8 questions for candidates running for the Illinois House in suburban districts
Seats in the 118-member
Currently,
But in the suburbs and the rest of the state,
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Pension spending is up 501% since 2000, and the five state pension systems have a combined
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I am opposed to the graduated income tax and absolutely believe that middle class taxpayers will eventually see rate hikes. As our wealthiest leave the state, which has been happening already for at least a decade,
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Constituents are demanding action on property taxes, corruption, and unemployment insurance, and I’m working hard on their behalf. Property Taxes: I am the Chief Sponsor or Chief Co-Sponsor of 14 different property tax relief bills this year. These bills limit how much taxes can increase, provide for consolidation of units of government, add, extend or increase exemptions on property tax bills, and provides a mechanism for tax abatement. Read about them at Grant4Illinois.com/save-Illinois. Corruption:
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
As stated above, providing substantive property tax relief to Illinoisans, and addressing political corruption are my two highest priorities. These two issues have been prominent in every legislative agenda I have brought forward during my 5 u00bd years in office.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
People and businesses are leaving
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
In July, when
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
The most important ethics reform initiative we could pass is term limits. Corruption grows over time as politicians grow their sphere of influence. If we had term limits in place for non-leaders, disgraced former State Rep.
If we had term limits for leaders in place,
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 give the Governor an average grade for his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. In the initial response period, I was supportive of his efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure adequate hospital space and equipment was available for those who fall seriously ill. I still support many of his preventative measures. However, I was opposed to his decision to allow big box stores to remain open while forcing small mom and pop businesses that sell the same merchandise to close. That decision decimated small business owners. That’s why I am a Chief Co-Sponsor of HB 5796, the Fair Business Treatment Act, a measure that would treat all businesses the same during a health crisis. I am also opposed to the Governor’s refusal to seek legislative input on coronavirus response decisions. We should be working together on these issues. As lawmakers, we live in the communities and have the greatest understanding of local differences and unique circumstances. His “go it alone” approach flies contrary to how our system of government is supposed to work. My advice to the Governor would be to really consider the devastation his executive orders are having on the business community, involve the legislative branch in coronavirus response decisions, and do whatever has to be done to fix problems at IDES so that the unemployed can get the benefits they are owed.
We have liabilities because we didn’t fund them and in some cases they weren’t managed as well as they should have been. We need to improve in both areas. Too often there have been Pension Holidays and these expenses were treated as “optional payments.” Now we sit here years later with a situation so dire, it almost seems impossible to get out of. The Pensioners aren’t going away and they are counting on and expecting to be paid. This is an obligation that needs to be kept. We should continue to look at ways going forward to lessen this burden, but these promises have already been made. We have to make the payments. We have to put ourselves on an old fashioned payment plan and catch up, just like any family in
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I am against the graduated income tax. The convoluted manner in which this is being considered and potentially passed is by removing one of the very few safeguards enshrined in the Illinois Constitution. This removes any protection for the middle class. That Constitutional protection predicted the complete lack of fiscal discipline the Legislature had or would have to constrain spending within the limits of revenue received or anticipated. This legislature within just the past two years received higher than anticipated revenue with the national economy had been rapidly growing and even growing revenue here. Even with some dramatic “pennies from heaven”, this Legislature did not take advantage of this unexpected windfall and try to catch up on some pension debt or ease some burden on the taxpayers of this state. If you’re spending money in an undisciplined and often foolish, unaccountable way, can we really make the leap that the solution to this is more money? We’re feeding an economically irresponsible and hungry monster. They don’t just spend everything you give them, they have a track record of spending dramatically more. We are dangerously close to a tipping point of not being able to maintain solvency, sooner rather than later. Raising tax rates on anyone is a solution is even more dangerous. Removing the flat tax means tax rates and tax levels can be changed anytime for anyone. Taxing the rich won’t be enough. It’s a matter of a short time before they get to the income levels they need to get to in order to raise the revenue our sorry situation demands. It will be families earning a lot less than
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The residents of my district really don’t trust
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
I’m giving you 3 because these are the priorities I’m talking about with my residents. Reforming fiscal policy in Illinois Restore the faith and credit of Illinois Emphasize Education from Preschool to Higher Learning
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Treat them better. Offer more value to living and doing business in our state. We already have so many natural advantages here; we’re a transportation hub, we have outstanding colleges and universities, beautiful natural resources, etc. Our taxes are far too high, nearly across the board, and worse; the unpredictability of our state government makes it difficult for businesses to make a long term commitment to our state for fear the rug will be pulled out from under them. The saddest thing I encounter in my district is the number of people who say they are planning to leave
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
He shouldn’t remain in any of them. He’s got serious problems and he’s named in one case that there is already a guilty plea from
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I have filed a bill to prevent Legislators from immediately 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?
As a former teacher, I think I’ll answer this more in a pass/fail grading scale. The Governor passes, but not with flying colors. I watched the daily updates carefully for several weeks. His constant criticism of the federal response disturbed me since I saw with my own eyes that a hospital was built at
The reality is the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the current State flat tax. I do not trust the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
People are sick of the corruption down in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
The first vote a legislator takes is who to vote for for leadership positions, such as Speaker of the House. My opponent voted for Madigan for Speaker, after telling the voters of the 45th district that she was an independent voice for reform. I will not vote for Speaker Madigan for any leadership positions. Second, I will base all of my decisions on how to make
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
First, we need to fully fund education and social services mandates to minimize increasing in property taxes. Homeowners and businesses are right to feel angry - we pay the highest property taxes in the nation. Second, we need to reduce burdensome red-tape. I would work well with
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I believe that no one person should serve in any elected capacity as long as Speaker Madigan. Madigan has been in the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
One proposal, out of the many that are needed, would be to prohibit elected officials from using campaign funds to hire defense attorneys to clean up their corruption. I’ve received small dollar contributions from people in my district, and I would feel ashamed to use those
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 acted swiftly to combat the pandemic in our State. He used his 30-day emergency power to ensure our hospital capacity could meet the ongoing efforts needed to combat the pandemic. But the longer this has gone on, the more displeasure I have with the Governor’s actions. The Executive Orders and DCEO Guidance has, at times, become unclear and inconsistent with common sense. Why did it take weeks to open up outdoor tennis facilities when it was acceptable to allow for outdoor golf? We know that social distancing and wearing face masks work.
