Janet Yang Rohr: Candidate profile

Bio

Party: Democratic

City: Naperville

Office sought: House District 41

Age: 39

Family: Married with three children

Occupation: Director of Global Data at investment data and research firm, Morningstar

Education: Master of Business Administration in finance, accounting and entrepreneurship, University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Bachelor's in English and economics, Northwestern University

Civic involvement: Naperville Educational Foundation trustee

Elected offices held: Naperville Unit District 203 school board member; Lisle Township precinct committeewoman

Incumbent? No

Website: www.JanetForIllinois.com

Facebook: facebook.com/jyangrohr

Twitter: twitter.com/jyangrohr

Questions and Answers

1. What is your position on placing a 'Fair Maps' amendment on the November ballot? If the amendment makes the ballot after the primary, will you support it? Why or why not?

I support a fair and transparent process that ensures that everyone must work together and make sensible compromises; this includes receiving input from the public and upholding the highest standards of the Voting Rights Act. These principles should also apply at the federal level to ensure that every state has the same rules in place to make the process fair and transparent across the country.

2. What are the most important components that should be included in legislative ethics reform? What will you do to help them come to pass?

Ethics reform should include greater transparency in lobbying, such as requiring lobbyists to disclose complete client lists. We also need to restrict when former elected officials can register as lobbyists and prohibit state elected officials from lobbying other units of government. I am committed to working with all parties at the local and state level to reduce corruption and bring integrity back to Springfield.

3. What should the state do to address the still-growing problems with its key pension programs?

Kicking the can down the road has only compounded pension funding shortfalls. We need to bring local and state officials together to come up with clear, constitutional solutions to the state's serious pension debt problem, and this starts with requiring full, on-time pension payments each and every year. Springfield's recent actions to consolidate more than 600 police and fire pension funds was an important first step and good indication that current leaders are committed to resolving this issue.

My background in business and investing brings a practitioner's understanding to the complex financial issues at stake. As a school board member, I used that background to reduce property taxes while expanding educational programs to help students succeed. I will bring that voice to Springfield and will work with all stakeholders to find new ways to save dollars while protecting promised benefits.

4. Describe at least two circumstances in which you have shown or would show a willingness and capacity to act independently of the direction or demands of party leadership. Do you support term limits for majority and minority leaders in both chambers?

The school board is a nonpartisan elected body. With my board colleagues, we have lowered tax and bond payment levies, saving local taxpayers millions of dollars without compromising the services offered to our students and their families. We did this - despite our range of political views - because we know how important it is to work together on behalf of local families and taxpayers. My commitment is to the people of my community and district, no matter what. If elected, I would use my common sense approach to resolve the serious issues facing the state. We all have a responsibility to actively participate in the political process and make our decisions based off facts and data, not play political games. I am committed to being a leader that my neighbors trust, and I will listen to their direct feedback to make my decisions.

5. What should lawmakers be doing to stem out-migration from Illinois?

At my door-to-door conversations with community members, residents often tell me they're thinking of leaving Illinois because of high property tax bills and better economic opportunities elsewhere. We need to create better incentives to stay in Illinois, such as reducing the tax-burden facing middle-class families, increasing access to affordable health care, and increasing opportunities to affordable education. We have to continue investing in our institutions of higher education, which are among the best in the nation but suffered greatly during the state's budget crisis. We also must enact reforms that help businesses in the community grow, specifically small and medium sized businesses that make up the bulk of the state's workforce. We have a responsibility to our residents to put politics aside and make the decisions that are best for the people of the state.

6. Do you believe climate change is caused by human activity? What steps should government be taking to address the issue?

There is no denying that climate change is caused by human activity. We need to take responsibility for the impact that our actions have on the environment, whether it is at the local, state, federal, or international level. We need to reduce dependencies on oil and plastic, increase use of renewable resources, and better educate the public on the impact that their actions have on our world. We also need to hold high-polluters accountable and create incentives for green businesses to invest in Illinois. Our state has the potential to be a leader on this issue, and the more that we do now, the better our world will be for generations to come.

7. The graduated income tax is designed with the intent to reduce taxes for 97 percent of Illinoisans. Do you believe that will happen? Why or why not? What assurances can you offer voters?

The General Assembly has already passed the rates at which individuals would be taxed if voters approve the graduated income tax initiative in November; we know with certainty that 97% of Illinoisans would have a lower tax rate under this graduated tax. At this point, it's up to voters to decide if they prefer the current system or one that would require the wealthiest to pay a bit more. No matter what, the tax burden facing middle-class families is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and I am committed to working with all parties to save hardworking families their hard-earned dollars, especially by finding a way to reduce property taxes.