Dan Wilbrandt: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: West DundeeWebsite: www.ElectWilbrandt.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: 66th State House District Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Assistant State's Attorney - McHenry CountyEducation: The John Marshall Law School - J.D.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - M.A.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - B.A.Civic involvement: West Dundee Village TrusteeDundee Township Peer JuryAdopt-a-HighwayElected offices held: Village Trustee - West DundeeQuestions Answers What needs to be done structurally to make the legislature more effective? Will you vote for your current legislative leader? What is your position on term limits in general and specifically for legislative leaders? Do you support the ongoing drive for a constitutional amendment on redistricting? What will you do to promote implementation of any changes you recommend?The biggest problem with the State legislature structure is Speaker Madigan. Representatives have no opportunity to have an independent voice for the residents of their communities when they must fall in line with a Speaker who wields such control over the last 32 years. The opportunity for representatives to work together and effectively govern will follow the elimination of this dictatorship. However, Minority Leader Durkin and his leadership have kept the Republican representatives together through the tough times in Springfield. His experience and leadership will be integral moving forward with true reform for the residents of Illinois.A majority of Illinois residents and I support term limits for all legislators. I would also support term limits for leadership positions. For this to happen, the issue of term limits must be put on the ballot for the residents of Illinois to decide. I would also support any constitutional amendment measure to re-district Illinois with a fair map. This too may be a necessary reform that will only succeed by a ballot vote from the residents of Illinois. I will be a strong voice for reform and work with all levels of government to pass such reforms. If the legislature is unable to pass reform measures, then these measures must be put on the ballot. The future of Illinois is depending on the work that is accomplished now, and without necessary pension, education, spending, tax, and business reforms, the State will continue to lose businesses, residents, and revenue.What approach do you support toward fixing the public pension systems, not just for teachers but for public safety personnel as well?The state pension systems are the single most problematic aspect of state government. Illinois' pension systems are essentially going broke as revenue inflows are exceeded by payments. The Illinois Supreme Court struck down Senate Bill 1 in May of 2015, holding that pension benefits cannot be diminished or impaired. The Court found the Pension Protection Clause protects both earned and unearned benefits. Therefore, an amendment to the Illinois Constitution to reform future pensions is necessary. Legislator pensions should be eliminated and transitioned to a 401-K type system, new workers should be offered a self-managed 401-K type system and other investment options, and current pensioned employees should be allowed the option to opt in to a self-managed 401-K type system. Pre-retirement salary spiking and annual cost of living adjustments that exceed inflation have exponentially skyrocketed the unfunded pension balances the State is liable for. This must end. If future pension reform is not passed by the legislature now, it too must be done by Constitutional Amendment on a statewide ballot. Without reform, no one, including current or future retirees, will have any chance of receiving benefits.On Illinois' budget, specifically, where do you believe cuts need to be made? Specifically, what tax increases, changes in tax policy or other opportunities for revenue growth do you support? What is your position on a graduated income tax?Illinois has a spending problem. The State has not had a balanced budget since 2002 and spending currently outpaces inflation and revenues from taxes. A massive amount of resident out-migration creates a financial black hole. Over the last 20 years, Illinois has lost nearly 1.4 million residents and estimated $7.6 million each year in state and local tax revenue. An unfriendly business and resident taxpayer climate furthers financial woes and prevents recovery from the Great Recession. Illinois pays government workers, on average, 27% more than the private sector. This is simply overpaying market value for services and throwing away taxpayer dollars for the same work to be done through the government. The State cannot afford to overpay employees and spike salaries and pensions. I will not vote for tax increases when the need to cut costs is the highest priority. Illinois continues to have a weak economy and has lost over 216,000 jobs. To reverse the hemorrhaging of residents and jobs, we must enact workers' compensation reform, lawsuit reform, regulatory reform (making it easier to do business in Illinois), and tax and spending reform. A graduated income tax is not an effective way to cut taxes. The middle class will be hit the hardest by this tax scheme. A proposed graduated tax plan would put the middle class in an unsustainable tax bracket of around 5%. The middle class taxpayers would make enough money to push them out of the lowest bracket but not enough to pay the high rate.What changes, if any, do you believe the state should make in the area of education and education funding? How will you act to promote the changes you wish to see?School funding is struggling because of pension costs and lack of pension reform. For every education dollar, about $0.70 of it goes to pay for education pensions and retirement. Illinois schools will soon be spending more on pensions and retirement for employees than education for the children. Increased spending on education has not yielded improved test scores or college preparedness. The State must enact pension reform and localize tax dollars so that the education revenues can directly impact local students.Too many loopholes in the Illinois education formula allow school districts to make themselves appear more in need by under reporting local property wealth, which subsidies are based on. Districts have come to rely on these government subsidies rather than efficient spending. On average, education spending increases approximately 5% a year. Decisions dealing with curriculum and funding should be made at the local, not State level. Current legislation being considered, Senate Bills 1 and 16, involve the State deciding winners and losers amongst school districts and funding levels. These bills do not factor in financial disparity because of wealth hiding and allow Chicago schools to deduct pension costs, making them among the neediest districts.I am a proponent of education and education funding reform, beginning with future pensions. If the State moves to a more needs based funding formula, McHenry and Kane counties would receive less. This must not happen. I will work to address their needs in order to provide the best education with our local education dollars.Please list any elected office you have ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?Elected: West Dundee Village Trustee (2013-present)What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Homeowners pay the 2nd highest property taxes in the nation. I support a property tax freeze in combination with necessary pension, workers' compensation, and business climate reforms. Illinois must improve its business climate and attract and retain businesses that provide jobs to residents.Simple workers' compensation reforms will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses, generate increased tax revenue from business growth, and reduce the cost of public construction work within the state.I want to see further efforts and legislation allowing for local government consolidation where a local/county board or municipality deems a consolidation necessary and cost effective.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My mother, Vicki Wilbrandt. She has taught and inspired hundreds of elementary school children in the community.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?A strong relationship with family is important because they will always be there for you.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would get involved more in the community at an earlier age.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was history. We must understand history because it tends to repeat itself.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Develop a strong work ethic and remember that you "are third," (God, others, yourself).