Each election this question appears, and I continue to advocate for common sense solutions.
Our current model of state employee salaries needs more flexibility, not less. My district residents overwhelmingly want to see 401(k) plans and nothing more. Others would prefer to limit their benefits to no more than what the average person gets via
We also need to identify policies and practices put in place in states and even within
The ratings agencies are charitable to avoid classifying
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I oppose this Constitutional change. It makes it easier to raise middle-class tax rates. I voted “no” for many reasons, including:
?
? With a flat tax, it is difficult to engage in pay-to-play with the tax code. Once you let legislators play with rates, every special interest will be in
? Pritzker is a billionaire; and had over
? The rates are “teaser” rates. Everyone is still paying the tax increase relative to a few years ago.
? Other states show the tax-raisers play divide and conquer. First they increase the upper income brackets (e.g., to 10%), then follow with the middle class rate increases (e.g., to 8%). They claim that’s a “bargain”--the “rich” may be paying more, but so is the middle class.
? The tax is not indexed to inflation.
? The tax structure penalizes people moving to a higher bracket--unlike the federal structure, the higher rate applies to all their income, not just the earnings above the next bracket level.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The number one thing I hear from residents of the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
If re-elected my top two priorities are serving my district and my state. In the district, there are huge concerns about income and property taxes; health care; the COVID chaos impacting our schools and our students' physical and mental health; and public safety. My district, encompassing the eastern side of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Address corruption, end fiscal insanity, and preserve law and order. As it stands now, there is very little incentive for residents to stay in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I called on
Madigan has completely betrayed the public trust. He uses his money and power to ensure a base of weak legislators who do as they are told. That denies people in those districts the independent judgment and choices an honest legislator gives. The last election cycle,
My opponent has followed Madigan’s program to the letter. She claims to be an agent of reform, but failed her first good-judgment test. You can’t reform
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
The corruption tentacles are so strong 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 initially gave the Governor a "B" believing he was working in good faith. That deteriorated. On
In the last decade,
Lawmakers should meet the required annual funding obligations and make the additional contributions required by the Edgar ramp without borrowing to do it. Lawmakers should not authorize pension holidays. I am generally not in favor of re-amortizing the debt as it may seem like more kicking the can, but all options should be on the table and particularly when we see major financial disruptions that shrink state revenues, such as the pandemic. I reject the suggestions made by some groups that
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
There is no doubt
I talk to residents in my district about issues every day, and they understand the point of a graduated tax is to stabilize
I’m committed to restoring
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The pandemic is the top issue in my district. Residents understand the basic needs for public safety, such as wearing a mask (correctly) and keeping distance from others, and they want everyone to follow the requirements to save lives and livelihoods. After we developed a unified approach to public safety generally, residents have had to navigate back to school. There is uniform agreement that the goal is for students to be able to return to school in person, but there are a variety of views on how and when that should happen. In my state house district, each school district has developed different plans and many have changed their plans multiple times. The school districts are struggling with physical limitations, budgets, staffing and parents who have markedly different viewpoints. This will be a school year with no end to the challenges. The next phase of challenges is likely to arise when we have vaccinations available. I know our residents want the distribution of safe and effective vaccines to be conducted equitably and efficiently in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My priorities are driven by residents and the list is long. Lowering prescription drug prices like lawmakers did with insulin is a priority. Residents in my district who require insulin use were dumbfounded that my opponent did not support a bipartisan bill to cap the cost of this life-saving drug.They’re demanding lower prescription drug costs. Constituent services is an area I intend to improve upon. Residents should know that their State Representative office is available to connect them with services that they are already paying for, to help resolve issues raised when they use state services, and very importantly to bring them information from
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
My job if elected as a State Representative is to be a positive voice for
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
When the news of the
I understand my role in the legislature will be to build coalitions and support for the priorities in my district. I will work to do that regardless of whether
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
ComEd’s admissions in the deferred prosecution agreement along with the recommendations provided to the
Voters I talk with - in both parties - recognize it may be their party this week and the other party next week. There have been issues in recent years from the highest levels of government down to our local municipalities. Illinoisans are so tired of corruption, and they recognize it affects all levels of government and it imposes real costs on our state.
From the very first day in office, I will commit to working for the people in my district – not for ComEd, not for anyone in leadership, not for any lobbyists – only the constituents that I 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?
Handling the pandemic was a group project and Governors in both parties that recognized the risks and effects, like
Stop ignoring it is the immediate answer. This growing problem has taken years to get to the point it is now. Pension holidays had become the norm. Lower than anticipated returns on investments made it even worse. And budgets that were passed, when every sane person knew they were wildly out of balance.
The only answer to our hundreds of billions in unfunded pension liabilities is to reform the structure of the systems, before they go bankrupt. Reform is possible:
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I stand firmly against the graduated income tax. My greatest reason comes from my experience in the
In a state with an insatiable appetite for spending, feeding more hard-earned taxpayer money into that corrupt process is not the solution. Before anyone asks an
As well, our state’s recent history proves that the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Taxes are killing our
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Too many Illinoisans feel they must uproot and leave the state they call home. We are now at six straight years of losing residents to other states, losing over 100,000 people net in just the past two years. Every person who leaves takes their hopes and dreams and contributions with them, pulling vitality and energy away from
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Absolutely not. I specifically called for Madigan to resign after it was disclosed earlier this year that his chief lobbyist,
No one who knows
Some would say “they stayed loyal.” I’d say, “they stayed bought.”
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We should start with Term Limits. Whether it’s
The companion to Term Limits is Fair Maps. I drafted a Fair Maps Amendment citizen initiative that presented a legally rock-solid way to upend the corrupt system of mapping 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?
The grade has to be “Incomplete,” since we are still midway through the pandemic. We won’t know until next year the impact of the governor’s lock-down and pandemic orders on the physical, mental, and economic health of our residents versus those of neighboring states. We need a full review of why we suffered such high infections and deaths in long-term-care facilities. Without that review, we won’t know whether this was due to the governor’s actions or inactions, or some other cause. Before the pandemic,
The pension crisis threatens the stability of
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do support the graduated income tax because the flat tax adversely impacts people with middle and low incomes who pay a greater portion of income to taxes. I believe that failure to pass the amendment will result in an across the board tax increase and that the best path forward to protect middle class taxpayers is the graduated income tax. As proposed the graduated income tax will assess incomes up to
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
People want tax relief, specifically property tax relief.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
High taxes and fees common in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
If
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Public disclosure of (legislator)lobbyist compensation.
