Lynn LaPlante: 2026 candidate for Illinois Senate House District 42

Bio

Office sought: Illinois House District 42

City: Glen Ellyn

Age: 53

Occupation: Commissioner, DuPage County Board; Musician

Previous offices held: Commissioner, DuPage County Board -- Three Terms

Q&A

Are you comfortable with the way the state budget is developed? If not, what should be done differently??

Due to the drastic decimation of funding and services at the Federal level, Illinois is going to have to adjust their budget to meet the needs of its citizens. The Illinois State Budget should be built around equity, shared prosperity, and long-term public investment. We will have to develop the Illinois budget in a protective manner, filling in the gaps where the federal government's funding is reduced or even eliminated. This is a time like no other, and we will have to adjust accordingly.

Do you favor any tax increases or revenue enhancements to address fiscal problems?

I favor a graduated (progressive) income tax. Currently, Illinois has a flat income tax, as required by the state constitution, which disproportionately burdens middle-to-lower income earners. High-income households could afford to pay higher marginal rates without affecting most Illinois residents.

Do you favor any changes in the pension structure for state employees?

First and foremost, we need to address Tier 2 inequities. We need to improve benefits for Tier 2 employees in order to ensure retirement safety for our valued work force. I favor changes which will help address the Tier 2 structure, which will in turn protect and help our working families.

What should Illinois policy be toward immigration and federal efforts to enforce immigration laws?

We need to defund ICE. Period. They have shown, over and over, that they are operating outside the Constitution, are violating due process, and are not following the law. They are beyond reform at this point. Abolish and defund ICE now.

Ethics reform has long been promised in Illinois with little action. What would you do to change that?

I would do everything possible to get big money out of politics, increase transparency in procurement processes, and strengthen reinforcements of any misdeeds. Reforms only matter to the extent that we are willing to enforce them. We must keep a keen eye on conflicts of interest and and strengthen whistleblower protections. We have a lot of work to do in order to overcome Illinois' reputation for political corruption. I am up to the task!