Fiscal issues foremost for Villa, Brown in 25th District senate contest

Honoring pension obligations and fully funding schools are among the biggest challenges facing the Illinois General Assembly, state Sen. Karina Villa said during a Daily Herald endorsement interview.

State legislators have to consider “how to bring in more money” to solve funding issues, according to the West Chicago Democrat, who is running for a second term representing the 25th District.

Republican challenger Heather Brown of West Chicago did not participate in the endorsement interview and declined to answer questions submitted to her via email.

“We need to help support our small businesses and lower the strict regulations imposed upon them,” reads a statement on her website.

Asked whether she would support cuts to programs or services, Villa said she would consider them “as long as we’re not cutting programs for the most vulnerable people in our society.”

In her Daily Herald questionnaire, Villa calls for the federal government to “step up with additional support” to assist with migrants bused to Illinois from southern states.

Illinois has done its best to “respond to this humanitarian crisis in the best way possible,” said Villa, who sponsored a resolution calling for the federal government to allow work permits for undocumented immigrants “who’ve been working hard in Illinois providing for their families, some of them for more than 20 years, without having access to work permits.”

“Long term, we need to continue pressing the federal government to deliver thoughtful and serious immigration reform,” Villa wrote. “Allowing undocumented individuals the opportunity to legally enter our workforce with proper authorizations will help address our labor shortage and allow them to continue to contribute to our tax base.”

Brown did not respond to an email asking how Illinois should respond to migrants bused here from other states. She also declined to respond to an email asking whether she supports state subsidies for a proposed new Chicago Bears stadium.

Villa said she will “continue to look at what the Bears are going to do moving forward,” but wants to listen to the wants and needs of residents.

“When it comes to subsidies or TIF (tax increment financing) districts we need to reassess what we’re doing in the state of Illinois,” Villa said. “We need to make sure these folks who are going to make a substantial amount of money” aren’t getting a “free ride.”

The 25th District encompasses portions of DuPage and Kane counties, including all or parts of Aurora, North Aurora, Batavia, West Chicago, South Elgin and Bartlett.