Tom Morrison: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: PalatineWebsite: http://www.morrisonforstaterep.comOffice sought: 54th District RepresentativeAge: 36Family: Married, two childrenOccupation: Small Business OwnerEducation: Bachelor of Arts in History, Hillsdale College, 1997Civic involvement: Palatine JayceesElected offices held: State Representative, 2011 - presentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Reforming the pension systemKey Issue 2 Improving the state's business climateKey Issue 3 Supporting traditional family valuesQuestions Answers What can you do specifically to help the economy in your district? What is your view of the tax breaks granted to companies like Motorola Mobility, Navistar and Sears? For incumbents, how did you vote on the Sears plan in this fall's veto session?We can continue to reform the workers' compensation insurance system to reduce costs for employers. We can repeal the state's corporate and individual income tax increase as soon as possible to keep more money in the hands of the private sector. We should ensure that state agencies are not burdening businesses with difficulties or delays in obtaining permits, for example, and thereby discouraging new investment.I voted against the Sears bill because I believe the state should offer a level playing field for big and small businesses alike, rather than picking individual businesses to benefit.The fact that Sears needed a tax break to be convinced to stay here tells me that all businesses should be given a tax break.Do you favor limiting how much money party leaders can give candidates during a general election? If elected, do you plan to vote for the current leader of your caucus' Why or why not?Campaign finance limits sound good in theory, but they don't work well in practice.For example, party leaders can simply direct certain large donors to give directly to the individual candidates of the leaders' choosing.I'll withhold my caucus leader commitment until I see who's in the running.That being said, the caucus seems generally satisfied with Tom Cross, and I highly doubt that he will have a challenger next year.How, specifically, would you cut the budget? What does Illinois need to do to fix its status as a "deadbeat state?" How have you or will you vote on future gambling bills' What is your view of slots at racetracks' Casino expansion?We must roll back Medicaid eligibility and audit the system to root out fraud and abuse.The same goes with food stamps and other state aid programs.We need a tighter definition of state government's core functions.Without reform, the annual pension payment will continue to grow and force further reductions in state services.We need to tie state spending to population growth; over the past decade spending growth has dramatically outpaced population growth.Finally, we need to change our policies to encourage economic growth; in effect, we increase revenues not with higher taxes but with more tax payers.I will vote against gambling expansion.What do you specifically support to deal with the state's pension gap? Would you vote for House Republican Leader Tom Cross's three-tier pension plan? Why or why not?I believe current employees should pay more toward their own retirement plans, the automatic 3% COLA should be eliminated and tied to the consumer price index, and the retirement age should increase, among other reforms.I would vote for the Cross plan because it won't affect current retirees, and it allows current employees to pay more if they choose from now going forward to maintain their Tier One benefits.It also gives employees the ability to choose a 401K plan that gives them greater control over their own futures.Should gay marriage be legalized? Should Illinois define life as beginning at conception as others have? How would you vote on a concealed carry firearm plan? Should the death penalty be reinstated?The definition of marriage should remain one man and one woman.Illinois should recognize that life begins at conception because a new human being with a unique set of DNA has just been created.I would vote in favor of concealed carry permits.The death penalty should be reinstated for the most heinous of crimes.