Budget an issue in Bush-Amrozowicz state senate race
Two state senate candidates in Lake County agree on a need to balance Illinois' budget, but have differing ideas on accomplishing the goal.
Republican newcomer Michael Amrozowicz of Gurnee will face Democratic incumbent Melinda Bush of Grayslake in the Nov. 8 election for the 31st Senate District seat. Bush became a state senator after defeating Republican Joe Neal of Wadsworth in 2012.
District 31 includes Zion, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Gages Lake, Winthrop Harbor, Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth, Lindenhurst, Antioch, Waukegan, Gurnee, Beach Park, Grayslake and Lake Villa.
In an effort to find more revenue to help balance the budget, Amrozowicz said he would push to boost Illinois' economy through workers' compensation reform. He said such a change would elevate revenue by keeping businesses in the state.
He contends Illinois businesses pay three or four times more for insurance premiums to protect employees than those in neighboring states.
"When we're losing all these revenues, we can't balance the budget," Amrozowicz said. "We can't grow. And it affects a lot of other things"
Bush said outlawing special public projects for lawmakers' districts could help to save millions and assist in balancing the budget.
"Members of the General Assembly shouldn't be able to get a gift for their district in exchange for a vote," Bush said. "It just perpetuates the scourge of transactional politics that has plagued this state for decades."
Both candidates say there is a need to reform how state government operates to make more money available in the annual budget. Amrozowicz said he'd want to seek and cut administrative fat, while Bush suggested pursuing an effort to ensure all budget line items are transparent.
Amrozowicz, 57, who's retired from the Navy and co-owns an exterior remodeling business, is making his first run for a publicly elected office. He was selected chairman of the Lake County Republican Party in 2014 and previously headed Warren Township's GOP organization.
Bush, 60, won her first elected post as a Grayslake village board trustee and served from 1990 to 1994. She served in the dual role of Lake County Board member and forest preserve district commissioner from 2008 to 2012 before her election to the state senate.