Meg Loughran Cappel: 2022 candidate for Illinois Senate District 49

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office sought: Illinois Senate District 49

City: Shorewood

Age: 51

Occupation: State senator, small business owner, former teacher

Previous offices held: Joliet High School Board

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 am proud of the steps the legislature has taken the last two years to start holding elected officials to a higher ethical standard. I voted to close the "Revolving Door" loophole to stop elected officials from becoming lobbyist immediately after leaving the general assembly. I also voted for term limits for legislative leaders. I do not think term limits in general is the answer to making the legislature more effective because I think elections are the best form of term limits that we could have. I think that we must raise the ethical standards for elected officials in Illinois and continue to make the legislative process as open and transparent as possible so that constituents can begin building back the trust between them and government.

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: The General Assembly with the leadership of the Governor must continue passing responsible balanced budgets just as we were before the pandemic hit and the federal stimulus arrived. Because of the responsible leadership of Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly Illinois received 5 credit upgrades in the span of one year. These credit upgrades will likely allow the state to borrow money at a lower interest rate, saving us hundreds of millions of dollars over the coming years. The key is to continue to pass responsible budgets that continue to allow Illinois to get its fiscal house in order.

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: I believe that the evidence-based funding model for education is working, even if it may not be working at the speed we would like. I think the key to the model is the General Assembly holding up its end of the bargain regarding funding. If the formula is funded at appropriate levels, then the formula works. When the first-year evidence-based funding went into effect, there were 168 districts being funded at less than 60% of adequacy. For this upcoming school year, only two school districts will be below that 60% level. As a former teacher I know how critical adequate funding is for teachers and students to be successful and I will always fight to ensure that the formula is adequately funded each and every year.

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

A: Elections in Illinois are unquestionably free and fair. There is absolutely zero evidence to support anything else. What the GOP are doing by attacking the integrity of our elections for political gain is extremely dangerous to the future stability of our Democracy. We should be looking for ways to make voting easier, not harder for people.

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: Illinois has done good work the past few years to protect all individuals in this state. Legislation such as the Reproductive Freedom Act and improvements to Illinois' Human Rights Act are two examples of important legislation that Illinois has passed to ensure everyone in this state feels safe and equally protected under the law. I think what the GOP is doing at the national level, overturning the long-standing precedent of Roe, is very dangerous and has already led to catastrophic outcomes. It is not the job of government to be involved in a woman's private health care decisions, and I will always fight to ensure it does not become their job in Illinois.