Economic policy fair game for candidates for the 14th District

Rising unemployment levels, the housing slump and other signs of an economic downturn gave candidates for the 14th Congressional District much to discuss at a candidates' forum Tuesday night.

Five of the seven candidates vying for the open seat outlined their economic reform plans, tackling issues ranging from U.S. trade policy to reducing the tax burden.

Republican front-runners Jim Oberweis and Chris Lauzen, both of whom have outlined proposals to repeal the alternative minimum tax and simplify the tax code, stressed the need to create new jobs. Both also discussed trade.

Lauzen, a state senator from Aurora, said he favors free trade that is fair.

"I believe that the Chinese are competing unfairly and I will stand up for American workers and companies," Lauzen said.

Oberweis, a businessman from Sugar Grove, called himself a "free trader."

"I believe free trade does in fact help both countries," Oberweis said. "It helps provide more consumer goods at lower cost to us and it does help provide jobs for other people throughout the world as well as the United States."

On the Democratic side, John Laesch, a carpenter and Navy veteran from Newark, and St. Charles lawyer Jotham Stein said they support fair trade policies.

Bill Foster of Geneva, a former Fermilab physicist who started a theater lighting company with his brother, touted the fact that he never moved his business out of the country to save on manufacturing costs.

"For 30 years my brother and I have said no to that," Foster said. "I think that says a lot about how I will represent you."

Democrat Joe Serra of Geneva and Republican dark horse Michael Dilger, an Evanston resident, did not attend the forum.

The forum was held at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles and co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and local media outlets, including the Daily Herald. BATV, Batavia's public access cable channel, recorded the program and plans to air it at noon Friday. It will repeat many times on public access stations in Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles before the Feb. 5 primary election; check your local listings.