Endorsement: Dillard over Ghani for 24th Senate District

Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale considers himself a key voice for suburban interests. Indeed, his support of DuPage County and the suburbs in transportation and education issues has been strong in his 18 years representing the 24th District. For the state as a whole, he puts the economy as his first priority, and that has included a litany of proposals to create jobs and attract business. His approach to the state’s fiscal problems is reasoned and assertive: controlling spending, allowing the 2011 income tax increase to sunset and then dropping it, and reforming the tax code to make Illinois a place where businesses want to be. Dillard is hopeful for pension reform and understands the realities inherent in achieving it, and he’s not timid about showing where he stands. He voted for the latest bill limiting pensions for government workers as a way to start the process. Democratic challenger A. Ghani, a retired real estate broker from Oak Brook, says he wants to end corruption and create new job training, financial aid and clean energy programs, but he gives few details about how to pay for them. Dillard, who is considering a run for governor in 2014, gets our endorsement for Senate, and we’re confident that any higher ambitions he has will not interfere with the work his constituents expect of him at the Capitol the next two years.