Could they do any worse?
Rookie state lawmaker Carol Sente just might be on to something.
The Vernon Hills Democrat, appointed to serve out state Rep. Kathy Ryg's term when Ryg left to run a children's advocacy group, recently sent out a reminder that she's inviting local students to draft legislation and submit it to her office. Proposals are due Jan. 8 and intended to address local issues.
According to Sente, the winning idea will get a certificate from the Illinois House and be reviewed for possible introduction as actual legislation in the upcoming session.
Lawmakers are due back at the Capitol on Jan. 12.
But why stop at local issues?
The state budget is the top issue for lawmakers in 2010 and the state education budget will likely start with a billion-dollar hole because the federal stimulus money used to prop it up is gone. The overall deficit could soar to more than $12 billion.
Given the way budgeting has played out in recent years, suburban students might not be a bad option.
Of note, Sente is seeking election to a full term in the Lake County-based House district. Her Democratic opponent in the primary is Buffalo Grove Village President Elliot Hartstein.
Three Republicans seek the GOP nomination: Vernon Hills Trustee Cynthia Hebda, Green Oaks attorney Dan Sugrue and businessman Mohan Manian, also of Green Oaks.
Open invitationIn recent weeks a steady stream of candidates has filtered into Daily Herald offices to answer questions about their campaigns. To date, the paper's editorial board has heard from almost every candidate for governor with an active race in the February primary.The lone holdout has been Gov. Pat Quinn, who's had to reschedule a couple times because of conflicts. On one occasion, however, someone forgot to tell a member of his security detail, who showed up in Arlington Heights anyway.Unlawful restraintAnyone who's been at a Kirk Dillard for governor event has probably heard the Hinsdale Republican's plan to put the governor's mansion to use if he's elected to the post. Not only would he live there, but Dillard has repeatedly quipped that he'd lock labor and business leaders in a room there and not let them out until they compromise on key economic issues.Just for fun, we checked with a prosecutor to see what kind of trouble someone might face for locking people in a room against their will. It wouldn't count as kidnapping because he's letting it be known what he'd do. There's no secrecy to his ploy. It appears it could qualify as unlawful restraint, a class 4 felony punishable by a maximum (but unlikely) prison term of three years.