Fred Crespo: Candidate profile

Bio:

Name: Fred Crespo

City: Hoffman Estates

Website: Crespo4Illinois.com

Twitter: #Staterepcrespo

Facebook: CrespoForIllinois

Party: Democrat

Office sought: State Representative 44th Dist.

Age: 60

Family: Wife Dorothy Crespo, two daughters.

Occupation: State Representative

Education: Loyola University of Chicago (BS)

Civic involvement: WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger) Leadership Board; Children's Advocacy Center Leadership Board; former board member Alexian Brothers Center For Mental Health.

Elected offices held: State Representative, Hoffman Estates Trustee

Elected offices held: Hoffman Estates Trustee, State Representative

Questions & Answers

Would you vote to approve a graduated income tax? If so, what qualifiers would you impose and where would you set the brackets? What would the top tax rate be?

My priority is cutting taxes on the middle class. That's why I think we need to look at changes that can make our system fairer and cut taxes for the majority of families.

Anyone serious about cutting taxes for the middle class, providing property tax relief, and investing in our communities ought to come to the table to work out the details instead of making shortsighted proclamations to score political points.

Many details will need to be worked out, but I have made it clear to the people of my district that I would support a plan that cuts taxes on the middle class.

How big a problem is the level of property taxation in Illinois? If you view it as a problem, what should be done about it?

High property taxes is one of the most common concerns residents relay to me in the community.

While in Springfield, I have attacked both sources of skyrocketing property taxes felt by homeowners.

The first source is local unit governments continuing to squeeze families through annual property tax increases.

To bring the taxing power exerted by local governments under control, I spearheaded House Bills 2397, 3082, 4988, 4996, all of which freeze local property taxes when a unit of government's cash reserves exceed 25 percent of its annual operating budget.

To help lower property taxes, I supported Senate Bill 484 and House Bill 156, which both cut property taxes for middle-class families, with additional relief for seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans.

Additionally, in the previous General Assembly, I voted 18 times to cut property taxes.

The second source of high property taxes is the state chronically underfunding education, forcing communities to rely heavily on property taxes. For example, Illinois contributes less than 30 percent of the money needed for education whereas the national average is 45 percent.

As chairman of the School Curriculum & Policies Committee, I helped craft the new school funding formula that 1) creates a greater reliance on state funding and makes our community schools less reliant on property taxes and 2) does not cut funding from any district.

What is your evaluation of Gov. Rauner's job performance? Please specify what you view as its highs and lows.

First, as a proud, native Illinoisan, I personally resent the governor's constant criticism of our great state and its people, all just to score political points. Second, our state needs leaders that take responsibility and make the tough choices to provide property tax relief, enact common sense gun safety legislation and protect women's health. This governor has not shown that he can meet that challenge.

What is your evaluation of Speaker Michael Madigan's job performance? If you voted for him for speaker in the last legislative session, please explain your vote.

I work for the people of my district, no one else. So when I vote in Springfield, I do it to best represent the people I work for. I've been very clear with the people I represent that my choice for speaker will only be someone who will work with me to cut taxes on the middle class, cut politicians' pay, demand common sense gun safety laws and protect women's access to health care, rather than someone who will support Washington's extreme agenda against Illinois families.

Illinois is incredibly diverse, and as a result the state legislature is filled with leaders from incredibly different communities and walks of life. My vote for Speaker will go to the person who I believe brings a diverse group of leaders together around the shared values that we can all agree on - strong schools, increasing middle class wages, improved access to health care, safe neighborhoods and protecting retirement security.

Should there be term limits for legislative leaders? If so, what would you do to make that happen? What other systemic changes should be made to strengthen the voice of individual legislators, limit the control of legislative leaders, encourage bipartisanship?

I support term limits for legislators as well as constitutional officers. We should look at the experience of other states and have a discussion on term limits based on sound public policy, not one driven by political agendas.

There are pros and cons to term limits. For example, term limits would remove legislators that don't represent their districts' best interest yet keep getting elected. On the other hand, losing institutional knowledge would allow insiders and lobbyists to exercise more influence in the Capitol.

I also support changes to the way legislative districts are drawn. In the last General Assembly, I co-sponsored a constitutional amendment on redistricting reform which was passed by the House in House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 58.

How concerned should we be about Illinois' population loss? What needs to be done to reverse the trend?

