advertisement

Sam Yingling: Candidate Profile

62nd District Representative (Democrat)

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: Round Lake BeachWebsite: http://www.samyingling.comOffice sought: 62nd District RepresentativeAge: 31Family: My family has lived,worked, owned small businesses in the 62nd district for three generations. I'm proud that my family is part of the fabric of this area that I have had the opportunity as Avon Township Supervisor to give back to my community.Occupation: I currently serve as the Avon Township Supervisor and also hold an Illinois Real Estate Broker's license.Education: I hold two Bachelor's Degrees from DePaul University of Chicago where I studied, Public Policy and Administration, Political Science, and Urban Planning. I also hold an Illinois Real Estate Broker's license.Civic involvement: I have served as the Past President of the Round Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the Round Lake Beach Cultural Civic Center Foundation Board. I currently serve on the Mano A Mano Family Resource Center Advisory Board as well as a member of the Exchange Club and the B.E.S.T organization.Elected offices held: Avon Township SupervisorHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 In a district that is plagued by unemployment and foreclosure, my number one campaign issue is jobs and economic growth.Illinois needs to develop a more comprehensive approach to attract businesses and retain them in the State.With Wisconsin just north of the 62nd District we, like any border district, run the risk of businesses jumping the State line for a more welcoming business climate.Key Issue 2 My second campaign issue is to address comprehensive property tax reform.In a declining real estate market our property taxes continue to rise.As Avon Township Supervisor, I have cut the Township's taxes by over 20% without reducing services.This has been done through innovation and collaboration with area organizations and other governmental entities.Illinois has the highest number of taxing entities in the country, and Lake County has the 16th highest property taxes in the nation.We need to find ways to streamline and consolidate units of government to improve efficiencies and reduce property taxes.Key Issue 3 The third top campaign issue I will be addressing is the need for governmental entities to reign-in spending and live within their means.As Avon Township Supervisor I have reduced operating costs at the Township through efficiency increases and disciplined fiscal management.In a time when governments are asking for more money, Avon Township posted a record surplus as a result of this disciplined financial approach.Since Avon Township is entirely debt-free, this surplus was returned to the taxpayers in the form of tax cuts.Questions Answers What can you do specifically to help the economy in your district? What is your view of the tax breaks granted to companies like Motorola Mobility, Navistar and Sears? For incumbents, how did you vote on the Sears plan in this fall's veto session?Current parts of the 62nd district are slated for industrial and commercial development but require a representative on the state level who will work to bring these projects to fruition.I will make it my number one priority to provide the necessary support from the State to initiate this development and bring jobs to the 62nd district.I have served in my current position as Avon Township Supervisor to cut Avon Township's tax levy by over 20% in order to reduce the financial burden on existing businesses and residents.I will take these types of proactive initiatives to the state level to fight for the 62nd District.Any tax incentives offered by the State to corporations need to be done on an individual basis and each case should be evaluated on its own merit.Incentives given to corporations must be given to those that are good corporate citizens whose contributions to the community and State outweigh any net losses sustained by the State through incentive programs.The State has focused providing tax relief for large corporations but has failed to develop tangible relief for small businesses, which are the backbone of the local economy.When evaluating the merits of providing tax incentives to large corporations, the State must not forget our local small businesses.Do you favor limiting how much money party leaders can give candidates during a general election? If elected, do you plan to vote for the current leader of your caucus' Why or why not?There must be more comprehensive reform to campaign finance in the State, including the amount of money any individual party can spend on a specific candidate.I am willing to review the qualifications of any individual that brings forth his/her nomination for party leader.I will not commit to voting for a specific person until I have a proper opportunity to review all potential candidates.How, specifically, would you cut the budget? What does Illinois need to do to fix its status as a "deadbeat state?" How have you or will you vote on future gambling bills' What is your view of slots at racetracks' Casino expansion?The current budgetary crisis is a symptom of a greater problem and there are numerous issues that must be addressed statewide. Senator Dan Kotowski proposed and passed acclaimed legislation called 'Budgeting for Results'.This legislation saves billions of dollars within the State's budget and we can continue to build upon these gains.Second, Illinois has the highest number of taxing entities in the country.We need to consolidate and eliminate redundant layers of government to alleviate overall taxation pressure on the residents. Third, our budgetary problems must also be addressed by expanding the State's tax base by fostering economic growth through incubating new industry and technology.Until we do a combination of the above, Illinois' budgetary problems will continue to plague the State.Any future gaming bills must be based on a compelling reason for expansion and due diligence as opposed to the current approach of pacifying legislators from various parts of the State. Any decision to implement expansion must be reasonable and responsible, including the addition of slot machines to race tracks.We must insure that robust regulatory oversight is in place to protect the public interest.The allocation of appropriate funding to the Illinois Gaming Board, which provides regulatory oversight to the industry, must be included in any legislation.This funding should come directly from the gaming industry and the General Assembly should be legally prohibited from sweeping those funds for other uses.What do you specifically support to deal with the state's pension gap? Would you vote for House Republican Leader Tom Cross's three-tier pension plan? Why or why not?Any pension reform measure needs to be a dialogue with all parties involved.It has been well understood that Illinois has a spending problem and not a revenue problem.While House Minority Leader Tom Cross brings forth interesting options in his three-tiered plan, there are some Constitutional issues that will need to be addressed.We will need to look at innovative solutions that will allow us to fulfill our obligations within the boundaries of the law.Additionally, as just revealed by the Better Government Association and CBS News (for which I was interviewed), we have individuals collecting public pensions who are not even public employees.We must close these loopholes to ensure that those who are not actually public employees do not receive publicly funded pensions.Should gay marriage be legalized? Should Illinois define life as beginning at conception as others have? How would you vote on a concealed carry firearm plan? Should the death penalty be reinstated?I do not believe that government should be in the business of marriage and that marriage should solely be a religious institution.Since government decided to enter the business of marriage it now has a responsibility to administer those legal rights equitability to both opposite and same sex couples. I do not believe that the government should be legislating on the issue of when life begins.It is a matter of personal belief and faith.I am a supporter of the Second Amendment and responsible gun ownership.I am currently undecided on the issue of Concealed Carry and I am currently seeking input from law enforcement officials and residents.I do not believe the death penalty should be reinstated.