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, stop making it worse. We have to continue to pay what we need to pay even though it is painful. The cautionary tale that
Reducing the cost of our pension liability requires continued creative effort. Let’s repeat the bipartisan process we applied to the pension system consolidation for the police and firefighter pensions. Here was a system that was duplicative and uneconomical for taxpayers and a detriment to the return for our police and firefighters. We need to take a similar approach to find remedies to other pension inefficiencies to save taxpayer dollars.
Expanding the pension buyout option that started just a few years ago is another important step. The buyouts effectively lower the principal and the interest rate that the state owes on the unfunded liability. Pensioners are willing to take a reduced amount for the payout to get their money in a lump sum which gives them more flexibility in planning their own retirement. It’s a win-win and we should look to do more of that.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I voted against adding this question to the ballot when this bill was in the
Companies with good paying jobs and families are leaving this state because the tax burden is too high. Increasing that burden on our highest income residents will only motivate more of them to leave our state. We need to attract more high-income individuals to our state, not give them a reason to leave.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Lower property taxes. Or, I’m leaving. My district office is bombarded with calls from residents telling me that they are moving out of
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My number one goal is to reduce the property tax burden on
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
My focus since I got elected is to foster an environment that creates, “Illinois Jobs for Illinois Families”. What that means is we need to reduce the cost of doing business in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan should resign as Speaker of the House and Chairman of the
There needs to be a substantial, bipartisan ethics reform package passed and I support a special session to be called by
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Earlier this month, the House Republican caucus called for a special session of the
The problem of ethics reform is pervasive and so common in
Follow an obvious reform like restricting legislators from acting as lobbyists with other critical, yet potentially more difficult measures like term limits for legislative leaders, more thorough statements of economic interests from legislators, increase the time after which a legislator may lobby after leaving the legislature, prohibiting legislators from holding multiple elected offices, and improving the process of filling legislator vacancies. Some form of most all of these proposals have found their way to die in the Rules Committee. I find that to be unacceptable.
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 that the Governor and Dr.
First, every lawmaker should refuse the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
No, I do not support this idea. The corrupt system in
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
When I am out knocking on doors and talking to area constituents, the same two things are constantly brought up: taxes and corruption. Living with one of the highest overall tax burdens weighs heavily on our communities. People want to see spending reductions and responsibly balanced budgets. Business as usually in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
The most immediate issue that needs to be dealt with is the impact of COVID-19 on not only the health and well-being of our communities, but the economic devastation it has also brought on our families and small businesses. I will fight the constant tax increases and press for a responsible government that lives within its means and operates on a truly balanced budget. We also desperately need true reform to the culture of corruption in state government, not the watered-down window dressing Madigan has used to maintain his power over the legislature. We need to restore integrity in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The only way to keep residents and businesses from fleeing this state is to reduce their overall tax burden, remove overly burdensome red tape and regulations for businesses, and create a pathway to financially reform the state to allow for business growth and development.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I believe that Madigan needs to step down from all of his roles immediately. It is evident that he is not operating with the people’s best interest in mind. He cannot be trusted, nor can he be allowed to continue to personally benefit from the system of corruption and unethical behavior he has built.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Outside of Madigan’s immediate removal, the proposal that would make the biggest impact in our state would be fairly drawn district maps for elected officials. Putting accountability back into the voter’s hands, and no longer allowing political parties or elected officials to choose their own voters.
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?
My greatest concern is the lack of transparency in the data, and coordination with legislators and local officials. The different responses with how he dealt with the recent uptick in the Metro East region versus in the
First and foremost, we need to make the full required pension payments each and every year. It took decades and several administrations for
As we move forward, tough choices must be made. We need to include stakeholders such as organized labor, business leaders, and organizations that represent the middle-class families that pension reform would affect most directly.
These discussions must occur without the partisan games and gridlock that have plagued our state for too long. Before the COVID-19 crisis, we passed a bipartisan budget that paid down more than
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I supported empowering
Moving forward, it is vital that the Fair Tax is coupled with a reduction in spending, to protect middle class taxpayers from future tax hikes.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
My constituents are fed up with politics as usual in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My two biggest priorities are fair maps and ethics reform.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I believe the best way that we can work to keep residents and businesses in the state is by passing property tax reform that offers real relief to families and businesses. We need to continue to work toward increased state investment in K-12 education--to decrease the burden placed on local governments and homeowners. Additionally, I support legislation that increases tax credits to businesses who are creating jobs in our community.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I was not elected to protect the status quo, and I will not sit silently while the actions of our leaders undermine the integrity of our state government and our political system. The allegations against Speaker Madigan are troubling and have damaged the public’s trust to the point of no return. Although Speaker Madigan is entitled to due process of law in any criminal proceedings, those of us in public office must hold ourselves to a higher standard. If these allegations against Speaker Madigan are true, it is only right that he step down.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I recently signed on to an ethics reform platform to clean up state government, increase transparency and hold elected officials accountable.
