District 33 candidates disagree on transportation bailout

District 33 Illinois senate candidates Dan Kotowski and Mike Sweeney don't agree on the new sales tax approved earlier this year to bail out public transportation.

Sweeney, a Republican, said he would never have supported the increase that is giving millions of dollars annually to the Chicago Transit Authority, Pace and Metra. Facing budget shortfalls, all three regional transportation agencies threatened fare increases and service cuts if they didn't receive the funds.

"First I would cut out the waste and patronage," said Sweeney, Elk Grove Township Clerk and an Arlington Heights resident. "Then I would institute a slight price increase based on a person's ability to pay. I don't want to stifle someone's ability to get to work if they can't pay but doing things like giving away free rides to all seniors isn't helping."

Sweeney is running against the incumbent Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat who was elected to represent the 33rd District in 2006.

In January, Kotowski supported the house bill to increase the sales tax but said he didn't have much of a choice. In District 33, 43,000 people use some form of public transportation and it's a vital service, he said.

"More people than ever are taking trains and buses and we were put in an unfortunate position," he said. "We couldn't risk the whole transportation system being shut down. Public transportation is important to the future of this district."

House Bill 656 also provided much needed reforms in the oversight and pension structure for the transportation agencies, Kotowski said.

Kotowski and Sweeny are both spending their last few days before the election talking to voters individually by going door-to-door and to them in groups at suburban train stations. Kotowski said voters are concerned about property taxes and property tax relief. Sweeney said voters are concerned about the economy, taxes and job loss in the area.

The 33rd District covers parts of Elk Grove, Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Des Plaines.