Bill Robertson: 2022 candidate for Illinois Senate 27th District

Bio

Party: Republican

Office sought: Illinois Senate 27th District

City: Arlington Heights

Age:

Occupation: Former Superintendent of Schools, District 79

Previous offices held: Board President and Board Member, Township High School District 211 Board of Education (2011-2015)

Q&A

Q: What needs to be done structurally to make the legislature more effective? What is your position on term limits in general and for legislative leaders specifically?

A: I will fight corruption in Springfield. Illinois is notorious for corruption, recently being ranked the third most corrupt state in the country. Illinoisans have had enough of self-serving politicians who are doing things for themselves and not the people they are supposed to represent.

When elected state senator, I will fight corruption in Springfield and lead by example. I will advocate for the people of the 27th District, not my own interests, doing the right thing whether people are looking or not.

That's what I do - I get things done. As president of my local school board, a school district superintendent,

and a teacher, I have a proven track record of working to bring all sides together to solve problems and move forward. Public service shouldn't be about ego or political games, it should be about getting things done that make people's lives better.

I support term limits for legislative leaders.

Q: Federal assistance has enabled the state to make important advances toward improving its budget. What will you do to ensure these advances continue when the federal aid is gone?

A: While federal assistance has bailed out Springfield's budget temporarily, state government is still ineffective and inefficient, which means when the state exhausts those federal dollars, we will return to the same budget problems that have plagued our state. We can't keep sending the same politicians to Springfield and expect different results. We need new leaders who will ensure our state lives within its means.

Our focus right now needs to be on lowering costs for working families. Illinois families are struggling to make ends meet right now. I will work to lower costs for working families. This starts by getting Springfield to respect the public's hard-earned tax dollars. As a fiscal conservative, I have delivered balanced budgets while keeping taxes low, and I will seek to do the same thing in Springfield. I will work to make government more efficient and identify key areas where we can provide Illinois families relief from today's high cost of living.

Q: To what extent are you happy or unhappy with the evidence-based model for education funding now in place in Illinois? How would you define "adequate" state funding for Illinois schools and what will you do to promote that?

A: Evidence-based funding ensures schools have the resources for all students to be successful. As we recently passed the fifth anniversary of evidence-based funding in Illinois, it has begun to close the funding gap among school districts. I want to see more of this in Springfield: focusing on solving problems and getting things done for the people we represent.

High-quality schools are the fabric of our communities. That's where people want to work and live. We need to be sure we're providing educational opportunities for all our children by investing our available resources into classrooms where they can provide the most value to students, their parents, and the community as a whole.

Q: Do you believe elections in Illinois are free and fair? What changes, if any, are needed regarding election security and voter access?

A: Yes, I believe elections in Illinois are free and fair. In terms of any potential changes, I would involve our

elected county clerks and election boards regarding what we could do to improve our election process even further as we should always be looking for ways to make the process to vote more efficient, while being mindful of election security. If there are common sense laws we can pass in Springfield to support this important work, I will gladly collaborate with my fellow legislators on such a solution.

Q: How well has Illinois responded to Supreme Court indications that it considers abortion, gay marriage and other social issues to be state, not federal, responsibilities? What if anything needs to be done in these areas and what would you do to make your vision come to pass?

A: I respect that Illinois has important considerations ahead regarding these social topics. I will listen to the residents of my district, as well as the applicable experts, and will represent the residents of my district.

My primary focus in Springfield will be based on the priorities of my district, which is working to lower costs for working families, working to make our communities safer, and fighting corruption in Springfield.