Stephanie Kifowit: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: AuroraWebsite: www.stephaniekifowit.orgTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: 84th State House District Age: 44Family: I've been married 20 years, have taken care of three children, and now have two grand children.Occupation: Elected OfficialEducation: B.S. in Political Science, NIUMasters in Public Administration, NIUCivic involvement: American Society of Public Administration, Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce, Oswego Chamber, Women in Government, USMC League of DuPage and Fox Valley, Women Marine Association, American Legion Post 84, Sierra Club, S.H.A.R.E.Elected offices held: Alderman of the 3rd Ward - City of AuroraQuestions Answers What needs to be done structurally to make the legislature more effective? Will you vote for your current legislative leader? What is your position on term limits in general and specifically for legislative leaders? Do you support the ongoing drive for a constitutional amendment on redistricting? What will you do to promote implementation of any changes you recommend?I am in support of a two year budget for the state of Illinois, in addition to enacting funding priorities and common goals for our state to move forward. I plan to promote these ideas in the next session. Term Limits: I am open to considering proposals for term limits. However, I believe that any proposal for term limits must ensure that the people of Illinois are fairly represented and the elected officials are able to represent constituents to the fullest of their abilities. In the current roster of the General Assembly, only 17% of the Illinois House of Representatives has 12 years in office or more (13D and 8R by my calculation). As a newer member of the General Assembly, given the complex nature of legislative initiatives, I have found advice from more experienced members of the General Assembly, from both sides of the aisle, beneficial to passing legislation important to my district.Leadership: I am open to considering proposals for leadership term limits.Redistricting: I voted for HJRCA0058Would you vote for an increase in state income taxes or sales taxes? Would you vote for new taxes, such as on services? What is your position on a graduated income tax?I believe the State needs to re-evaluate its current revenue sources and compare our revenue structure in IL with our neighboring states. I do not think there is an easy answer to this question. One avenue I have been working on is the reimbursement rates IL receives from the Federal Government. We have some of the lowest reimbursement rates compared to our neighboring states, from Medicaid to disaster funds. In addition, I think internal processes should continue to be reviewed in order to capture new revenue. A recent example of this is DCFS Director Greg Shelton who, by properly classifying cases, realized additional revenue of $21.5 million dollars in new reimbursements for FY16. There certainly needs to be a comprehensive discussion about all aspects of revenue and efficiency to bring about a responsible and balanced budget that properly meets the needs of the residents of the state of Illinois.What changes, if any, do you support in education and education funding in Illinois? Please be specific.All school districts in my district need a fair and equitable funding formula for schools, which does not result in the loss of revenue for our school districts, in addition to the payment of past due school construction grants, that have not been fully funded for about a decade. There needs to be a comprehensive analysis of school funding in Illinois, along with a comparison of what other states are doing with regards to school funding. Due to financial constraints, school funding has relied on property taxes as its primary funding source for schools without large amounts of low-income or impoverished students. While property taxes are the most stable form of revenue for schools, it is also the most burdensome on the average homeowner. This is why I have repeatedly voted to freeze property taxes. Senator Manar is working closely with members of the General Assembly, including myself, on finding the best possible formula for funding our schools and providing the proper resources without raising property taxes or taking monies from other school districts. Any proposal must hold harmless school districts that have been utilizing resources properly, in addition to assisting school districts with socio-economic demographics, which need more services. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Manar to pass a comprehensive school funding reform package that is beneficial to all school districts.On Illinois' budget, specifically, where do you believe cuts need to be made?As shown in the budget impasse, the majority of the spending of the state of Illinois is through federal mandates, K-12 education funding, bond interest payments and pension obligations. I believe there are areas where we can increase efficiency, such as the DCFS success I mentioned in a prior question. We also need to reduce instances of waste, fraud and abuse throughout the state.What approach do you support toward fixing the public pension systems?As per the Supreme Court ruling, we are obligated to continue making the statutorily mandated pension payments. This outstanding debt is the result of past administrations not properly funding the pensions back to the 1950's. The pension reform committee met for three years prior to my election and advanced the proposal that was ultimately ruled unconstitutional by the courts - I voted in favor of the pension reform proposal. I believe the pension reform committee should be re-instated to look at any option that might still be available which is fair to the state, the workers and the retirees.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Currently, as one of only six veterans in the IL House, I am committed to ending veteran suicide along with ensuring the state of Illinois is meeting the needs of their veterans. I am also an advocate to reduce domestic violence and for youth job opportunities.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Malala Yousafzai-for her courage at such a young age, she inspires me to be better and is a great role model for our youthWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To work hard, my father was up at 5am every morning workingIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Our character is defined by our experiences thus I would do nothing over. I have been blessed.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Philosophy: It helped me understand opposing views, even if I don't agree, I can relate to the opposition to find common ground.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Know yourself and seek self improvement; seek responsibility and take responsibility.