I support legislation to ensure that any lawmaker who is indicted is immediately removed from leadership positions. The public’s trust has been broken and our
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 and most important challenge facing leaders across the country in dealing with this unprecedented pandemic has been how to keep communities safe from COVID-19. We need to continue to remain vigilant to ensure that testing is widely available for residents and the results of those tests are processed in a timely manner. We must continue to connect our residents and businesses to the resources that will support them. Now more than ever, it is important that leaders across the political spectrum put aside their differences and work together. Political games and pointing fingers are easy. I will continue to work with everyone--regardless of party--who is serious about ensuring the health and safety of all Illinoisans. I appreciate
We need to start engaging in the difficult discussions. We need to be honest with ourselves and pension participants about the problems we face and the implications to beneficiaries. I think there are fair ways to address the problem, there are numerous private sector examples to look at where benefits were preserved but programs changed in such as a way as to stop the problem from growing. I know that we cannot just keep throwing money at the problem. The 2011 tax hike was supposed to fix our pension problems, it did not. We must reform these programs to make them sustainable for beneficiaries while making it fair to taxpayers.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I oppose this idea. I do not believe that the middle class, or anyone quite honestly, can or will be protected from future hikes. It’s common sense. We have some of the least trustworthy politicians in the nation and one of the most corrupt governments, but we are supposed to take them at their word that they won’t hike taxes on middle-class families? I believe politicians need less power, not more.Illinois is already losing population and business is leaving for more tax friendly states. As the already high tax burden in
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The number one concern, by far, in my district is property tax reform. People simply cannot afford to stay in their homes if something doesn’t change. My district is stretched across the
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
The whole reason I decided to run was to address the financial crisis and ethics reform, although some might argue that those two issues are one in the same. When voters look at
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I think first and foremost we must address the tax burden. That is the elephant in the room. I’ve heard some people suggest that we just need to do a better job “marketing” our district, which is absolutely ridiculous. Businesses and families don’t look at a marketing campaign and decide to stay. They look at their pocketbook. They look at quality of life. They look at cost of living. They look at access to talent. They look at the bottom line. We have to address our tax policy and our spending.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
He should resign from all of his positions.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We need to ban legislators from working as lobbyist and limit how quickly former legislators can become lobbyists and insure transparency around that activity when it is permitted.
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?
Nobody was prepared for this pandemic, so I think he did an okay job overall under the circumstances. There are a few things I think he should have done differently: 1. He should have involved the legislature after the first 30-day emergency order. If they didn’t want to address the situation, he should have demanded that they take action. 2. The contradictions regarding the treatment of small business and “essential business” hurt a lot of families and community businesses. The same goes for how he treated small communities like
First, the
The income tax is a stable, foundational, primary source of state revenue and, fairly applied, will allow us to address the priority needs of educational funding and pension obligations and reduce the current, extremely high reliance on property taxes.
Second, the
Third, the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the graduated income tax as it taxes those earning lower incomes at appropriately lower rates and those earning higher incomes at appropriately higher rates. Further, it does so on a marginal basis.
There are three ways to improve a financial position...increase revenues, reduce expenses or a combination of the two. You can’t cut your way out of financial crisis, but you can’t work yourself into oblivion and efficiencies will take you only so far. A planned, manageable combination is the only sound approach.
Protecting taxpayers from routine tax hikes is a concern.
We must consistently work to be efficient, fiscally responsible and sound in our expenditures and cut when and where we can, but again, we can’t cut our way out of this crisis. We must increase revenues while simultaneously controlling spending. The income tax is a stable, primary source of revenue and, fairly applied, will help address our State financial obligations and challenges.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
District residents and businesses are most concerned about rising property taxes and their ability to continue to live and work in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
1. Educational funding. Significant progress was made with recent legislation surrounding the evidence-based funding model providing State funding to local school districts with consideration for base or minimum funding levels, as well as adequacy and capacity funding considerations. The new approach to the distribution of available State funds will not solve all of the needs and issues, but will help to provide greater equitability and ensure quality educational programming across the State. Additionally, the State has pledged to direct an additional
2. Ethics in Government. We must
a) enact a revolving door policy that would prohibit retiring Legislators from becoming lobbyists immediately upon leaving office;
b) place the
c) have mandatory face-to-face training and follow-up sessions for all Legislators and staff conducted by the
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Reduce property taxes and invest in emerging economic sectors to provide new jobs and increase investment in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I will not denigrate the many accomplishments and advances the
I believe it is the same for Speaker Madigan. He has accomplished much. It is, however, time for a change, especially given the shadows that have been cast. I would respectfully encourage him to gracefully step down from his leadership role and support the essential growth dynamic of change.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We must place 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 would assign a grade of 'B' to the Governor regarding his handling of the Coronavirus Pandemic. While a slower, more cautious approach through utilization of stay-at-home orders, social distancing, the wearing of masks, and approaching re-opening in a controlled, metric driven schedule, was not a particularly popular approach, it has proven to be a wise approach given the set-backs other states have experienced. The challenges were a slow start to direct communications with local elected officials during early stages. There was a consistent, collaborative outreach with
Pensions are a promise and the fact that pension funds were mismanaged in the past does not negate the obligation that the state owes to the workers who are due. Lawmakers need to fulfill their promise and manage pensions within the budget.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes, I support the Fair Tax Plan. The Illinois Constitution tasks the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
What I am hearing most from constituents is the need to be heard. People I have spoken with have told me that do not get a response from their elected officials when contacted with issues. I am hearing of issues with unemployment benefits, concerns about policing policies, the environment, and healthcare. Any response from lawmakers to their constituents would be welcome.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Jobs and Equality. We need good-paying, full-time jobs for workers in
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need to provide the tools and training for businesses (and people) to adapt to the new normal of the pandemic. While it is a common complaint that taxes are too high 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?
While we all have the right to petition our government, I believe that lobbyists should not be allowed to bestow gifts or money to lawmakers. I also believe that if you run for public office you forfeit your opportunity to become a lobbyist in the future.
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 has done a good job managing the coronavirus pandemic. With little to no guidance from the federal government, he delivered guidance to local governments and entities. As a school professional, and union leader, I wish at times that there was more clarity in the guidance that was delivered regarding schools and essential services. I am also very concerned with the IDES unemployment benefit system and the reports that I hear from constituents, and co-workers regarding issues that have taken months to resolve.
All pension payments for current legislators should be halted until they take meaningful action to address the problem. Over the past two years I have seen no attempt or even concern from the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the graduated income tax. This will drive more families and business from our state. There will never be enough wealthy people to support the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The overwhelming majority of constituents I speak with are concerned with taxes. Many are finding it hard to make ends meet and the recent tax hikes that the Governor signed into law that affects every family with increased vehicle registration fees, increased fuel tax etc. are just making things worse. Taxpayers have had enough and need immediate relief.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
I will continue to be a voice for fiscal responsibility and fight against these never-ending tax hikes and urge my fellow lawmakers to address our pension crisis. Second priority is to work towards meaningful reforms and oversight of the
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Too often, I see and hear people getting ready to retire say they can’t wait to leave this state. As a native-born Illinoisan, that is painful to hear but I know it’s true for too many people. My ancestors homesteaded 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?
