The state’s budget problems are on the minds of candidates running for 11 Illinois House seats in DuPage County, but their ideas to address the revenue shortfall are as varied as their backgrounds.
Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians, who have fielded candidates in four of the races, have suggested everything from looking for efficiencies in state government to eliminating legislative grants, called “member initiatives.”
“We should use that money to invest in education and business, especially businesses in economically deprived areas,” said Democrat Shawn Aranha, a medical student from Oak Brook.
Aranha, 30, who supports a 3 percent across-the-board spending cut, is challenging state Rep. Robert Biggins (R-Elmhurst) and John Tepley, a Libertarian from Lombard, in the 41st District.
Biggins, 56, also supports cutting member initiatives but declined to discuss other ideas to reduce spending, saying he would wait for the new governor to propose cuts. Transportation issues are among his priorities, and he would like the state to solve congestion problems on the Eisenhower Expressway.
Tepley, 50, a computer programmer, does not expect to win but wants to obtain 5 percent of the vote to make it easier for Libertarians to get on the ballot in future elections. If elected, he would advocate letting people older than 24 carry a concealed gun and would support a medicinal marijuana law.
In the 42nd District, Libertarian Michael Mandel is challenging Republican Sandra Pihos, president of Glenbard Township High School District 87, and Democrat Terri Brzezinski, a self-described community activist from Downers Grove.
All three believe the state budget is the biggest issue, but none advocates increasing taxes.
“When have you ever heard of solving a spending problem by throwing more money at it?” said Brzezinski, 42, who believes the budgetary process should be overhauled to promote more accountability.
Pihos, 56, of Glen Ellyn said her approach would be to identify core priorities and then evaluate their effectiveness and determine cost-efficiency.
Mandel, 46, wants to limit state spending so it does not exceed the rate of inflation.
In the 45th District, state Rep. Carole Pankau (R-Roselle) is facing off against Democrat Charlie Matson of Bloomingdale. Seeking re-election to a sixth term, Pankau, 55, is concerned about school funding proposals and would push for the completion of the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway.
Matson, 36, a union electrician, is making his first bid for office. He would expand district office hours, monitor state spending and push to extend beyond three days the time mothers have to leave unwanted infants at a safe place without facing criminal prosecution.
In the 47th District, state Rep. Patricia Bellock (R-Hinsdale) is fending off a challenge from Democrat Jim Speta of Downers Grove.
Bellock, 56, is a former DuPage County Board member who was first elected to the House in 1998. As a legislator, she has worked on child-welfare and mental health issues.
Bellock also helped engineer an agreement involving the state, county government and other agencies that clears the way for construction of a $36 million underpass at Belmont Road and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks in Downers Grove.
Speta, 65, is a retired salesman of specialty steel products. Though not opposed to member initiatives, Speta said the grants need closer scrutiny and legislators should spend more time debating the state’s fiscal priorities instead of accepting a budget compromise reached by the governor and party leaders.
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In the 48th District, state Rep. James Meyer (R-Bolingbrook) is running against Chandler Hadraba, a Libertarian from Wheaton. Meyer, 59, would support suspending member initiatives and holding more teleconference meetings to reduce state travel expenses.
Hadraba, 31, decided to run because otherwise Meyer would not have an opponent and because he believes it’s time to elect people with different perspectives.
In the 55th District, Republican John Millner of Carol Stream and Democrat Steve Bruesewitz of St. Charles are vying for an open seat.
Bruesewitz, 48, who installs custom-built stairs, is an advocate for campaign-finance reform and would push for same-day voter registration and state-funded voter guides. Concerned about rising health care costs, he would support a state constitutional amendment asserting a right to decent health care.
Millner, 51, the longtime Elmhurst police chief, would like to set goals for state agencies and combine ones where duties overlap to save money and boost efficiency. He also wants to invest in quality after-school programs throughout the state.
In the 82nd District, state Rep. Eileen Lyons (R-Western Springs) is facing a challenge from Democrat Kim Savage of Darien. Seeking re-election to a fifth term, Lyons, 61, believes the budget process should include an evaluation of existing programs and wants to make the child-support system more efficient.
Savage, 47, who is assistant director of campus auxiliary services at the University of Illinois at Chicago, supports suspending member initiatives and said she would be an advocate for more affordable housing.
In the 95th District, Libertarian Steve Dubovik of Batavia is running against state Rep. Randall Hultgren (R-Wheaton).
Dubovik, 34, is a surgical technologist at Copley Memorial Hospital in Aurora. He is calling for phasing out the state income tax over three years.
Hultgren, 36, is a lawyer and former DuPage County Board member who was first elected to the state House in 1998. He said state funding for public education needs to be overhauled but does not support increasing the income tax, and he criticized the lack of debate over the state budget.
In the 96th District, Republican Joe Dunn and Democrat Daniel Gaddis are competing for the House seat being vacated by veteran state Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw (R-Naperville).
Dunn, 34, of Naperville is an accountant who manages a private investment fund. He also is a former trustee of Wheatland Township in the Will County portion of Naperville.
“The most important things to people are education, the economy, the budget, taxes and the availability of elected officials,” said Dunn, who campaigned door-to-door in winning a GOP primary contest in March.
Gaddis, 33, also of Naperville, is a financial center manager for Citibank in Downers Grove. He said he has accepted no political contributions and is running a low-profile campaign but would not have to answer to special interests if elected. Though he lives just outside the district boundaries, Gaddis said he would move if elected.
Running unopposed are Rep. Lee Daniels (R-Elmhurst) in the 46th District and Rep. Kathleen “Kay” Wojcik (R-Schaumburg) in the 56th District.