This document contains a questionnaire for candidates running in the Illinois House and Senate general election in 2014. It asks for biographical information about the candidate such as name, contact details, occupation, education, and family details. It also contains questions on a wide range of policy issues facing Illinois including the budget, pensions, healthcare, jobs, education, government reform, campaign finance and the candidate's positions on issues of independence and term limits. Candidates are asked to provide details on their stances and, in some cases, what legislation they would support or sponsor related to these important state issues.
This document contains a questionnaire for candidates running in the Illinois House and Senate general election in 2014. It asks for biographical information about the candidate such as name, contact details, occupation, education, and family details. It also contains questions on a wide range of policy issues facing Illinois including the budget, pensions, healthcare, jobs, education, government reform, campaign finance and the candidate's positions on issues of independence and term limits. Candidates are asked to provide details on their stances and, in some cases, what legislation they would support or sponsor related to these important state issues.
This document contains a questionnaire for candidates running in the Illinois House and Senate general election in 2014. It asks for biographical information about the candidate such as name, contact details, occupation, education, and family details. It also contains questions on a wide range of policy issues facing Illinois including the budget, pensions, healthcare, jobs, education, government reform, campaign finance and the candidate's positions on issues of independence and term limits. Candidates are asked to provide details on their stances and, in some cases, what legislation they would support or sponsor related to these important state issues.
Occupation. Please be specific; titles and proper names.
Education
Spouse occupation. Please be specific; titles and proper names.
Please list any relatives who work for a government body or lobby, consult.
ISSUES
Budget & Finance
Do you support the Jan. 1 scheduled roll back of individual and corporate income tax rates? Yes or no. Then explain your position in detail.
What sources of additional revenue, if any, would you support to help balance the state budget? Be specific.
If you do not support additional revenue to balance the budget, where would you cut spending?
Do you support expansion of the sales tax base? Which services or products would you include? Please explain.
Do you support a rise in the minimum wage? Yes or no. If yes, what should it be?
Do you support a graduated income tax?
Pensions & Health care
If the Illinois Supreme Court tosses the pension reform law of 2013, what should the state do to manage its pension responsibilities?
Should the state shift all new state and government workers into defined contribution plans?
If you believe the state should meet its pension obligations as is and pay off the $100 unfunded pension liability, how should the state raise the money to do it?
Do you support pension reform for local police and fire departments?
Do you support shifting teacher pension costs, gradually, to local school districts? Please explain your position.
How should the state handle its increasing retiree health care and Medicaid costs?
Jobs
What should Illinois do via tax policy, spending or other policy means to promote job creation?
If an individual employer in your district approached you for an individualized tax relief policy, like those approved for CME Group and Sears several years ago, what would you say?
Offer three job creation ideas of your own and, if they would cost the state money, explain how you would pay for them.
Spending
List and explain five specific areas in which you would cut state spending. Want to suggest more? Be our guest. Please do not include the clichs of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, or getting rid of the state airplane fleet. More outside-the-box thought, please.
Education
Do you support an expansion, or reduction, of charter schools? Please explain.
How should charter school policy change, if at all, going forward?
Do you support vouchers? In what form?
If you support vouchers, will you commit to sponsoring and or lobbying on behalf of a statewide school choice program?
Government
Illinois has nearly 7,000 local governments, more than any other state. What governments could be consolidated or abolished? What should lawmakers do to make this happen? Will you commit to sponsoring and/or lobbying to reduce the numbers of local taxing bodies?
Campaign finance
Should Illinois do more to regulate campaign fundraising? If so, how?
What help, if any, are you receiving from your party and its leaders, including staff help, advice, legal assistance, money and resources? Be specific.
Who is the largest donor to your campaign so far this election cycle?
Independence
What have you done to change the status quo of Illinois politics and government?
If you are an incumbent, give at least one example when you worked across the aisle on an important issue.
If you are an incumbent, give at least one example of a time you did not vote with your party on a significant issue.
If you are an incumbent, how did the boundaries of your district change under the new redistricting map?
Do you support term limits? If so, will you commit to sponsoring legislation and/or lobbying your colleagues on behalf of a constitutional change?
Do you support redistricting? If so, will you commit to sponsoring legislation and/or lobbying your colleagues on behalf of a constitutional change?
Personal
Tell us a little about your family.
Tell us something we might be surprised to learn about you.