I think the problem is greater than a one-pronged approach. We need Term Limits to stop out of touch career politicians from garnering power and we need to implement enhanced disclosure forms for politicians. We also need an independent fair map commission to stop the gerrymandering of districts to favor one party over the other.
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?
My advice to the Governor is to work together with the Legislature and those in the industries that are affected by his decisions. Small businesses have been devastated due to not being “so called” essential. Walmart is okay to be open but not a Payless. But yet the shoe section at Walmart is not taped off. These types of decisions which make no sense to many people will have long lasting impacts. One person in control is not how our government was designed and is not how it’s supposed to work. Legislators need to sit down and work out a plan that is fair, safe and makes sense.
The only real solution is transitioning from a defined benefit system to a defined contribution pension system for new employees. For retirees and current employees, we must honor what they have earned, but moving forward, there is no reason we cannot cap and reform these benefits.
Doing nothing is not a viable option. Therefore, I have introduced a pension package of legislation to address this crisis. I call it my Pension Reform Fixer Up. I started to roll out a series of townhalls, press conferences, and op/ed’s to promote the package and will continue next year.
Major Bills Submitted:
- HB3868-Raises the retirement age up 1 year.
- HB3859-Cap pensions for all current and retired employees at
- HB3860-Ties automatic Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- HB3919-Creates a Tier 3 defined contribution plan going forward after
These modest reforms could restore the health of our system in a decade if implemented immediately. If we continue to do nothing, the solution to this crisis will only get further and further away--possibly to a point of no return. We owe it to every citizen of
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Instituting a graduated tax is the wrong direction for
Look around at the other states that have gone in this direction.
A graduated tax will lead to higher taxes for everyone, not just high-income earners.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Less lip service on pensions and property taxes and real solutions. Fixing our pension problem would be a significant step toward resolving the property tax problem. Roughly, 60% of all property tax hikes in the past decade are related to pensions. One cannot lower property taxes until pension reform is on the table. Additional reforms such as tightening up Tax Increment Financing and consolidating duplicative local governments and boards must be implemented. In addition to filing legislation addressing these topics, I have personally testified at school board and village meetings when I have found waste or when tax hikes were on the agenda. I am a firm believer in local activism and accountability. The ultimate solution is an
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Provide accountability for Speaker
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need immediate pension reform, a property tax cap, and to stop the graduated tax hike.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
In light of the pay for play corruption scandal exposed in the ComEd indictment, I am calling on House Speaker Madigan to resign immediately.
Speaker Madigan is also Chairman of the
My opponent has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Madigan, Madigan controlled committees, and campaign staff from him.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
We do not always need to reinvent the wheel. A decade ago,
What we should not do is make a bunch of noise about ethics reform and then end up with truly little to show for it. We need reforms with teeth – not more political posturing.
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?
We did not know everything we know now back in March. Today we know that younger and healthier people have extremely high survival rates. We know that children rarely contract it. We have confirmed that older and less healthy individuals need to be locked down. Early on too many resources were used on the healthy and not enough on the more vulnerable. Nursing homes still need to be locked down, but schools and most businesses need to open with reasonable precautions. I am concerned the Governor has spent so much time patting himself on the back that significant damage has been done to our fragile economy and our families. The General Assembly’s job is to represent the people and extend Emergency Declarations every 30 days is not the intent of the law and eliminates the voice of the people. Our tepid finances need all hands-on deck approach, not just the Governor ruling by decree!
Provide creative solutions such as the fire & police pension consolidation bill I helped pass in
We need to make sure we make the pension payment each year and be sure we do not skip payments again. In 2019 I fought back successfully with my peers on Governor Pritzker’s 2019 budget proposal to short the pension payment
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
There is a shortfall of
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Jobs - employment opportunities for residents in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Jobs & Education
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
More work like I’ve done to help secure the
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No. He should resign as Speaker and head of the Democratic Party immediately as I have called for him to do.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Legislative Inspector General should have the power to start his/her own investigations, no more pre-approvals from a legislative board
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?
As stated above, I have supported many of the steps our Governor has taken to protect our most vulnerable. However, in some areas he has failed to be as proactive as I, and my constituents, would like. Unemployment claims have been troublesome for families dependent on that support to feed themselves, business owners who have plans to reopen safely have been denied the opportunity to do so and his sometimes arbitrary rules should be based on more thorough analysis and . Our Governor’s early actions prevented a more widespread outbreak through good and quick early decisions. However, in the past 6 months we have not had a single legislative hearing or oversight for what best practices should be in place. It is not a partisan issue, the
The pension situation has no easy solutions and, in fact, is getting progressively worse as a result of 1994u2032s ramp plan, which increases our obligation year after year. Reducing benefits for current retirees or employees is problematic. As most know by now, the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do support the graduated income tax. With the pension obligations, and leftover unpaid bills from the Rauner era,
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
My district is diverse, and my constituents' priorities reflect that. In some areas ensuring quality educational opportunities is essential; for others, reducing property taxes is very important; and recent news events have brought issues of social justice and corruption to the fore.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My first priority would be government reform. I have six proposals (expanded upon in later questions) that I believe would make the legislature less partisan and more responsive to its constituents. These are all designed to make the election of representatives fairer through fair map redistricting and campaign finance reform, and make governing less divisive through power sharing. My second priority actually must combine two – education funding reform and comprehensive tax reform.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The answer I typically hear from
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I have advocated for a complete, transparent investigation into the ComEd affair, and any role the Speaker may have had in it. We must remember, however, that an enormously wealthy and powerful monopoly has pled guilty to only an attempt to influence the Speaker, not to being successful. The ComEd executives apparently escaped all charges and
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
There are several good ideas floating around out there, by both
1) state matches of small contributions.
2) Enact a “one-hat” rule. People can hold major leadership positions in their parties or in state government, but not both.
3) Fair map redistricting.
4) Term limits on leadership positions.
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?
