10th Dist. candidates want to curb spending

Democrats running for the nomination in the 10th Congressional District agree lawmakers have to be cautious about spending.

"In the long term, you've got to get the national debt down," said Dan Seals, a business consultant from Wilmette and one of three candidates seeking victory in the February primary election. He is making his third run at the seat being vacated by incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Kirk, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Seals is facing state Rep. Julie Hamos of Wilmette and Highland Park attorney Elliot Richardson in the Democratic primary. The diverse district runs from Waukegan in eastern Lake County, south to Arlington Heights in northern Cook County.

In a recent interview with members of the Daily Herald editorial board and in provided information, Seals said restoring the economy takes priority over the deficit, and he would oppose tax hikes or spending cuts that would put the economic recovery at risk.

Beyond that, he said he would like to see "strong measures" taken to reduce the debt.

"President Obama should be publicly laying out his plans and goals for this now, so that there can be no doubt of his intentions," Seals said. By providing budget targets, "I think he would calm a lot of people down."

Curbing costs is a necessity, Seals said, although he thinks stimulus funds "could have been weighted more heavily to job creation," and added government should provide capital to small businesses for that purpose. Seals said creating jobs is his top priority.

"We can't have everything we want. It's not about how many more programs we can create," he said, but how those programs are managed.

Hamos, who chairs the Illinois House mass transit committee, said fiscal responsibility has been a hallmark of her career, and she operates with a "pay as you go" approach to policymaking.

"This is precisely why my comprehensive transit package required greater accountability, efficiency and coordination of the transit system - and included reform of the pension system to address the unfunded pension liability," she said in a Daily Herald questionnaire. She said she is paying a "political price in some corners" as a result.

Richardson described the national debt as a "grave concern" and a threat to the country's financial stability and national security.

He said the Bush tax cuts must be allowed to expire.

"These tax cuts have irresponsibly reduced revenue at the federal level," he said in response to a Daily Herald questionnaire. "I am in favor of tax cuts aimed at the middle class to stimulate economic growth, but the Bush tax cuts have only resulted in growing our deficit."

Hamos and Seals said they prefer to delay a decision on tax cuts to see if the economy rebounds and the government is more disciplined about spending. Both say health care reform will provide savings.