Q&A with Gentes
1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority?
I enjoy public service, and believe that I have something to offer downstate as senator for the 26th district. If you had to narrow it down to one issue I would say we need to better manage this state for the citizens.
2. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.
I have been an elected official for nearly 13 years. I have dealt with a wide ranging set of issues from education to health care to transportation issues and can point with some degree of success to significant progress in these areas. I have also created a blog where I am engage in an open and productive dialog with my residents. In fact I was one the first Mayors to blog nationwide. Today the blog is read by 1,500 unique users a day. To sum it up, my understanding of regional issues, my quest for open dialog with residents and the value I get internally from being a public servant led me to run for the state senate.
3. Under what circumstances, if any, would you support raising the state income or sales tax? Please explain.
I am not convinced that our state has a revenue problem, I think we have a spending problem. If we address all our spending issues, and then if we still have a revenue problem, we should talk. But not until then. Not a day goes by with out me reading something about how the state has mismanaged or mis appropriated some money and I always say, lets fix that first. Other states have efficient models, lets benchmark ourselves to them and fix our spending.
4. Do you support the expansion of gambling by adding slot machines at racetracks? Do you favor licensing and building new casinos? Please explain.
I am supportive of casino gambling with maybe 3 more licenses. We also need to support the horse racing industry with some component of revenue or support and that can include slots.
5. Would you support giving voters the ability to recall elected officials?
I do support recall, however I do not support it for municipal level officials. Politics is so personal at a local level that some communities would sink to near constant recall petitions which would lead to chaos. However on larger scale state wise races I think it could and should implemented. Although there should be clear criteria for the reasons an official can be recalled.
6. Did you support the suburban tax increases that were used to keep the public transportation trains and buses running without cuts or fare increases?
No, I think they went about the whole process incorrectly, they solved the Chicago CTA pension fund mess on the backs of the collar counties.
7. If you are elected, will you vote for the current party leader of your legislative chamber? Why or why not?
No I will not, since he is retiring
8. What do you think of the idea, widely circulated, of impeaching Gov. Blagojevich?
The governors performance has been abysmal, in fact I think he is the worst governor we have ever had. If he committed an impeachable offense then he should be impeached. If it came to that I would look at all the evidence before I made my decision however.