Kirk, Dold hold town hall meeting

Senator-elect Mark Kirk returned to his suburban roots Saturday, when he hosted his first town hall meeting since the election largely focused on budget issues and the economy at Arlington Heights Village Hall.

Kirk, the outgoing 10th District Republican Congressman, along with his successor, Republican Robert Dold, discussed ways to rein in government spending and jump-start the state and national economy.

Despite changing chambers, Kirk noted the needs of constituents in the diverse suburban district, stretching from Arlington Heights to the North Shore to Waukegan, will be at the forefront of his mind.

“I was very proud when (Robert) Dold suggested we do the first town hall back in the 10th.”

Kirk, who's served the district for 10 years, says he was reminded of the advice handed to him by his predecessor, Republican John Porter. “Wheeling Township. Wheeling Township. Wheeling Township,” he said to chuckles from the standing room only crowd.

Kirk and Dold outlined three key priorities defending the U.S., expanding the economy and restoring trust and confidence in government.

“The job ahead for Congress is daunting to say the least,” Kirk said.

A self-described moderate, Kirk said he plans to spend most of his initial time in office focusing on “cutting spending, and reducing the burden on taxpayers.”

Kirk, who won President Barack Obama's former Senate seat by a 2 percentage point margin over Democrat Alexi Giannoulias Nov. 2, said he plans to start first with himself, cutting his Senate office budget by 10 percent.

Looking at ways to cut national spending, Kirk noted that House Republican leader John Boehner and Obama have both expressed support for an anti-earmark policy, something Kirk also backs.

Kirk also supports enacting a presidential line item veto, with an eye on using the provision to promote fiscal restraint, along with cutting spending in several federal programs, including the Department of Defense and the sugar program.

Kirk will be sworn in three months earlier than his peers because of a federal judge's ruling regarding filling Roland Burris' expiring Senate seat.

He called himself the “42nd fiscally conservative Senator in this lame duck session.”

Dold told the crowd that, in the week since he declared victory over Democrat Dan Seals, he hasn't stopped campaigning, and talking to people.

The pest control business owner from Kenilworth spoke of creating an environment for “empowering” the private sector to create more jobs.

Dold promoted the passage of Kirk's 10-point “Small Business Bill of Rights,” introduced to Congress last spring, which would establish tax cuts for business and reduce health care costs through lawsuit reforms. It would also protect the right to a secret ballot in union elections, establish clean energy tax credits for businesses and make immigration laws easier to comply with.

Both men spent nearly an hour answering questions from the audience, ranging from possible ways to reform health care, to federal reserve policies and trade agreements with China.

They encouraged constituents to contact their offices regularly.

“If you have a problem. Your congressman and your senator have a team that at no cost are your advocates. We work for you,” Kirk said.