Daniel Biss: 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: EvanstonWebsite: DanielBiss.comTwitter: Twitter.com/DanielBissFacebook: Facebook.com/DanielBissOffice sought: Governor Age: 40Family: My wife, Karin, and I live in Evanston with our two kids, who attend their local public school. Karin, a former peace corps volunteer, is a historian and teacher who studies Romania. Elliot, our fourth grader, is a voracious reader with a passion for fantasy books and Theodore, our second grader, is always ready with a question or two. We love spending time together outdoors exploring local parks.Occupation: State SenatorEducation: B.A. from Harvard University in Mathematics, Ph.D from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in MathematicsCivic involvement: I've served in the Illinois Senate since 2013 and served one term in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2011 to 2012. I have served on the Evanston Environmental Board, as president of the Democratic Party of Evanston, on the board of the Indo-American Democratic organization, and as a member of the Temple Beth Israel's social action committee. I originally got into politics as a community organizer, uniting my neighbors around our opposition to the Iraq War, and have volunteered with political campaigns and advocacy efforts on important local issues ever since.Elected offices held: Illinois State Representative for the 17th District 2011-2012, Illinois State Senator for the 9th District 2013-presentQuestions Answers What do you consider the key to an effective working relationship between the governor's office and legislative leaders? To what extent is this relationship effective now and to whatever extent it may not be effective, what would you do to improve it?Building an effective working relationship between the governor's office and legislative leaders is crucial. Over the past three years, and especially during the budget impasse, Bruce Rauner has shown us how a failed relationship can derail our state. While Rauner's ineffective working relationship stems from an obstinate and selfish refusal to negotiate and compromise, we must also be wary of electing a governor who is beholden to legislative leaders, and thus also unable to effectively negotiate on behalf of the public. We need a governor who is a strong negotiator with real independence, backed by a broad base of voters across the state rather than by a few big names or big donorsÃâ#128;~or a political machine controlled by legislative leaders. Throughout my time in the legislature and on the campaign trail, I've proven that I meet these criteria. After passing nearly ninety bills by engaging voters, advocacy groups, and colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I've learned how to win reforms that reflect my values. I've seen firsthand how running grassroots campaigns that welcome voters into the political process, on the campaign trail and beyond, are crucial to enacting progressive change. I also believe we can reform the basic rules of our democracy to enhance this working relationship. Rather than allowing the Senate President, Speaker of the House, and minority party leaders to consolidate power over years and even decades, I support imposing term limits on these leadership positions to empower rank-and-file legislators to bring forward new ideas.On budgeting, what should be done to ensure that the state does not again go through a period of time without a budget in place? What will you do as governor to ensure that the spending priorities you espouse during your campaign are reflected in the budget?Bruce Rauner's budget impasse was a years-long attack on middle-class and working people in this state. Social services closed their doors, infrastructure projects halted, and public school funding became an uncertain hope rather than a guarantee. Our families are still reeling from the destruction, and it is imperative that we do not go through another period of time without a budget in place. Preventing another budget crisis will require a governor with experience navigating legislative waters and with the courage to create a tax system designed for a modern economy. I've spent the past seven years in the legislature fighting for progressive reform, and working with my House and Senate colleagues as well as with community organizations and issue experts to pass nearly ninety bills. I've negotiated unlikely victories, such as creating the first-of-its-kind automatic-enrollment retirement savings program. I've worked across the aisle, joining with Republican colleagues to pass a number of privacy bills. I will continue building broad coalitions to pass a balanced budget that reflects my spending priorities. To fully and fairly fund our schools, to expand access to healthcare, and to invest in communities that have faced decades of disinvestment, I'll continue fighting for the progressive revenue options I've fought for in the Senate. I've introduced a constitutional amendment to allow for a progressive income tax, sponsored legislation to close the carried interest loophole, and co-sponsored legislation to tax financial transactionsÃâ#128;~and I'll continue fighting for these policies as governor to support my spending priorities.How important do you consider the issues of term limits and legislative redistricting? Would you act to promote or oppose either of these initiatives?I believe that the right term limit and legislative redistricting policies would make a real difference. One of the first bills I introduced in the Illinois legislature was to impose term limits on the Senate President, Speaker of the House, and minority party leaders, and I am still advocating for this policy today. Such term limits prevent the consolidation of power over years and even decades, which can empower political machines that serve the few over the many. With these term limits in place, we will encourage rank-and-file legislators to pursue leadership positions, amplify diverse voices and policy priorities, and stimulate the flow of new ideas. Legislative redistricting is another crucial reform in Illinois, as voters should pick their elected officials, not the other way around. In the legislature and on the campaign trail, I have advocated for a constitutional amendment to end partisan mapmaking by creating an independent redistricting commission to create legislative districts that are fair, competitive, and representative of the