Julie Berkowicz: 2026 candidate Illinois Senate District 21

Bio

Office sought: Illinois Senate District 21

Party:

City: Naperville

Age: 65

Previous offices held: Will County Board member and Forest Preserve Commissioner of Will County

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?

Taxes are rising at an unsustainable rate, forcing families to flee the state. Springfield must immediately trim their budget and reduce spending. They must also prosecute and eliminate fraud. It is irresponsible for the State to allow theft of the taxpayers' hard-earned dollars. Rising transportation costs, from increasing tolls, and one of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation is hurting Illinois families. Government regulations, taxes and unfunded mandates are choking small business. Public safety issues are rising and crime from Chicago and Cook County is pouring into surrounding Counties. Home invasions and car thefts are occurring, causing communities to install security cameras at their own cost. The Safe-T Act must be repealed or amended, and the concerns and input from law enforcement must be acknowledged. Housing is unaffordable and many people cannot afford to buy a home or rent. Illinois is a Sanctuary State, which is placing the burden on the hard-working residents to pay for free housing, medical, food and all other benefits that are provided to this population. Government answers to citizens of the State, and it must stop putting their needs last.

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?

The Chicago Bears is part of our identity. When the need for the team to expand and improve its facilities and a possible move to Arlington Heights was announced, it was evident that Pritzker did not sit at the table and negotiate with the Bears. Instead, Pritzker refused to seriously consider that the Bears would actually leave the City of Chicago or Illinois, and he did not offer practical solutions. Keeping our Chicago Bears in Illinois, even in Arlington Heights, would generate tax dollars, add revenues to the local economy, and provide many good paying jobs. If the Chicago Bears leave Illinois and Indiana becomes their new home, it will be a huge loss to our economic base and a sad ending for the pride we have to be the home of the Chicago Bears.

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?

The Safe-T Act does not keep Illinois residents safe. This legislation was written without consulting law enforcement. The legislation removes the ability for police or judges to detain many repeat offenders that commit violent crimes. The Safe-T Act was intended to reduce prison population, and to ensure that individuals who couldn't afford bail were not held in custody. The result is that offenders who commit violent crimes are released, placing the community in harm's way. Some of these individuals are placed on electric monitoring, which can be disarmed or malfunction. It has been found that this system doesn't effectively monitor the person and many cannot be found again or do not show up for their court dates. Springfield needs to sit down at the table with members of law enforcement, evaluate the goals and objectives. They should learn and listen from the police how the legal system can help individuals who can be reformed or haven't committed serious crimes and prevent them from becoming incarcerated. However, if offenders put the public at risk or have committed serious crimes, the justice system should have tools to prevent additional risk to the public.

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?

There should be a 1% cap on all levies on the property tax bill, based on the purchase price of their property. The income that the government receive continues to grow with increase in development, sales taxes, and consumer taxes. But taxpayers don't get automatic wage increases; Springfield should not pass legislation that contains automatic tax increases. Legislative representatives change with every election. Any proposal of an increase in a tax should be brought forward to the current legislature, and a fresh vote should be taken. Township government in urban areas duplicate the services that are provided on a municipal or County level. Consolidation will save taxpayers' dollars. Rural Township government, however, often provides vital services to the community and should remain. School District taxes are rising, even when student populations decrease. There must be greater accountability on reducing or eliminating cost to the taxpayers, especially to those taxpayers that do not have children in the school district. The funding of a child's education should be given to the family, and follow the student to public, private, charter, or home school of their choice.

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?

There should be no subsidies to any industry, including solar, wind, or data centers. An important consideration is the surrounding areas or communities that would be impacted by the location of the data center. When evaluating the specific design of the center, the type of facility design and the type of energy and water usage must be considered. There are designs that do not use water resources and can provide their own energy production. These data centers may also provide surplus energy to the community, thereby lowering the cost of power for local residents. It is a priority for all local governments to provide the opportunity for input from the community, so they may express their concerns or comments. As a sitting County Board member, with all land and development applications, it has always been my top priority to make thoughtful, educated decisions. Personal property and property rights are important and must not be ignored. Taxpayers and residents should expect that their concerns and interests are always represented and acknowledged by their elected officials.

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 do not support sanctuary policies. We are a nation of law and order and have a legal immigration system that millions of naturalized people have followed. Many citizens that have honored that system are angered by this lawlessness and abuse of our laws. Four years of open borders have created greater costs and competition in housing markets, greater cost burdens for our hard-working taxpayers. This has also created a great strain on the medical health care system. Medical facilities are incurring record amounts of dollars in “charity care.” Most of these costs are absorbed by other patients who receive and pay their medical bills. Cities that support sanctuary status can have high rates of homelessness, drug use, and higher incidence of crime. As a result, many of these cities are losing taxpayers who contribute to the well-being of the community.

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?

Unfortunately, there have been reports in the media about sexual harassment by several men and most recently a woman legislator in Springfield. Not being located in the Springfield area, I have not experienced or witnessed these incidents. But I will express that this should never be tolerated, by anyone, towards anyone. These claims should be investigated immediately, at the lead of local law enforcement and acted upon accordingly. There should be no secrecy or special treatment for any individual in government.

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 satisfied with the actions of our elected representatives. Many bills are passed without appropriate review or input by the legislative body or the citizens. Too often, legislation is passed in the early morning hours. Springfield should have all business done during reasonable hours. The public should be notified and have the opportunity to view live all upcoming votes. In addition, legislators should not leave Springfield if there is unfinished business. The lives of families, businesses and taxpayers are strained by the financial mess of the State government. Families and businesses can't put their expenses on hold when they are experiencing the hardships from Springfield mandates and tax increases. Their mortgage, their property taxes, their bills won't accept an IOU. It's time to fix Illinois, bring back accountable government servants and start listening to the needs of the people.

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

Currently, I am an elected official, representing Will County residents on the Will County Board and Forest Preserve, District 10. Serving on County Board and the Forest Preserve, I understand the scope of how government can help or impact residents and businesses. With a proven record of working to keep taxes down and voting against new tax levy's, it has become impossible to ignore the actions of our Springfield legislators. Springfield continues to create hardship for Illinois residents. Their actions continue to supersede Counties governance: of personal property (Build Act); creating unfunded mandates (Safe-T Act); and constant taxes increases (sales taxes, gasoline taxes, tolls, etc.). Through three terms in County government, I have a record of representing all residents and businesses and making decisions for the good of the people. I don't play party politics. My representation is also supported and funded by community members, unlike my opponent. The majority of her campaign funds come from lobbyists and organizations outside of this Senate District. I will work in Springfield for the PEOPLE, and respect families and businesses that call Illinois their home.