A Q&A with Christine Prochno
Q. Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority?
Christine Prochno: Illinois is at a crossroad. Failure to tackle the state's excess spending leaves Illinois unable to address the pressing needs of education, business development, transportation, senior citizen concerns and property tax control. Based on my experience as an elected trustee, public school teacher and involvement in my family business I am anxious to address these challenges. I am motivated to place "front and center" the fiscal crisis of Illinois and return Illinois to fiscal control. As an educator I see the need to serve our students in achieving the best education. While that service is a chief motivator for me in seeking this office, and a top priority, I also realize that fiscal responsibility must be implemented or my goals of education advancement, business growth in Illinois, serving our seniors and providing for everyone to maintain home ownership cannot be met. I am convinced that I can make a difference.
Q. Tell us what contributions you would make.
Prochno: I am anxious to contribute in a number of areas. As a public school teacher in physical education, I am committed to advance the issue of the health and well-being of our students. Both issues of obesity and anorexia confront young people. I want to work with our teachers in developing programs to strengthen good health and wellness for our young people.
Q. The 2007 session showed again how heavily legislative action relies on consensus by the governor and legislative leaders. Should rank-and-file legislators play a larger role? If not, why? If so, how can that change be made?
Prochno: Rank and file members should definitely play a larger role. The current session shows the need for more involvement in the legislative process. Decisions should not be made by the leaders of the caucuses, but rather by a broader, inclusive, bipartisanship of the members which must be developed and advanced. However, it comes down to the responsibility of each legislator to assert his or her right to actively participate in all decision making. That responsibility must be shown and asserted within their own caucuses. The members must make it clear that their support is only contingent upon a full participation in the process.
Q. Illinois residents will vote in 2008 on whether the state should call a constitutional convention. Do you favor a convention? Why or why not? If yes, what constitutional revisions do you favor?
Prochno: I favor a constitutional convention. A constitutional convention provides the opportunity to Illinois citizens to look at the state's Constitution. We only get an opportunity once every 20 years to be able to review the Constitution. The Constitution was written in 1970. That's 37 years. I believe that a fully informed electorate will want a convention to speak to some of the burning issues that the legislature is leaving on the table. A convention could speak to the entire issue of ethics reform and finally implement sound, ironclad reforms. Both in my position as an elected trustee on a village board and as a teacher I have watched the state routinely issue mandates on both village and school boards without providing the monies necessary to carry them out. The convention could provide that a waiver of this provision cannot be granted.
Q. Do Illinois' ongoing budget problems have their roots in too much spending or too little revenue? Or in some combination of both? Please explain.
Prochno: Illinois' budget problems are caused by too much spending. On the village board where I serve, we are committed and obligated to a balanced budget. I have never voted for a new program unless the funding was available, reliable and the program was needed. In order to get the state's serious budget problem under control, I favor a program used at the local level and by many governmental agencies, as well as the private sector and that is zero-based budgeting. I would push for joint action by the House and the Senate in establishing a joint committee to review, examine and remove programs and expenditures that are not necessary, that are not being handled by other departments, and that can be consolidated.
Q. Do you favor any changes in the state's funding of schools? If yes, what changes? If you favor no changes, explain why.
Prochno: I am sensitive to the issue that all of Illinois' children are entitled to a quality education and investment in education will advance our society. We are all benefited if a child has the tools to further himself in life. School funding in Illinois is primarily through the property tax. The tax is under local control and the local school districts control the revenues, not the state. I prefer this local control and want to retain it. However, at the same time, I want to relieve the burden on our residents. I believe the state must provide more dollars to school districts. In our area, most of the education funding comes from local taxpayers. If the state would focus on educational funding instead of the massive expansion of new programs we could begin to provide the additional funding needed from the state and relieve local property taxes.
Q. Do you favor or oppose putting new state employees on defined-contribution instead of defined-benefit retirement plans? Either way, explain why.
Prochno: I would work to retain the defined benefit plan, and at the same time strive to incorporate reforms that could make such plans more workable and contain costs. The defined budget plan has been helpful in recruiting and training quality public employees. Such a plan helps to retain our firefighters, policemen, city and state workers and other dedicated public employees. The benefit plan provides a reliable pension as opposed to the contribution plan that can be very costly to administer. I would establish a blue ribbon task force to examine and recommend changes as to the retirement age, contribution of the employee, years of service in order to receive a certain level of payment, and other factors that determine the value of a pension. I do not favor any change without the full involvement of the various employees groups in order to get their full input.
Q. Does Illinois currently taxes businesses too heavily, too lightly or the right amount? Please explain and tell us what changes you would favor.
Prochno: Illinois has an anti-business attitude. Illinois has stifled job growth and business expansion. When a national business is looking to develop a new plant, Illinois has been unsuccessful in securing new business. Excessive taxes on business limit expansion. The taxes are too heavy in an environment where business development is competitive among Midwest states. In order to secure new business, to encourage business growth and hold on to our valuable jobs, Illinois must do an about-face. To become a business-friendly state, we must support businesses by aggressively working with them if they give notice that they are leaving the state and restructure programs in order to have them remain. Taxes which limit exports must be readjusted and proposals, such as the gross sales receipts tax, would have sent Illinois business downward.
Q. Should the state lease or sell some assets such as its tollways and the lottery? Why or why not?
Prochno: The state should not lease any of its assets, including the tollway and the lottery. Leasing or selling off the assets is a "quick fix". The state would lose huge sums of monies if it took an up-front cash payment. Assets of the state should never be sold or leased. Once an asset is leased or sold the state has lost a permanent revenue source for years to come. The state must, again, confront it's excessive spending, instead of searching for monies to satisfy that spending.
Q. What issue or issues specific to your legislative district and its residents do you plan to address in Springfield?
Prochno: I plan to address the following issues in Springfield:
• Controlling state spending so the state can address the needs of it's citizens.
• Transportation needs in general, but specifically for the needs of the seniors and special needs members of our communities.
• Education funding for the schools.
• Property tax relief for the residents. I want the citizens of the district to be able to afford to maintain living in their homes.
• Improving health for our young people.
The residents of this district contribute greatly to the betterment of our state. They are entitled to continue to live and work in this district with their families. The state government should assist where needed and solve problems, never create them. I believe I can serve the residents, work with them and meet their goals.
state house, 66th district
One 2-year term
Christine Prochno, 55, Elk Grove Village Republican. Teacher in Park Ridge Elementary District 64.
Politics: Trustee on Elk Grove Village board 10 years; Elk Grove Village Zoning Board of Appeals 1993-94; Elk Grove Village Plan Commission 1994-97.
Community: Member, Sister Cities International since 1999; member, Elk Grove Lioness Club board since 1996; member, Elk Grove High School Career Advisory Council since 1997; member, Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 9284 since 2004; Relay for Life volunteer since 2000.
Family: Husband Alex Prochno; children Alex, 29 and Wendy, 27.