Hartstein first to question Sente at town hall meeting

As part of her work as a state legislator, state Rep. Carol Sente makes town hall meetings a regular feature of her job.

It's a chance to hear ideas from her constituents. One of those constituents also happens to be her opponent in the Democratic race for the 59th District House seat.

Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein was in the audience during Monday night's meeting and was the first to fire questions at Sente and state Sen. Terry Link, who was also on hand.

Hartstein was one of about 30 people who showed up to the gathering at the Buffalo Grove village hall. Dozens of questions - ranging from pension reform, tax increases, red light cameras and concerns about fluoride levels in drinking water - were raised during the nearly two-hour meeting.

Hartstein asked about a proposed Route 53 extension. The long-dormant plan calls for the highway to be extended from Lake Cook Road to Route 120.

"Are you prepared to commit to work for the extension of Route 53, and work toward making sure we have a viable transportation system with that extension?" he asked.

"I believe right now we need to focus on repairing and widening our existing roadways and keeping and improving our current infrastructure and making sure people can get by on that," Sente said. "The improvements we've been doing to keep people moving east and west, north and south have been tremendously helpful. We don't have funding right now for Route 53. We need to focus on the existing arterials now."

Hartstein said he supports the project without reservation.

"There is no question Route 53 needs to be extended. The people of Lake County have spoken. Over 75 percent have said they want this," Hartstein said after the meeting. "I didn't ask them how it should be done, I asked them if they support it and they didn't answer that question. I was very disappointed."

The hot topic of the state pension system was raised by Hartstein and others in the crowd. Sente admitted it was a complex issue with no easy answers.

"The pension system is something that needs to be resolved. A lot of things are black and white, but many things are gray, too," she said. "Pensions need to honored. There are people that are counting on them, and yet the money isn't here today. I don't have the answer today, but I plan to have a compromise between what works for the elected officials and the government as well as the people needing those pensions. We will find the solutions."

Hartstein said he would consider at least a moratorium on any future increases in pension payments.

"In these difficult times we can't afford to give pension increases," Hartstein said. "People back home aren't getting those increases, and the state can't afford those increases."

Sente was appointed to the 59th District seat after former state Rep. Kathy Ryg left last August. Ryg resigned after more than six years to take a job as head of the advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children. The owner of a Deerfield architectural firm, Sente, 48, of Vernon Hills, served on the Vernon Hills Park Board for four years before taking her seat in Springfield.

Hartstein, 61, of Buffalo Grove, has a political history dating back to the late 1970s. Hartstein has been a member of the Stevenson High School Board and served as a Buffalo Grove village trustee for six years. He is also an attorney.

Three Republicans also are seeking the 59th District seat, including Vernon Hills Trustee Cynthia Hebda, Green Oaks attorney Dan Sugrue and newcomer businessman Mohan Manian, also of Green Oaks.

The 59th District 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.

The primary is Feb. 2.