Overall, I give the Governor high marks. We were faced with a potentially very dangerous situation, with many unknown factors. From what I’ve seen, the Governor based his decisions on the best science available. He has navigated difficult waters laced with changing conditions. In hindsight, there are a couple of things I think he may have done better, though. First, I thought at the time that the first emergency order was handled correctly, but after that, he should have gotten support from the legislature for continuing the orders. Quick action needed to be taken when the potential scope of the pandemic was first becoming known, but during that first month mechanisms should have been developed to incorporate the state
The state passed and started a Tier 2 pension plan for pension members starting
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the fair tax amendment. This will allow for the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. This will actually protect the middle class from tax increases because it will raise over
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Many are concerned about our roads and our aging infrastructure, especially out bridges. There are opportunities to redevelop some vacant buildings as multi-use facilities and create local jobs. Other residents are concerned of the lack of vocational training courses offered at their local school. Many parents are concerned about keeping their children safe as they go back to school.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top priority is to fight for more regional transportation investments. A lot of people commute to and from
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I believe by providing better economic opportunities to residents and by assisting business start ups; we can create an environment for growth and sustainability. Many local mom and pop shops have been hurt by COVID. As they struggle to stay open; and as our community comes together to help each other - I see an opportunity for community and social development.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No one is above the law; not the President, the Governor, the Speaker of the House or any public official. If any public official is indicted they should resign from office.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
The state must close loopholes on lobbyists. Many individuals lobby but do not have to register as lobbyists. I will support any bill that improves transparency.
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
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the progressive income tax plan. The last thing taxpayers should approve is a plan that changes
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Constituents of the 79th district have voiced their displeasure with the ongoing corruption scandals consuming
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top priority is ethics reform. To have an effective government, the
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
We need to reduce the tax burden, especially with skyrocketing property taxes, so residents and businesses are able to remain in the state.
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?
There are a lot of good government proposals currently sitting idle 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 communications providing direction in mitigating behaviors were helpful. However, after the primary response, the Governor should have involved the
Lawmakers must seek a constitutional amendment for pension reform to fix
Political insiders are using loopholes to receive higher retirement salaries, annual raises and benefits that far outpace those received by workers in the private sector. Too often, these insiders become millionaires at the expense of hard-working taxpayers. More than 25% of the state’s budget is dedicated to paying unsustainable pension costs crowding out spending on things like education, human services, and infrastructure. Reforming pensions now can address inequities and provide revenue for local taxing bodies which is needed to implement much-needed property tax relief to Illinoisans.
My husband, Billy, taught science at
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I oppose Gov. Pritzker’s plan to remove our constitutionally protected flat tax, which treats all taxpayers the same. The flat tax is fair. It is the one thing we have going for us financially in
The graduated tax would be a disaster for
Even worse, small business owners would suffer under tax increases as high as 47%. I am concerned that entrepreneurs will not stay in
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Voters tell me every day they want
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
My top two priorities are ethics reform and tax reform. Ethics reform begins by voting for new leadership in the House, and then by passing the bipartisan ethics reform bills proposed by
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Restoring trust 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?
It is hard to select just one ethics reform proposal, as so many reforms to clean up the rampant corruption 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?
In the beginning stages of the pandemic, Governor Pritzker’s daily briefings provided Illinoisans with key information on keeping their families safe. However, as the pandemic continued, the Governor acted unilaterally and without legislative input. He allowed big-box retail to continue to operate while shuttering small retail stores, causing many to close forever. The Governor should have anticipated and mitigated the problems with IDES. Unreturned phone calls and a system completely unable to keep up with demand have resulted in families going for months without a paycheck through no fault of their own. Government officials must be held accountable for the services they provide. I would advise the Governor to fix IDES, restrain spending, withdraw the graduated tax proposal, start supporting businesses, ease restrictions and allow local leaders to find better solutions for communities to deal with the pandemic.
Having voted in
Our expectation is that this consolidation will allow for better returns, diversification of assets, and lower fees than if they were continued to be invested individually. Accountability for ensuring the desired outcomes are achieved is critical, as this is one of the largest pressures that could directly increase property taxes in the coming years.
We should continue to make and exceed planned payments at the state level to demonstrate improved fiscal responsibility to credit rating agencies. We should also be blocking and tackling our other financial basics, like reducing the amount we have to pay on interest for our bill backlog.
I believe there should have been more research into potentially taking on a slightly larger loan from the
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
It is not legal for any candidate to publicly support or oppose a constitutional amendment on the ballot prior to the election. Any candidate doing so would be breaking our existing ethics laws, which I take extremely seriously.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
The thing I hear most from constituents is, “please get rid of Speaker Madigan” and that we need new leadership to reinstate trust in our state government. For far too long,
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Currently, my two largest priorities are those of many I serve in my district:
(1) ETHICS: Working towards getting new leadership in the House, while enhancing ethics reforms to ensure abuses of power don’t continue on in our state. We need our next speaker to be willing to call a bill to separate powers and ensure that one person cannot both be the chair of a state party and a leader of one of the branches of state government - in the House,
(2) CIVIL RIGHTS: We are in the midst of the largest civil rights movement in the history of
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
During this time of crisis, there is much work to be done to help keep our residents thriving and our businesses alive. Employment opportunities and quality education are key motivators for families who are locating or relocating. We need to make sure we create the kind of culture as a state that makes employees want to live here as they increasingly have flexible choices due to remote work becoming available across sectors that may not have embraced that model in the past. Many businesses are fighting for their existence through this pandemic and we must continue to support them through grants and loan programs that help them remain viable throughout the pandemic. Further, we need to be making sure the PUA recipients are receiving adequate help as they are our smallest businesses who may be driven to places with lower cost of living if they are forced to close down their current venture. Beyond keeping the people and businesses we have here, we need to adopt a growth mindset as a state: how do we attract college graduates who have left back to our state? Many nearby states have marketing programs to steal residents from neighboring states; perhaps we should be using something similar to entice new residents to come or former residents to return.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I wholeheartedly believe Speaker Madigan should resign from his position as Speaker of the House and Chair of the
I originally called for his resignation during my first bid for office amidst the many #metoo stories that were coming out of
This latest
I was the first democrat in the House to call for his resignation from both leadership positions after the Com Ed news broke. I continue to work with my colleagues to build a coalition for new, ethical leadership. We are also having discussions about much needed ethics reforms beyond whatever the Speaker and minority leader appointed ethics task force brings to the table.
