Jobs top priority for 59th District candidates
Republican Dan Sugrue, 46, an attorney from Green Oaks, is challenging incumbent Democrat Carol Sente, 49, a business owner from Vernon Hills, who was appointed state legislator in the 59th District about a year ago to replace Kathy Ryg, who resigned.
The 59th includes portions of Buffalo Grove, Green Oaks, Gurnee, Indian Creek, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Mettawa, Mundelein, Northbrook, North Chicago, Park City, Riverwoods, Vernon Hills, Waukegan and Wheeling.
What follows are the candidates' answers to a Daily Herald questionnaire. They have been edited for spelling, grammar and style.
Q. What is your No. 1 campaign issue?
Sente. Create more jobs, get people back to work and make Illinois a more business-friendly state.
As a small-business owner, I understand how to help create more jobs in Illinois. I sponsored legislation to create tax incentives for small businesses, create greater access to small business loans and make it easier for retailers to open new locations in Illinois.
We need to provide meaningful financial incentives for employers to relocate or expand in our area to create good paying jobs, improve local economies and make our state more competitive.
Companies that take state tax breaks should be held accountable and be required to pay the tax breaks back if they leave the state. I believe, also, that we have the opportunity to lead the nation in improving environmental standards and fostering the development of green jobs and sustainable technologies that will help the environment, improve people's health and be a source of economic growth.
Illinois has made some important strides in environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, creating green collar jobs and renewable energy, but more can be done. We need to help encourage new green businesses to relocate or start in Illinois; firms to provide research and development dollars toward environmental initiatives; expand efforts to recycle, reclaim and reuse our precious resources; protect open spaces; increase mass transportation and connection of bicyclist pathways; and continually decrease our reliance on fossil fuels through the expansion of renewable energy sources.
I am eager to initiate more environmental legislation. This is why I am a member of the Green Caucus and on the Renewable Energy Committee.
As an owner of an environmentally responsible architectural firm that designs green and LEED building facilities, I want to bring this background to state government to explore ways for Illinois to lead the nation in environmental stewardship.
Sugrue. Protecting jobs in Illinois. Politicians cannot create jobs, but they can support pro-growth tax policies and limit burdensome regulations that are stifling business growth today.
Supporting tax policies and limited regulations to encourage businesses to stay in Illinois, expand in Illinois or relocate to Illinois is a top priority. When Illinois residents have jobs, they generate revenue for the state in income taxes, sales taxes, purchasing homes and paying property taxes.
In addition, state costs related to unemployment are reduced, such as unemployment benefits and Medicaid expenses, as many employers offer medical benefits. Recognizing the emotional side of losing a job is necessary as well more stress in the home creates a less healthy environment for children and spouses and may lead to issues of depression and even substance abuse.
I applaud Governor Quinn for appointing the Illinois Economic Recovery Commission. The volunteer commission did a great job in assessing the many assets and challenges Illinois possesses and providing a road map to best utilize Illinois' assets and address its obstacles. I would appreciate the opportunity to implement some (but not all) of the commission's recommendations including:
Expand the pool of venture capital in Illinois by establishing a new venture capital fund that will invest in targeted growth industries.
Invest a small percentage of Illinois state pension funds in venture capital investments in Illinois.
Develop a public relations program that will promote Illinois to foreign investors as the future home of technological innovation to encourage more foreign direct investment in Illinois.
Use the Office of Trade and Investment to promote Illinois exports by helping Illinois companies increase their access to global markets.
Promote public-private investments in infrastructure projects.
Eliminate wasteful spending in our state by conducting a line by line audit of every state program and ending redundant state programs, reforming state employee pensions and reforming Medicaid spending.