diverse communities in the General Assembly. That said, we should not pretend that these changes alone will suffice to fix our broken system. That's why I introduced my Ãâ#128;™Rewriting the RulesÃâ#128;œ plan to reform Illinois government. In addition to leadership term limits and redistricting reform, it includes additional plans to address campaign finance, the election process itself, and the way we select the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Our problems call for a comprehensive solution.To what extent are you happy or unhappy with the evidence-based model for education funding now in place in Illinois? How would you define Ãâ#128;™adequateÃâ#128;œ state funding for Illinois schools and what will you do to promote that?The evidence-based model itself is a big step in the right direction, but unfortunately it only constitutes a small part of our current funding model, which is profoundly flawed. The model only applies to new funds that might be allocated, and it does not change our dangerous reliance on property taxes to fund education. Consequently, our current school funding system discriminates by zip code, race, and class, creating opportunities and financial security for schools in wealthy, white neighborhoods while leaving many schools in low income communities and communities of color without the resources they need and deserve. To me, adequate means that every student in every school has the resources they need to thriveÃâ#128;~from Cairo to Rockford and from special education to ESL. I voted against the school voucher program passed by Governor Rauner this August because I am opposed to diverting tax dollars to private schools, and I have opposed his efforts to delay school funding throughout his administration. As governor, I will dismantle the voucher program and overhaul our school funding formula to fairly and fully fund our schools. This will require decreasing our reliance on property tax revenue as a school funding source, as this funding mechanism deprives students in low-income neighborhoods of school funding. To raise the revenue necessary to accommodate this change, we must enact progressive revenue sources such as a progressive income tax and financial transaction tax and close the carried interest loophole, while bringing property taxes down.What will you do to fix the public employee pension systems?Our state has a responsibility, both moral and legal, to honor our commitments to workers and retirees who are relying on the pensions we've promised themÃâ#128;~and with that comes an additional responsibility to build a sustainable pension system. For generations, our state has failed to pay into the system each year, creating the debt and uncertainty we're facing today. The first step to fixing this problem is to begin paying into the system each yearÃâ#128;~but we know that won't be enough. When we compare policies and outcomes in our state's various pension systems, it's clear which systems are well-funded and why. We must adopt best practices at the state level with binding mechanisms to ensure actuarially-responsible payments every year. To provide the revenue necessary to fund the system each year, we must pass sustainable, progressive revenue sources. As a senator, I have introduced a constitutional amendment to allow for a progressive income tax, sponsored legislation to close the carried interest loophole, and co-sponsored legislation to tax financial transactions. I will continue fighting for these policies to support pension investments and other budget priorities. We must also look for opportunities to increase efficiency, lower costs, and root out corruption. One clear distinction between Illinois and other states is the number of pension systems we maintain: while we have hundreds serving workers in different places and different fields, many other states have far fewer. Consolidation would allow for more effective oversight to ensure that workers and retirees get the pensions they deserve.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?There are many more issues we must address to build a state that works for the rest of us. For example, we must reform our broken property tax system, which lets the wealthy and well-connected off the hook and lines the pockets of property tax appeals lawyers while ordinary homeowners pay the price. I introduced the HOME Act this spring to create fair assessment and appeals processes and to prevent corruption, and will continue to fight for this legislation as governor. We must also pass Medicare-for-All, guaranteeing every person the healthcare they need to thrive. Especially amidst attacks to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, it is crucial we take leadership on healthcare in Illinois. I will also fight to expand access to higher education by eliminating tuition at our public colleges and universities. When, as a society, we deemed high school necessary to succeed in the job market, we made high school free, and we must expand this principle to incorporate higher education today. Illinois must also overhaul our criminal justice system to end policies of mass incarceration that have disproportionately targeted black and brown communities, hold police officers accountable to standards of transparency and fairness, and invest in every neighborhood. Lastly, I will commit Illinois to a goal of 100% clean energy by 2030. Our state has an opportunity to lead the nation by taking on climate change, creating new jobs in the green economy, and reducing pollution in our communities.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Danica Roem recently became the first openly transgender person elected to a state legislature by melding social justice with attention to local issues and needs.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?That hard work and persistence are important, but love and compassion are more important.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have started reading broadly at a younger age instead of focusing so narrowly on mathematics until my mid-20's.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Mathematics. It gave me an appreciation for the beauty of abstraction, and the enjoyment of taking time to really figure something out.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Never underestimate the role that privilege and luck play in your success. Don't sweep that under the rugÃâ#128;~own it, and pay it forward.