I did not vote for him as Speaker in 2018 and will not be voting for him in 2020.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I believe competitive elections are the cornerstone to keeping officials accountable to their voters in any democracy. Elections are the original intended “term limit” and unfortunately there are a number of factors that work against truly competitive elections in the state of
One of the most realistic and impactful reforms in the state of
Currently, we have among the most stringent guidelines I’ve heard of to run for state representative compared to many other states. In some states, all it takes to get on the ballot is
Beyond that, it’s clear fair maps and true campaign finance reform would be essential to increasing competition and voters' choices in an election.
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?
Among the public, there is a very divided opinion on the job our Governor has done during this pandemic, which reflects the nature of the political divide of our country at this moment. There are those that chastised him for leaving our businesses closed “too long” and those that praise him for keeping our businesses closed “just right” that we didn’t end up with the scale of cases that similarly sized states have been struggling with. I appreciate that the Governor was responsive to concerns of people from my district and separated out
Fixing our state’s budget problems require long term solutions. We need to work on pension reform legislation, taxing of high-end services as well as closing corporate loopholes. What we cannot afford to do is have our much needed human services and education budgets bear the brunt of spending cuts as they are essential.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support a graduated income tax.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
As a representative, I commit to be a champion for working families. In the conversations that I have engaged in with constituents in the 85th district these are their top priorities: Property Tax Relief- Our state has faced difficult times, especially during our budget impasse crises. High property taxes is a growing concern to residents of our community. We need to work on decreasing our dependence on property taxes as the primary source of funding for our education system and we can do this by reforming
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Education Healthcare Access
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Our state has failed to maintain the quality of our infrastructure and we can see that here in the 85th district. I support investing in infrastructure improvements here in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
This is an example of the power of lobbyists and the power of money in politics so if we really want to get serious about making sure that our government is working for us then we need to put into law solutions that diminish that power and increase resident’s trust in government. This includes acknowledging that our problem in
If the Speaker is guilty, then he is going to be dealt with to the extent of the law. If he is not guilty, I am going to challenge him to stand with me and pass some of the strongest ethics and campaign finance laws that we can have, so that we can make sure that everybody on both sides of the aisle are working for the people.
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I am in support of laws that continue to increase transparency and public trust in government. Furthermore, I believe that we need to work on legislation that restricts state legislators from lobbying other governments on behalf of private clients. I am in support of laws that prohibit members 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 commend
There are easier solutions than some believe. First of all unions need to understand that funds are facing insolvency. That is regretful however it is the truth. Unless there is some compromise many pensioners are going to be left out in the cold. The first thing that needs to be done is lock the funds in a box where legislators can’t continue to steel from them. Then investments need to be reviewed and possibly reset the investment policy statement. The 3% COLA increase needs to be just that, not an automatic annual increase. If that occurs, then we should go back to the beginning and adjust until there is a true catch up. The ROI needs to conform to history and the potential of the portfolio. We cannot continue with a 7.2% ROI projection when the past 20 years has only produced 4.3%.
Many will say it a constitutional question. That does not fend off insolvency.
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I DO NOT support the tax and there isn’t any indication protection will be instituted for any bracket. In fact the Governor has said “there are no guarantees”. States that have adopted the program have raised taxes on the middle class first.
The Governor has not said how the taxes will be used.
The pitch is that 97% of Illinoisans will receive a break. One needs to understand the 3% pay 67% of state income tax and they have already been leaving the state at a good rate and the PT will only accelerate departure. Therefore the burden will be redistributed.
Of the 5 slowest growth growth states in the US, 4 have a progressive tax.
IT is a bad bad Idea.
I wonder if there is a catch. The Governor avoided his property tax by cheating. Why should I believe he wants to raise his income tax.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
Property taxes but that is not Springfield’s problem. I will propose legislation to make all referendums appear on national ballots where more voters have a say and special interests do not control out comes. Taxes in general and that is my reason for opposing the “Graduated Income Tax”.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Deficit and Education
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
Not pass the Progressive tax that is for sure. Review the minimum wage. Review many regulations on business.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Until he is indicted he is innocent. Therefore he has no reason to resign. He is however the symptom of corruption that has plagued
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
No one can receive an income from outside activities where the success of those activities is dependent on government influence.
The Speaker’s legal work with real estate tax as an example.
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?
Only time will tell. Everyone has gone to work one day and ask “why did I want this Job?” I’m certain the President and 50 governors are asking themselves that question. They have little in the way of science to make decisions on and they are having to deal with human nature on top of it. With respect to the Governor I believe many of his decisions are inconsistent and he has done a little bit of “do I as I say not as I do.” That’s not effective leadership. Be consistent. As an example a large chain employing many and servicing many where guidelines are difficult to control can function but small businesses that has the ability to better control guidelines can’t open. That makes no sense to me.
Pass my
This will allow
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I support the idea of a graduated tax. I believe that the only way middle class taxpayers could be protected is if they were represented in office. Election reform could allow more third-parties and independent parties that represent middle class priorities to get on the ballot. A better checks and balance system could be produced for everyone if action was taken on election reform.
In this 2-party system, there is no way the taxpayers are protected from future hikes.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
I hear that property taxes are a main priority. Infrastructure is also a big problem for the district.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
1. Pass the
2. Election Reform with Ranked Choice Voting. In this system, the candidates need 50% of the vote to win. So, if there are more than two candidates, each voter would rank the candidates. If none of them get 50% of the top rank, then the lowest candidate is eliminated, but the vote of voters that chose the eliminated candidate goes to their second choice, until someone gets 50%. This would prevent voting for the “lesser of two evils” and allow voters to chose their favorite candidate without worrying about their vote not counting.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
For residents, do not increase property taxes and help create neighborhood community groups. I believe that there are a lot of resources in the communities and people who want to help. Giving people an opportunity to be part of the community can help keep residents in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
I believe that if the allegations are true, then
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
Election reform, particularly ranked choice voting.
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 he did a decent job in a tough situation. I know the closures are hard on people and businesses. I would give him the advice to have the re-opening plans be more localized and not just in regions.
We should implement the Tier 3 hybrid pension system, in which a modest base amount is a defined benefit, and a 401k-style defined contribution plan is stacked on top. This would give public employees a similar retirement plan design to those in the private sector who have a basic
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I do not support the graduated income tax increase proposal. I voted against the resolution on the House floor, and will vote against it on my ballot this fall. That proposed amendment contains no protections for middle class taxpayers.
