focus on another bracket the next year. It is much harder to raise everyone’s taxes all at once than it is to raise just some taxpayers' taxes one income bracket at a time.
Giving more of our hard-earned money to
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I think voters in the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My focus will be on lowering taxes and creating jobs. The only way we can legitimately lower taxes is to reduce spending. One of the reasons I voted against Gov. Pritzker’s bloated budget is because of the massive increase in spending contained in his budget. We must get spending under control. We also must root out the culture of corruption in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Much of the
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
It is not like the ComEd scandal is the first time House Speaker
He needs to resign his position as Speaker. He needs to resign his House seat and he needs to resign as head of the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
It is time to do more than just talk about ethics reform. We need to end the revolving door that allows legislators to leave office one day and become lobbyists the next. We need to strengthen the Legislative Inspector General position to make that office a truly independent one. We also need to expand the financial impact statements for anyone running for office to ensure that legislators are not using their positions to profit financially.
The bottom line is we need to enact real ethics reforms and we need to do it sooner than later.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
The biggest problem I have with the Governor is his unwillingness to listen to legislators about the state’s response to the virus. He has consistently pushed for one-size fits all solutions to the coronavirus pandemic. Many legislators even some in his own party have objected to his decision to eliminate fall high school sports. Surrounding states have found ways to safely play sports. We should be able to do the same here in
As a CPA and auditor, it is difficult for me to watch pensions consume more and more of our state’s budget and reduce the amount available for services for our most vulnerable. It is critical for legislators to stop borrowing and spending, and get serious about reexamining the spending priorities of our state. Even as COVID ravaged our economy, Democratic legislators continued their tone deaf and irresponsible ways, voting for a budget that spends more than ever.
Structural reform must take place, and I support multiple potential solutions. I would support the consideration model touted by both
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support changing the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
As I meet voters from
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top two legislative priorities are ethics reform and reducing
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
As a border district, it is critically important to enact economic policies that bring quality jobs here, and reform the property tax system to make living in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
When state corruption is as out of control as it currently seems, it is difficult to choose only one item. However, I know from my work in accounting that one critical component to identifying conflicts of interest is adequate disclosure. The forms required of legislators and senior state employees should be strengthened to include much more detailed information about income and investments. With the public and media able to access accurate information, citizens can be more informed about potential corruption or conflicts.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
First, we need to amend the state constitution to allow changes to pensions, without changes to the constitution all other reform wouldn’t come close to solving the problems we currently face. Second, all new employees should be on a 401(k) system that current employees can opt into. Third, we need to reform current participant benefits. The age of retirement should be increased for all employees to 67 and we need to do away with the guaranteed 3% cost of living adjustment, which should be replaced with a true CPI adjustment with a maximum of 3%. Then finally, lawmakers must address state debt and stop spending money. We don’t have a problem with revenue in this state, it’s a problem with rampant government spending which leads to funds, especially pension funds, being raided to pay for various pet projects. Springfield’s solution has only ever been to increase taxes which has only resulted in thousands of Illinoisans leaving the state for states with lower taxes and making the pension crisis worse. These aren’t easy solutions, but they are what is needed to fix these issues instead of just kicking the can down the road.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support changing the flat income tax to a graduated tax. There is no guarantee that taxes on the middle class would not increase. With current state spending, it is almost a guarantee that the middle class will suffer with even higher taxes. The issue isn’t revenue, it’s rampant government spending.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The issue I hear the most is property tax relief. Every year brings about even more property tax hikes along with increases in taxes such as the doubled gas tax. Many residents are opting to move out of state because we get promised relief with no action from those currently elected.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
I have three top priorities: lowering taxes,
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Stop taxing them to death. Those leaving
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No, he should resign from all positions immediately. Whether or not he is guilty he has the appearance of violating the public’s trust in him as a State Representative. The longer he remains in office and his position as Speaker of the House the more it becomes apparent that he is only serving himself and not his constituents or the people of
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Ban lobbying altogether. Elected officials should be beholden to their constituents in their districts and not from some corporation looking to wield government as a weapon to enrich themselves.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
I think
I favor the progressive income tax and the proposed
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the progressive tax and I am committed to protecting middle class tax payers from increases.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
We are over-taxed and education is not being funded at a level that enables us to compete with neighboring states. The young people are leaving the state and businesses are relocating to neighboring states. The state is not business-friendly, and is corrupt, inefficient, and too centered on
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Tax reform and better education funding; transportation development and healthcare for everyone would be close behind.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We have to lower taxes, especially reforming the Workman’s Comp requirements and property taxes. Our current policies encourage small businesses to under-employ workers. We have to get behind public education as we once did, at all levels. We must find a way to end the cronyism and corruption. The office of the Secretary of State has been well-administered for some years and should be used as a model for administering other branches of state government.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
It doesn’t matter about the investigation. He has clearly stayed too long and that has been true for ten years. He should retire. Service in elective office to one’s state, or nation, or local government should not be a career. It is for “amateurs” in the real sense of that word --those who do it for love, not for profit, power, or advantage. I will donate every penny (above real expenses) of my state salary to charitable organizations, and I will not serve more than two terms.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I am quite familiar, as a state employee, with the current state ethics laws, since I have to be trained and tested on them every year. The problem with our current system is that it is reactive --we wait until someone does something wrong and only then make a rule against it-- and it is not guided by any thorough understanding of what “ethics” is or means. I am a specialist in ethics. I would advocate a broader understanding of the relation between ethics and morality, not just ethics and legality. We want morally good government, not just legally accountable government.
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
He has done pretty well. He must stand up to pressure from uninformed people who try to politicize our public health. Obviously he has to balance our economic health and our physical health, but they are related. Thinking long-term instead of giving in to short-term pressure/criticism is very important. He has done ok, but is not as strong and resolute as some other governors.
The first thing the Legislature must do is make pensions a top priority. Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. Currently about 25 percent of all state revenue goes to funding pensions. This is not sustainable. We need a Constitutional Amendment to give lawmakers the authority they need to fix our broken pensions systems.
I am committed to making sure current retirees are protected but the Legislature needs the Constitutional authority to make some changes to the retirement benefits afforded to current state employees.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I am opposed to the progressive income tax. The promised tax rates are not set in stone. These rates most definitely will change. The end result of the Governor’s progressive income tax will be a massive tax increase for middle class families. It is not the fault of taxpayers in
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
What I hear from voters in the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My focus would be on job creation. We need to make
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
First, we need to continue to move forward in the reopening of our economy. We need to get back to where we were before the shutdown of our economy. We must keep moving forward. I will work with the Governor to ensure that our region continues to stay open. Second, we need to look at ways locally to attract jobs and opportunities. I will work with local mayors and community officials to do what we can at the local level to make our region more attractive to prospective employers. I will be the advocate our region needs to keep the jobs we have and recruit new businesses.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan needs to resign. Even
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
One of the most significant reforms we need is HB 4809 which bans legislators from being lobbyists for three years after leaving the
Please evaluate the job Gov. J.B. Priztker has done managing the coronavirus pandemic. What concerns do you have? What advice would you give him?
More than half of the deaths in
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