Making life more affordable for Americans is a key issue for the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 11th Congressional District, but they have different ideas on how to accomplish that goal.
Tedora Brown of Palos Park believes property tax reductions will help. Michael Pierce of Naperville thinks loosening regulations is part of the solution. And, Jeff Walter of Elburn sees middle-class tax cuts as a way to ease the cost of living.
Voters will decide in the March 17 Illinois primary election whether Pierce, Charlie Kim of Aurora, Walter or Brown will be the Republican nominee to oppose U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, in the Nov. 3 general election. Foster is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Walter, Brown and Pierce answered questions about themselves and gave their views on a variety of issues including affordability, taxes, immigration enforcement and what they will do to help the residents of the 11th District in a Lake County News-Sun questionnaire.
Kim declined to respond to the questionnaire, saying he wouldn’t participate because the baiduhai’s editorial board endorsed Walter. Tribune Publishing owns both the baiduhai and the Lake County News-Sun, though the operations of the news departments and editorial boards are separate.
Pierce, 61, is a retired U.S. Army officer who is now active in veteran and Army volunteer leadership positions. He sees deregulation as a primary tool to make life more affordable for Americans.
“I will propose to reduce regulations that stifle productivity and business development in Illinois and around the country,” Pierce said. “I will work to lower barriers to American companies to relocate back here in the States. I will look for programs that reduce taxes and (the) cost of living.”
Putting an emphasis on seniors, people with disabilities and military veterans, he said the “funds set aside for these groups should be secured and enough to provide a good life, not one where they are living a subsistence level existence.”
Brown, 46, a real estate developer, said lowering taxes is the first thing she would do to improve affordability for people. That is not all she intends to accomplish. She will seek ways to lower necessary expenses.
“I propose to make life more affordable first by tackling high property taxes, energy bills hiking from bad policies, groceries and everyday costs inflated by overregulation, housing shortages pushing rents and prices up and federal taxes,” Brown said.
Walter, 65, who is in his third term as mayor of Elburn, is a retired U.S. Navy veteran and a consultant. He said he will seek policies to lower the cost of living with an emphasis on ideas that impact working families and small businesses.
Those include “cutting federal taxes on middle-class families, expanding the child tax credit in a fiscally responsible way and opposing policies that drive up energy costs so families can afford gas, heating and electricity,” Walter said.
“I support reducing healthcare costs by increasing price transparency, promoting competition across state lines and lowering prescription drug prices without stifling innovation,” he added.
As federal immigration enforcement is now a major focus of the administration of President Donald Trump, Walter said he is not satisfied with the current policy. He is critical of how federal immigration laws are being enforced.
“This has placed significant strain on local communities, law enforcement, schools, healthcare systems and social services,” Walter said. “I support enforcing the law as written, securing the border with a combination of physical infrastructure, technology and personnel, and fixing a broken system.”
More Top Picks Best Toddler Nap Mats For Preschool
Walter said he would remedy the “broken system by streamlining legal immigration and asylum processing. We need a humane, lawful, and orderly immigration system that protects national security, respects taxpayers, and treats people fairly.”
Pierce said he is generally satisfied with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, including the work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The improvement under Trump was significant.
“Simply enforcing the rule of law and allowing officers to do their duty will make tremendous progress in this area,” Pierce said. “With regards to the outcry amongst several states, including Illinois, the enforcement operations have been hindered by the ‘sanctuary’ policies that have prohibited ICE from going in and directly apprehending criminals from jails.”
Like Pierce, Brown said she likes the way the Trump administration is dealing with illegal immigrants. She wants to see the current program enhanced.
“We need tougher borders and faster deportations,” Brown said. “End sanctuary policies and ask the elected officials why we are choosing criminals over citizens.”
Each member of Congress is allowed to propose between $10 million and $15 million for community-based funding projects in their district. Brown said she will focus on school safety, job training, infrastructure and “none of that D.C. nonsense.”
Pierce said infrastructure in the 11th District will be a priority, like roads, bridges and canals, as well as projects that will enhance safety and security. He would also like to spend some of the money to help people achieve homeownership and for small businesses to develop.
Already a mayor who understands local needs, Walter said he would reach out to local leaders at the municipal and county levels to learn what they needed. He would listen and then make the best possible decisions.
“I will prioritize funding for core infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water and wastewater systems, and flood mitigation, as well as public safety, emergency services and responsible economic development,” Walter said.
The 11th District includes a portion of northwest Lake County, including Volo and Wauconda, as well as parts of McHenry, DuPage, Boone, Cook, Will, DeKalb and Kane counties.
Early voting starts between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday at the Lake County Courthouse & Administration Building in Waukegan, and expands to 11 other locations throughout the county on March 2.