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84th House candidates split on how to drum up business

One candidate for state representative in the 84th District is a business owner and the other is a member of two business-related committees in the state House. Both say the state needs to do more to promote a business-friendly environment.

But Republican challenger Krishna Bansal and Democratic incumbent Stephanie Kifowit have different ideas for the best ways to improve Illinois' business climate.

Bansal, 43, of Naperville, is president and CEO of Q1 Technologies in Aurora. He said “the free market is the key” to allowing business success, so state government needs to lower taxes, decrease regulations and step out of the way.

“We need to promote less government in business,” Bansal said. “We need to look at regulations very critically at this time, line by line. We need to look at taxes. We cannot just keep increasing the taxes.”

A review of business taxes and regulations could be part of “an overall strategy” to return confidence in the Illinois economy, he said.

Kifowit, 42, of Oswego, said providing better workforce training and creating a financially stable government are the best ways to help current Illinois businesses and attract more companies to locate here.

Since she joined the state House in early 2013 representing a district that includes parts of Aurora, Naperville, Oswego, Montgomery and Boulder Hill, Kifowit has been a member of the economic development committee and the small business empowerment and workforce committee.

“One of the things that is very strong is training and getting people opportunities to work,” said Kifowit, a full-time legislator who previously was an alderman on the Aurora City Council. “Working with the Valley Industrial Association, we've been able to increase the employer training program with regards to helping people get trained so they can move up into areas where the jobs are available, which is manufacturing, IT and health care.”

While she said the state is making strides in workforce development, she thinks more work remains to de done on the financial side.

“One of the things that businesses look for is stability in government, and right now ... the state of Illinois is very unstable,” Kifowit said. “One of the things we need to start working on is making sure that our finances are stable, that the state of Illinois is in a good position to work with businesses.”

Voters can decide between Kifowit and Bansal in the Nov. 4 election.

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