House 56 rivals say jobs, lower taxes the goal of state budget fix

It took a crisis for the state budget to become a passionate issue for many Illinois voters, and thus the legislative candidates seeking to serve.

The two Republican candidates for the 56th District state House seat agree on the importance of fixing the budget. But they recognize different ways of improving the financial strength of individuals and businesses as the ultimate goal of such efforts.

Ryan Higgins, 28, of Schaumburg, is a health care attorney making his first run for elected office this year.

Anita Forte-Scott, 40, is an early education administrator serving on the Schaumburg Township District Library board and making her second attempt for state representative. She is also challenging Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Mike Adelizzi for his office.

While Higgins and Forte-Scott both consider balancing the budget a high priority, they agree that job creation in Illinois is now the top priority. And Forte-Scott puts tax relief for families and seniors just below that.

Higgins believes the opportunities that should exist in a state like Illinois belie the fact that it's currently ranked 48th in job creation. Economic reforms are the key to turning that around, he said.

Forte-Scott said many states ranked above Illinois are doing so by offering incentives to businesses and workers - usually tax breaks.

"We should try to find international companies to invest in our area," she said. "It's not a booming economy anymore and people need incentives to locate here."

Some of Forte-Scott's tax-reduction ideas for families include doubling the income tax credit for property taxes paid from 5 to 10 percent, and lowering property taxes for seniors specifically.

She said this could be done by enacting the measures of House Bill 4916, including decreasing the age to qualify for the assessment freeze from 65 to 55, increasing the "ceiling" level of income to qualify for it and expanding the homestead exemption from $4,000 to $5,500.

Both candidates believe in tougher state requirements for balanced budgets and in achieving them through cuts rather than tax increases. But the areas they'd focus on most specifically differ.

Higgins said Medicaid and pension reform are two areas where the state could find meaningful savings.

He believes all sides must approach the issue of pension reform with an open mind, but he's convinced there's a way to be both fair to retirees and fiscally responsible.

Higgins said that 10 percent of Medicaid spending is either overbilling or fraud, and that every dollar spent on enforcement can reap $13 in savings.

"There's low-hanging fruit in these state issues and Medicaid fraud is probably the lowest-hanging fruit there is," Higgins said.

Forte-Scott believes tougher enforcement of immigration laws is a way to save by cutting down on the number of people who use services without paying for them.

"The state of Illinois years ago made a commitment to help people who can't give back," Forte-Scott said. "Over $4 billion is being spent annually on people here illegally."

She said recovering the portion of this money spent on health care would be difficult, and she would not be in favor of cutting their education funding either. Being in the education field herself, she said she doesn't like to see children punished for their parents' decisions.

But she said a policy of deportation rather than incarceration for illegals convicted of crimes would be one viable way to stop the draining of state resources.

Forte-Scott said she's normally averse to the expansion of gambling, but would keep an open mind on new ideas in light of the budget crisis.

Higgins believes getting out of the current crisis - nearly a decade in the making - could be done in about five to seven years if a majority of the legislature began applying greater discipline in its budgeting.

The winner of the Feb. 2 Republican primary in the 56th District will face Democrat Michelle Mussman in the November general election.

The 56th District includes Schaumburg and portions of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Hanover Park, Roselle and Bloomingdale.