Gina Parrilli: 2026 candidate for Illinois House District 45

Bio

Office sought: House District 45

Party: Republican

City: Westmont

Age: 56

Previous offices held: Village Trustee

Q&A

What do you consider the three most pressing issues facing the state in the next four years, and how should they be addressed?

First, Illinois needs meaningful property tax relief. I support pursuing a 1% of market value cap on property taxes, along with reducing government spending and addressing the costs that drive local tax bills. Illinois currently has limits on the growth of some taxing districts’ extensions, but those limits do not cap an individual homeowner’s property tax bill.

Second, schools need stronger accountability and a greater focus on student achievement. Funding should prioritize measurable academic results, merit, and ensuring students can read and perform at grade level.

Third, we need to strengthen public safety. I support repealing or substantially reforming the SAFE-T Act’s pretrial provisions so judges have broader authority to detain defendants who pose a serious threat to the community. Current Illinois law allows pretrial detention under specified circumstances based on public-safety and flight-risk findings.

How would you assess the General Assembly's handling, to date, of the various proposals surrounding a Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights? What proposals would you have been willing to support and in what ways, if any, might you have approached it differently?

I want the Bears to stay in Illinois, but taxpayers should not be responsible for financing a new stadium or providing special corporate subsidies. The Bears are a private business and should largely finance their own project.

I would support reasonable infrastructure improvements only if they serve the broader public and taxpayers are protected. Rather than creating special tax deals for one corporation, Illinois should focus on lowering taxes and improving the business climate for everyone.

Now roughly three years into the elimination of cash bail in Illinois as part of the SAFE-T Act, how would you assess the success or failure of the criminal justice reform measure? What changes, if any, would you support?

I want the Bears to stay in Illinois, but taxpayers should not be responsible for financing a new stadium or providing special corporate subsidies. The Bears are a private business and should largely finance their own project.

I would support reasonable infrastructure improvements only if they serve the broader public and taxpayers are protected. Rather than creating special tax deals for one corporation, Illinois should focus on lowering taxes and improving the business climate for everyone.

Illinois homeowners face one of the highest relative property tax burdens in the country. What specific proposals could you offer to ease the burden on state residents?

Illinois needs real property tax relief. I support capping property taxes at 1% of market value, reducing state and local government spending, and shrinking unnecessary layers of government.

We also need to address the cost drivers behind property taxes, including unfunded mandates and inefficient government structures. Taxpayers should not be asked to pay more until government proves it is spending existing dollars responsibly.

Gov. JB Pritzker recently paused a state initiative granting incentives to data center developers, and residents statewide have concerns about how such developments are affecting their access to water, utility rates, and the environment. How should the state approach data centers going forward?

Illinois should welcome economic development, but data centers should not be allowed to burden families, small businesses, or local communities.

Large data center operators should be responsible for providing or paying for the additional energy capacity and infrastructure they require. They should not be placed in residential neighborhoods or built on valuable farmland when vacant industrial sites, former manufacturing facilities, and other previously developed properties can be reused instead.

I would also be very cautious about state tax incentives. Any incentive should be limited, transparent, and demonstrate a clear benefit to taxpayers rather than becoming another corporate subsidy.

Illinois’ “sanctuary” policies concerning immigration have made it a target for the Trump administration and critics who say they encourage criminal behavior. How do you feel about those policies, and how, if at all, would you change them?

I would repeal Illinois’ sanctuary policies. We already have federal immigration laws, and they should be enforced. Illinois should not prevent state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities when legally permitted, particularly when dealing with individuals who have committed crimes.

The current Illinois TRUST Act generally restricts state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement. I would support changing those restrictions so Illinois law enforcement can cooperate with federal authorities while still respecting constitutional protections and valid legal process.

Many women in the legislature complain about a culture of sexual harassment in Springfield. Do you see evidence of this and, if so, what should be done about it?

Any credible allegation of sexual harassment in Springfield should be taken seriously and investigated independently. No legislator, staff member, or political leader should be protected because of their position or party.

I support stronger protections for complainants and witnesses, greater independence for the Legislative Inspector General, clear consequences for misconduct, and a process that is transparent while still protecting due process.

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 believe members of the House and Senate should be held to a higher standard and face real accountability when they violate ethics laws or abuse the public trust.

Illinois has a long history of public corruption, and that culture needs to change. I would support stronger independent oversight, greater transparency, tougher consequences for misconduct, and stronger protections for people who report wrongdoing. The Legislative Inspector General can investigate misconduct, but the office itself does not prosecute criminal cases, which makes strong independence and referral authority especially important.

Public office is a privilege, not a shield from accountability.

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

I bring real-world experience, common sense, and a strong commitment to serving my community. As a working mom, taxpayer, and local elected official, I understand the pressures families and businesses face every day.

I am willing to ask tough questions, challenge wasteful spending, listen to residents, and hold government accountable.