45th District candidates offer different financial fixes

Franco Coladipietro and Joann Franzen agree the time is now to improve the state's financial situation.

Where the candidates for the 45th House District differ is in their ideas for fixing the state's finances and their reasons for wanting the job.

Coladipietro, a 42-year-old Bloomingdale Republican, and a current state representative, said the state needs to focus on education, infrastructure and providing safety net services for the state's most vulnerable citizens.

“If we don't begin to prioritize in the state of Illinois, this problem will never be solved, Coladipietro said. “We need to start at the beginning.

He said the state needs to understand its budget priorities before considering a tax increase or other ways to increase revenue.

“If we're not intellectually honest about going through the budget and determining what's there ... then I don't even think you can begin to talk about the idea of a revenue increase, he said.

Franzen, a 49-year-old Roselle Democrat, said the state should act as typical families do and stop spending outside its means.

“Kind of plain and simple. First of all, like I said, don't spend money that we don't have, Franzen said.

Franzen said increasing communication with everyday residents will help politicians determine what is best to do with the state's money.

“It's obvious the people that are in charge really don't have an answer. So let's ask the people that we work for, she said. “We need to start listening to what people are saying because if the politicians don't have an answer, maybe someone else does.

Answering people's concerns and bringing government to an understandable level are reasons Franzen said she is running for state office.

“We need people to just come in and say ‘I live here; this is what I want,' and I'll be one of those people, she said. “I'll ask you what you want, I'll listen to what you want and I'll go and do the work to the best of my ability.

Coladipietro said his reasons for running to keep his seat are no different from his reasons for running four years ago: Protecting educational opportunities for the state's next generation.

“I ran because I have two young children. I want those children to grow up and have the same opportunities that I had and to be able to remain in Illinois, Coladipietro said. “I want to protect those things for the people in our community and the people in the 45th District.

The district covers all or parts of Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn, Roselle, Wheaton and Winfield.