14th District hopefuls tackle taxes at forum

Regardless of where 14th Congressional District candidates stand on the issues, the one thing voters didn't want to hear Monday night was politicians trash talking each other.

The often raucous St. Charles forum attendees packed the Norris Cultural Center to the balcony. That only allowed the boos, applause and sarcastic comments to rain down on the candidates from all angles. At one point, incumbent Democrat Bill Foster was so loudly jeered during an attempt to sling mud at Republican challenger Randy Hultgren that the League of Women Voters chapters who organized the event threatened to cancel the forum. The audience was told to stop acting like “you should be in second grade. The audience mostly settled down long enough for the candidates to cover some new ground on the issues of gays in the military and stances on the Fair Tax proposal.

Hultgren separated himself as the only candidate in the race in favor of maintaining the so-called “Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy about sexuality in military service.

“I don't think we should take it away," Hultgren said. “We really need to honor our generals that are out there serving. They've clearly stated that they are not ready for this to be done away with. We need to make sure they they've got all the resources they need to finish the mission that we need them to finish."

Foster took the opposite viewpoint saying the attitude about gays in the military has changed over the past decade.

“It should be repealed, Foster said of the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. “It just doesn't matter when you're fighting and risking your life in defense of your country."

Third-party candidates Doug Marks and Dan Kairis agreed.

“I don't think this is a policy that should've been there at any time," said Kairis, the Green Party candidate. “Humans are humans. Soldiers are soldiers. It just doesn't make any sense to me."

Marks, the write-in Libertarian candidate said the military is not a place for social experiments.

“The military is composed of people from society, normal everyday people from everyday walks of life," Marks said. “No matter where you go, you're going to find gay people. There's no place in this country or the military for a law that tells you how you have to act or that you have to announce what you are."

When it came to the Fair Tax proposal, both major-party candidates said they were opposed. In simple terms, the Fair Tax would replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax.

Foster said he rejects the proposal because it would be a straight consumption tax of as much as 23 percent.

“It would be one of the most regressive steps in taxation that you can imagine," Foster said. “But I do support tax cuts. And I do support simplification of our tax code. The Fair Tax, I think, would be a tremendous mistake."

Hultgren characterized the Fair Tax as a tax increase. He pledged to oppose any and all tax increases.

“We have to clean up a tax system that is incredibly broken," Hultgren said. “I will not support anything that does not result in a net decrease in taxes for all people."

Kairis said the Fair Tax is worth considering as a means to balance the disparity between the rich and the poor.

“Instead of trickle down, those of you who've heard of the trickle down theory of economics, it's been a torrent to the top," Kairis said. “Those people who have enough influence to get the tax laws written for them have become wealthier and wealthier while the rest of us suffer. Yes, we need to look at some way of equalizing this tax. Those who are making the money should also be the ones paying their share."

Marks said the Fair Tax should be considered, but it's not where the problem lies.

“You've got to cut spending before you think about opening up a new revenue stream for the federal government," Marks said. “There's no cap on this tax. We need to get spending under control first and then looking at making everyone free from taxation."