56th District hopefuls face off at forum

How dire Illinois' financial and economic situations are - and how quick or obvious the solutions should be - were key differences between Democratic state Rep. Michelle Mussman and her 56th District Republican challenger Jim Moynihan during a candidate forum Thursday night at Roosevelt University's Schaumburg campus.

Moynihan decried the loss of businesses from an unfriendly tax environment, which he said was causing a surge in unemployment and thus increasing the tax burden on retired seniors.

Mussman said that while many negatives are being touted about the state, there's also progress. For instance, in just the past several years, the state's debt has been reduced from $10 billion to $4 billion, she said.

And she pointed to nearby Zurich North America as an example of a company that could have relocated anywhere but is staying put in Schaumburg in new headquarters.

"Businesses come and go even in a healthy economy," Mussman said. "The businesses we've gained are bigger than the ones we lost."

The candidates were asked whom they would choose to lead their own parties in the state House.

Moynihan said he would support current Republican leader Jim Durkin. But Mussman said she would need to know who the candidates would be and weigh their visions for the state.

Moynihan criticized her answer as a cop-out.

"I think we do know who the leaders are," Moynihan said. "We're not picking any rookies."

In summing up her positions, Mussman said the role of a representative is to find the middle ground, recognizing that major change doesn't happen all at once. "It's going to happen in small amounts over time," she said.

But Moynihan said it was time to demand major change in Springfield. "We've been doing the same thing over and over for the past dozen years," he said.

The 56th District includes Schaumburg and portions of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Roselle.