Ryan Huffman: Candidate profile

Bio

Party: Democrat

City: Palatine

Office sought: State Representative (54th District)

Age: 33

Family: Unmarried

Occupation: Data Analyst

Education: Bachelor of Science in Journalism (Northwestern University, 2008); Master of Public Policy with Honors (University of Chicago, 2015)

Civic involvement: Interned with President Obama's online organizing team (2008); interned in the Legislative Affairs team of the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Obama (2009); researched alternative fuel vehicles with the U.S. Department of Energy (2014-2016); ran for Congress in Illinois' 6th district (2018); directed a field office for the DCCC in support of my former primary opponent, Sean Casten (2018)

Elected offices held: None

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? No

Website: www.huffmanforil54.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/huffmanforil54

Twitter: www.twitter.com/huffmanforil54

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?

A: I wrote my graduate Honors thesis about gerrymandering at the University of Chicago, and it remains a passion of mine. Simply put, when the redistricting process is left in the hands of one political party, that party can and will abuse that power to draw district lines in such a way that it benefits that party and insulates incumbents from being accountable to voters. I strongly support putting a 'Fair Maps' amendment on the ballot and will advocate for its passage. Even in the absence of such an amendment, I will work to pass legislation that will require district lines in Illinois to be drawn by a nonpartisan commission.

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?

A: Ethics reform is at the forefront of my campaign platform, as corruption and machine politics are the cause of most of Illinois' problems. In addition to the aforementioned work to create an independent redistricting commission, I will work to eliminate the revolving door between legislative leaders and lobbyists, eliminate dark money from out political process (and create a public financing program for campaigns), and prohibit lawmakers from profiting off of side businesses related to their work as legislators (especially property tax assessment businesses). I will also support efforts to impose term limits on leadership and increase enforcement/penalties for those who violate existing ethics laws. Illinois needs an overhaul of its ethics laws and culture in order to ensure that those we elect to lead us do so out of a genuine interest in helping the people, not in profiting off of their own power and influence.

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

A: I am a strong proponent of the Fair Tax, revenue from which can be used to help close the funding gap. We also need stronger protections that prevent lawmakers from raiding the pension funds for pet projects. I also support plans to reamortize our debt, which could save the state tens of billions over the next several decades.

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?

A: The first circumstance is easy enough to think of- simply by using this questionnaire to put on the record my strong opposition to the culture of corruption and machine politics of Mike Madigan, I am defying party leaders who have attempted to bully me into showing unwavering loyalty to the leader of my party. I also anticipate that my support for redistricting reform and ethics reform will put me at odds with party leadership, but I will not equivocate on my positions when I know them to be in the best interests of the people I represent. As I mentioned earlier, I do indeed strongly support term limits for party leadership positions.

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

A: Illinois needs long term, sustainable fixes to its ongoing financial crises, so that citizens and businesses alike feel secure enough to invest in Illinois. Once we clean up the state's corruption and get our financial house in order, we need to focus on creating the progressive reforms that will not only retain Illinois residents, but make this a destination for families around the country. For example, I support a renewed investment in our public education system so that it is more equitable (and doesn't rely so much on property taxes); creating thousands of high-paying jobs by investing in the emerging green technology industry; and enacting the nation's most progressive student loan debt forgiveness programs.

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

A: I've devoted much of my career to researching solutions to the climate crisis, including a two-year study of the economics of alternative fuel vehicles in the United States. The climate crisis worsens every day, and not only are we nearing a disastrous tipping point, but we are already starting to feel its effects in our daily lives. There is no more urgent task facing our leaders than combating the climate crisis by facilitating the expeditious transition of our society away from fossil fuels and other emitters of greenhouse gases. I am a strong proponent of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which will make Illinois a national leader in climate policy and create thousands of good-paying jobs in the process. I believe we need to go further, though, by creating generous tax incentives for people to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, and by creating a carbon fee and dividend system that will accelerate our transition to clean energy without burdening middle class taxpayers.

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?

A: I do believe that will happen, because numbers don't lie - the tax brackets proposed by Gov. Pritzker show that 97% of taxpayers will indeed see lower taxes if the graduated income tax is passed. Beyond that, the best assurance I can offer voters that their taxes won't be raised if the graduated income tax passes is simply to look at the incentives of everyone involved: the government knows raising taxes on middle class citizens is unpopular, so it will only do so if it needs additional revenue and can't get it anywhere else. It is much less likely to need to raise taxes on middle class taxpayers if it is able to raise additional revenue from those at the top of the income bracket, which is exactly what this proposal allows the state to do. If you make less than $500k per year and want lower taxes, there is simply no good faith argument against supporting the progressive income tax.