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
This year the most recurring thing I hear from constituents is that they want to be able to trust lawmakers and leaders in
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
As I said in the previous answer, ethics reform is a must-have. It’s the litmus test of whether we can meaningfully move forward on any other issues. Then, my top priorities are economic opportunity and healthcare. I’ve worked hard with local officials and with my fellow legislators to try and promote
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
I work with city official, county engineers, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations to attract and develop sites in my district. I’ve hosted calls with mayors and managers to get tips and advice from developers about how to get their city or town “on the map” -- and also worked with multi-million dollar projects that add hundreds of new jobs. One of the best assets we have in my district is transportation infrastructure, with
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
No. I am a co-sponsor of a resolution calling for his removal. He has been directly implicated in a massive federal investigation, and his co-conspirators are cooperating with the federal investigators. As mentioned before, we must rebuild trust with the people of
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I am the sponsor of a bill that would prohibit members 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’ve spoken with the Governor about this, and my chief advice was to listen to and engage with local officials who are being charged with carrying out the multiple executive orders. If mayors, sheriffs, health department directors, etc, are involved, listened to, and consulted prior to executive orders being issued, I believe it would reduce the unintended consequences and improve compliance. Any plan needs buy-in in order to be effective. And the current model of decisions being made by the Governor’s office and then handed down means that fewer people trust, believe in, or comply with the edicts. It can be messier, but the work it takes to build relationships and cultivate a team-based approach would pay dividends.
Lawmakers have a responsibility to fund deferred payment to our pensioners. A pension isn’t a freebie; it’s income already earned with its payment deferred until retirement age collection. Lawmakers cannot thwart the State making good on money earned and due our residents. As is always the difficult fork in the road, we must either shore up funding or make unhealthy, impractical cuts to necessary programs and services. We cannot abandon funding for education, mental health, substance abuse programs, and assistance programs for our drowning lower and middle class families. We need instead to pass a graduated tax structure that gives relief to those making less than
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
Yes, I support a graduated tax structure. As to the second question, I do not believe there truly is much of a middle class NOW, which underlines my support of a graduated tax structure. With the flat tax, while facially “equal” in taxing harassment, the structure disproportionately favors the wealthy and squats on the diminishing middle class and exploding lower class in my district. Under the present flat tax structure, the
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
What I hear most on the trail is the need for good-paying jobs and to have access to affordable healthcare. This is not surprising. Many in my district work several part-time jobs to make ends meet. Those fortunate to have stable, full-time employment, nonetheless often supplement their income with part-time jobs or independent consultancy work (i.e. selling dietary products, fashion accessories, beauty products, etc.), because wages are low and benefits are sparse. Our residents deserve to have a full weekend, not plugged up by a second job loading pallets in a factory, waiting tables, or serving drinks. Until a full-time job provides livable wages, where folks can clock in 40 hours a week and make enough to have food, a roof, and basic needs met, we need to elect candidates willing to stand up for the working families and middle class.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
1. Implementing my tuition assistance initiative, the Sauk Valley Plan, to allow those in the high school-to-continued education pipeline to have an affordable alternative to attend public two and four-year colleges and universities, trade schools, and technical schools. The SVP would allow those not inclined toward military service to instead serve in a non-military/civil service role for the
2. Demanding support services for our veterans who have been left behind, by increasing access to affordable healthcare enrollment programs, funding mental health programs, increasing investment in substance abuse programs, and brokering bipartisan support to increase safety and assistance for our community members without homes.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
A graduated tax structure would allow the general fund to be flush, such that we could have relief from increasing property taxes. We have a responsibility to pass the Fair Tax Act so that we can stabilize property taxes for folks who are already strapped while still maintaining funding for infrastructure and public services. To create ease for businesses, we can invest in automating digital services and electronic equipment in state agencies to streamline the various registration, certification, licensing, and reporting filings businesses are encumbered with on annual, if not quarterly, bases. Business owners like my mother and grandmother would appreciate a state that makes the administrative functions of business ownership more manageable.
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
Speaker Madigan should step down from his position as Speaker of the House. Even the appearance of impropriety can diminish the great work state
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I support term limits and commit to serve only two limits 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?
I support Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, as a data-driven plan that made difficult choices to serve the best interests of Illinoisans. What we see across the nation, is that
In rough numbers we spent
Voters will decide in November whether to change the
I voted against putting it on the ballot. There is too much waste, corruption, and inefficiencies in government to justify more tax dollars being sent to
Tell us what you hear most from constituents. What is their top priority of lawmakers in
While I always heard a lot of people talk about leaving the state the discussion has really accelerated this cycle. Students are leaving for more affordable college options in other states. Middle aged citizens are leaving for lower taxes. Retirees are often leaving to simply follow the rest of their family.
What is, or would be, your top two priorities if elected?
Ending corruption. Putting the state on a stable budget path.
What can be done in your district to keep residents and businesses from leaving
The same thing that needs to be done in all districts -- fight corruption. Too many problems are not being solved simply because too many profit off of the status quo. Until we deal with the culture of corruption in
Due to an unfolding federal investigation, should
The culture starts at the top. Speaker Madigan has been in charge for four decades, and he is responsible for the culture at the
What is one ethics reform proposal you think would make a difference to keep elected officials more accountable and transparent?
I filed a constitutional amendment calling for retro-active term limits. Bad people will do bad things but that can’t do it forever if they don’t stay forever.
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?
Solid B. The Governor acted relatively quickly to halt the spread of the pandemic. Decisions made hastily aren’t usually perfect but in this instance there was definitely more good than bad. The Governor certainly listened to some of my suggestions. I was the first elected state official to push for the use of face coverings indoors. I started a local campaign and gave away PPE to help make that happen. He acknowledged my efforts publicly several times. Being a Republican pushing early for the use of masks also made it much easier for him to implement their use statewide. People forget that early in the Pandemic there was a lot of pushback against the face covering requirement. It is always helpful for significant policy decisions to have bi-partisan support. My initial conversations to him about this were the end of March with an open letter mid-April. The requirement was put in place at the beginning of May. I wish it has been put in place even sooner. Big box stores were allowed to stay open and sell all of their items while small businesses selling the same items were not. Not only was this not fair it put more people in fewer places. That is harmful not helpful. The picking of winners and losers should not have been allowed. I have filed legislation to eliminate this practice. But the issues at
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