Illinois needs to do more to keep people in the state. This is why I have led on:

• Providing property tax relief by expanding exemptions for middle-class homeowners, seniors and veterans.

• Cutting taxes on middle-class and struggling families.

• Investing more in our schools.

• Protecting women's health, enacting common sense gun safety laws, and providing access to affordable health care - as the current administration pushes an extreme agenda that is so out of step with the needs and interests of regular people.

I also believe that words have consequences, regardless of if they come in a speech or a tweet. And one thing that has become very common is for some state leaders to travel the state and country and bad mouth what our state has to offer. Illinois has many challenges, but it also has incredible strengths and continues to be a place I am proud to call home.

Please provide one example that demonstrates your independence from your party.

First, I opposed the Democratic establishment by publicly endorsing Fritz Kaegi over Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios for Cook County Assessor. Part of my commitment to property tax relief was supporting a candidate who I think will modernize the office.

I have a history of working across the aisle to come to bipartisan compromises to cut taxes and fees on the middle class while making government more accountable.

For example, I have opposed my party by voting against debt increases by voting "no" on House Bill 547 and House Bill 3004.

I have also opposed my party by leading the effort to end an abused legislative scholarship program that too often doled out scholarships to friends and family members of Springfield and Chicago political elites.

I also want to note my commitment to working with not just those from my own party. I recently introduced, and passed unanimously, not withstanding the governor's veto, the Debt Transparency Act, which was highlighted by the nonpartisan Better Government Association as "15 Good Government Reforms Illinois Lawmakers Approved This Session". This legislation requires each state agency to provide a monthly report to the Comptroller about its financial liabilities, whether funds have been allocated for those liabilities, and any interest penalties.

What other issues are important to you as a candidate for this office?

Given the number of mass shootings our country has faced, gun safety is incredibly important to me. That's why I voted to restrict access to assault rifles, hold gun dealers accountable and ban bump stock modifications that turn military-style assault rifles into even deadlier fully automatic machine guns.

Also, given current attacks on choice and women's health, I am incredibly dedicated to fighting to keep access open in Illinois. That is why I voted to protect a woman's right to choose and reversed the governor's extreme cuts to lifesaving breast cancer screenings. As chairman of the Appropriation-General Services Committee, I held numerous hearings to highlight how the three-year budget impasse hurt working families.

Finally, making sure that every child has a quality education is one of reasons why I ran for office and one of the most pressing issues that I work on currently. My proudest accomplishments as an education advocate and Chairman of the Education Committee on Curriculum and Policy, were leading on the passage of the "Every Student Succeeds Act", which replaces the "No Child Left Behind Act" the country's national education law and long-standing commitment to equal opportunity for all students, and the recent improvements to Illinois' school funding formula.

In addition, here a few questions meant to provide more personal insight into you as a person:

What's the hardest decision you ever had to make?

Every day, those of us in public life are forced to make decisions that are by no means easy. Oftentimes, advocates for both sides of the issue present sound arguments and I have to be sensitive to those arguments and choose, knowing that people's health, education, and livelihoods are at stake. In these moments, I think about the people who sent me to fight for them. That will often make the tough decisions much easier.

Who is your hero?

I'm most inspired by everyday people that do extraordinary things or overcome insurmountable odds to make a difference in the community. One that stands out is my mother-in-law, Marylin Luz, who became a widow in her early thirties with five children to care for. Even with her tragic loss, she still had the resolve to immigrate to the United States from the Philippines, work hard while raising her five kids as a single mother, and see that all five children became college graduates.

Another hero of mine is a young lady named Erin Merryn who I met as a former board member of the Children's Advocacy Center. Erin overcame child abuse, became a strong voice for abused children, and advocated for the passage of "Erin's Law", which requires that all public schools implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program.

Through WINGS, a nonprofit that helps domestic violence survivors, I've met women that have stepped out of the shadows of domestic violence and move forward with their children.

These are just a few of my heroes, as I have had the privilege to meet countless people who have overcome struggles to succeed and make a difference in the lives of others.

Each amendment in the Bill of Rights is important, but which one of those 10 is most precious to you?

The First Amendment is the amendment that stands above the rest. The freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and association are the foundation of our democracy.

What lesson of youth has been most important to you as an adult?

Still learning.

Think back to a time you failed at something. What did you learn from it?

Everyone has failed more than once, including me. The key for me is to take responsibility and not blame others; and try to minimize or eliminate the impact it has on others.