Mark Shaw: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: LAKE FORESTWebsite: http://www.electmarkshaw.comOffice sought: 58th District RepresentativeAge: 51Family: Wife Lynn 10-year old Son AJOccupation: Lawyer Pharmacist Small Business OwnerEducation: Indiana University: J.D. Purdue University: B.S. Pharm.Civic involvement: Lake Forest Plan Commissioner Special Counsel: Lake Forest Caucus Lake County Teen Court Board Judge Ann Kiley Center Human Rights Commission Lake Forest Cub Master Lake Forest Caucus Executive Committee Lake Forest AYSO Coach Lake Forest Open Lands Association U.S. Navy League Kiwanis and Lions Clubs Deputy Voter Registrar Certified Guardian ad litem/Child Representative Special Counsel: Cook County Hospital Special Counsel: Round Lake BeachElected offices held: West Deerfield Township Republican Chairman 10th District Republican State Central CommitteemanHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Yes - I was arrested for driving under the influence more than 20 years ago.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Repealing the devastating 67% tax increase passed on struggling small businesses and hard working families.Key Issue 2 Eliminating legislative impediments to economic growth in Illinois so that existing businesses stop leaving or consider leaving so that new businesses seriously begin to consider Illinois as a place to locate, rather than to avoid.Key Issue 3 Restoring trust in Illinois government by leading by example ? honesty, fiscal responsibility, and hard workQuestions Answers How would you fix the state's pension gap? Should pension costs be shifted to suburban school districts? Why or why not? Should this issue be voted on in a lame-duck session? Why or why not? How can partisan gridlock be eased to solve the crisis?I will only support a comprehensive pension reform bill which addresses the long term un-sustainability of the public employee pension system. To date, there has been no comprehensive legislation proposed so there is no bill to support. However, the only solution to the problem will include reduced benefits, increased contributions and the ultimate conversion to a 401k type plan for all future employees. Pension costs should not be shifted to suburban school districts. I will not support any stopgap measures that allow Mike Madigan and the Governor to kick the problem down the road because that is how we got into this situation in the first place.How, specifically, would you cut the budget? What does Illinois need to do to fix its status as a "deadbeat state?" How will you vote on future gambling bills? What is your view of slots at racetracks? Casino expansion?As a citizen legislator I intend to be fully engaged in examining every aspect of state spending and operations so that I can responsibly target spending cuts to balance our budget. There will no doubt be billions in painful cuts necessary to make Illinois solvent, but that is a direct result of 30 years of one-party rule and lack of fiscal responsibility. Illinois will stop being a deadbeat state when it pays its bills and not before that time. Illinois will stop being a deadbeat state when a new majority is able to enforce the simple practice of not authorizing more spending than is available in the bank. I don?t personally gamble and I don?t think gaming is a primary business tool for the State of Illinois. But, however, I do recognize that it does generate economic activity and provides a form of entertainment which assists the tourism and convention industries. I will not support video poker at horse racing tracks or the State Fair. I believe casinos should be required to share revenues with horse racing tracks, much as they do with their host governments.What can you do specifically to help the economy in your district? How can you help create jobs in your district and statewide? What is your view of the tax breaks granted to companies like Motorola Mobility, Navistar and Sears?I am not in favor of providing cash to Illinois businesses. The example of Motorola abandoning Lake County for Chicago while cutting hundreds of local employees should serve as a lesson that Illinois should provide uniform business incentives to every business owner equally. I am a non-incumbent, so I have never voted for any tax increase, nor will I, which will help the economy of my district as well as the entire state. The best thing I can do specifically for my district is to repeal the income tax increase.Do you favor limiting how much money party leaders can give candidates during an election? If elected, do you plan to vote for the current leader of your caucus? Why or why not? Do you support or oppose campaign contribution limits? Please explain.Party leaders should be limited to the maximum donation allowed by any other PAC. I have not committed to voting for any person for the position of Speaker or Leader, nor have I been asked to do so. Until candidates emerge after the election, I will not even have a selection to make. I can only make one promise, and that will be to vote against Mike Madigan to serve as the Speaker of the House.Should gay marriage be legalized in Illinois? Should it be voted on in a lame-duck session as civil unions were? Should Illinois define life as beginning at conception? How would you vote on a concealed carry plan? Should the death penalty return?I personally believe marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Common law marriage is not valid in Illinois for couples of any gender, and the law allows for civil unions. While I do not discount the importance of the issue to both advocates and opposition to gay marriage, I believe our immediate focus should be on avoiding bankruptcy for our state. If our state finances get any worse and our state government collapses under the weight of 30 years of fiscal irresponsibility, no responsible couple ? gay or straight ? will want to stay in Illinois. I would vote in favor of a conceal carry law. Law abiding citizens educated and trained in the proper use of firearms should be able to carry firearms for the protection of their families and themselves. As the laws stand now, they restrict the 2nd Amendment rights of honest citizens and leave them at the mercy of well-armed criminals who could care less about the law or the skillful operation of any gun. I have defended people on death row and I would support reinstating a death penalty in Illinois if we have the utmost certainty that the people on death row were guilty of the crime they had been convicted of, and deserved the death penalty for that crime.