GOP hopefuls for State Senate 25 differ on best way to return tax

Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels is taking on incumbent state Sen. Chris Lauzen for the Republican nomination for the 25th District state Senate seat.

Both paint themselves as fiscal conservatives. Both also consider themselves pro-life on abortion issues, support concealed-carry permission for gun owners, and oppose gay marriage and civil unions.

"I would not support domestic partner health benefits whether those benefits are directed at gay or heterosexual couples," wrote Michels in a questionnaire for the Daily Herald.

Lauzen, asked the same question, wrote that he supports "traditional marriage" and opposes "its redefinition and extending benefits to domestic partners. The benefits to property division, health care decisions, etc. are available through contract law and I would be happy to help streamline these laws to satisfy these legitimate concerns."

The major point of contention between the two is the return on the tax dollar the 25th Senate District gets. Michels has said the district suffers because of Lauzen being on the outs with state Republican Party legislative leadership. Lauzen has proposed legislation to change the way the the state central committees for political parties are selected, and says he would have supported the 2009 capital spending bill if it wasn't to have been funded by proceeds from video gambling.

Michels does not support video gambling, but said he could support allowing casinos in Chicago, if taxes generated from them were used for capital improvements and to lessen state aid to the Chicago Transit Authority.