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Endorsement: Mayfield over Burleson in 60th House District

Though Rita Mayfield joined the majority of her Democratic state House colleagues last year to support an unpopular state income tax hike, she at least recognizes today where the tax hike has gone wrong since and calls out state leaders for ignoring their pledge to dedicate those additional revenues to paying down debt and a backlog of bills. The Waukegan resident promises to oppose any effort to extend the increase beyond its 2015 expiration date, as well as any proposal shifting teacher pension obligations onto suburban school districts. Those efforts, backed by her party’s leadership, would be “unfair” to middle-class taxpayers, she says. Her Republican opponent, construction foreman Jackie Burleson of Waukegan Township, has shown dedication to his community, leading a successful effort to prevent the city of Waukegan’s move to forcibly annex his unincorporated neighborhood. He also has thoughtful ideas about addressing the state’s pension crisis. But Burleson lacks any experience in the public arena and indicates no area in which he would differ with his party’s leadership. Because of her edge in experience and familiarity with the communities that make up the bulk of the 60th District, we endorse Mayfield.

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