Schillerstrom talks preventive care, saving toes and cash

SPRINGFIELD - DuPage County Board chairman and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Schillerstrom vowed Thursday never to raise taxes and said he would make cuts throughout state government in order to provide better services for Illinoisans in need.

Using Medicaid as an example, Schillerstrom said if the state shifted its priority to prevention rather than emergency care, it would be a way to provide better care in a less expensive way.

"If you're a person who has diabetes, what happens is you wait until you're really sick and go to the emergency room. Well, the problem with diabetes is when you wait until you're really sick, then they're going to cut off your toes or worse," Schillerstrom told reporters at a Capitol news conference. "Doing that is much more expensive than going and getting a blood test and finding out that your sugar count is at 110 and maybe you ought to quit eating ice cream every night."

Schillerstrom, who promised to serve only one term if elected, said he's a realist and believes the Republicans will not take over the General Assembly this year. Still, he added, there are Democrats who share his vision for more efficient state government.

"If we can change the philosophy, change the approach and get this state going in a different direction, that's a substantial move because we haven't been able to do that," he said.

Schillerstrom, of Naperville, is one of seven candidates in a crowded primary for the GOP nomination for the state's highest office. Other candidates include state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, former GOP party Chairman Andy McKenna, former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington and conservative commentator Dan Proft of Chicago.

The primary is Feb. 2.