Jon Luers: 2024 candidate for Illinois Senate 10th District

Bio

Party: Republican

Office Sought: Illinois Senate 10th District

City: Chicago

Age: 65

Occupation: Software Engineer

Previous offices held: none

How should the state respond to the influx of migrants bussed here from Southern states?

I think that Illinois should return to following Federal laws and cooperating with Federal agencies in all lawful respects, including identifying and apprehending non-citizens who entered the country illegally or overstayed a visa. I think the state should not aid or abet such criminal conduct, and should not condone such actions at the county or municipal level, either.

Are you satisfied with the state's existing ethics policies for senators and representatives? If so, what about the policies should reassure Illinoisans that elected leaders abide by high standards? If not, what changes need to be made?

I am not familiar with the current state policies, but I think Illinois' general reputation and recent history as a hotbed of corruption among state officials begs for a thorough housecleaning and fundamental revamp of the ethics infrastructure to re-establish a modicum of public respect. Methods to consider might include a constitutional amendment to establish an independent oversight/watchdog authority empowered to publicize constitutional and ethical lapses in executive, legislative, and/or judicial branches of state government.

Would you support a requirement that election petitions include a line asking candidates for their campaign email address?

I think that sounds like a reasonable (though trivial) idea, but the nominating petition forms include the candidate's personal residence address today, and adding an email address would be no more convenient for voters. To be useful, I think this should be accompanied by a requirement that candidates' email addresses and websites be more widely publicized and be made more readily available to the general public.

How well do you think criminal justice reforms made in recent years are working? What, if any, changes need to be made?

Without any statistical details, my general sense is that violent crime has continued to increase over the last several years, and I think that evidence of violence or the threat of violence should disqualify an indicted suspect from being released. I think family economic hardship is no excuse for violence or the threat of violence, but the promise of a speedy trial must be maintained.

We now have an assault weapons ban in Illinois. What if any changes should be made to the law? What more can be done to improve gun safety?

Banning any particular type of weapon for its own sake I feel should be ruled unconstitutional, but I think charges of using a weapon to threaten or commit violence should be prosecuted vigorously, and proportionally to the power and range of the weapon.

Illinois is the only state in the nation that mandates regular behind-the-wheel tests for senior drivers. Do you support any changes?

I'm not aware of any particular problems with the current system, although I think provisions should be available for basing increased testing on an assessment of general physical and mental health rather than strictly on calendar age.

What personal qualifications do you bring that would make you an effective legislator?

I think my 40 years' experience as a software engineer with responsibilities in customer technical support will be a good background for applying rational analysis to balancing public needs and priorities with available resources. I think I have the creativity and imagination to recognize good, fair, and general solutions for public issues, and the communication skills to explain my ideas. My Christian faith motivates me to maintain integrity and empathy in everything I do.