Chicago Tribune 2018 Illinois General Assembly

Questions

• Why do you think it has been so difficult for Springfield to get a balanced budget passed and signed?

  Budget

• Do you believe the state budget can be balanced going forward without new sources of revenue?

  Budget

• What new sources, if any, would you support? Please be specific.

  Budget

• Do you support a constitutional amendment favoring a graduated income tax? Please explain.

  Budget

• Please list five areas where you would cut spending.

  Budget

• Since the Illinois Supreme Court's 2015 decision tossing bipartisan pension reform, what can and should the legislature do to control pension costs, if anything?

  Budget

• Should all new state workers be moved into defined contribution plans?

  Budget

• What should the governor do to control pension costs during union contract talks? What would you do?

  Budget

• Illinois lost more residents than any other state in 2016 and the trend appears to be holding for 2017. What is the No. 1 reason, in your opinion, for the exodus?

  General

• What should Illinois do — via tax policy, spending or other policy means — to keep residents from leaving?

  General

• What should Illinois do to promote job creation?

  Jobs & Economy

• Did you support the education funding reform bill that the governor signed in 2017?

  Education

• What, if anything, should the legislature do to help Chicago Public Schools?

  Education

• Do you support opportunity scholarships included in the funding reform bill? Or will you try, if elected, to eliminate that program?

  Education

• Should Illinois do more to regulate campaign fundraising? If so, what?

  Corruption

• What help, if any, are you receiving from your party and its leaders, including staff help, advice, legal assistance, money and resources? Be specific.

  General

• If you are an incumbent, give an example of a time you worked across the aisle on an important issue.

  General

• If you are an incumbent, give at least one example of a time you did not vote with your party on a significant issue.

  General

• Do you support term limits? If so, will you commit to sponsoring legislation and/or lobbying your colleagues on behalf of a constitutional change?

  Corruption

• Do you support changes to the redistricting process? If so, will you commit to sponsoring legislation and/or lobbying your colleagues on behalf of a constitutional change?

  General

• Tell us a little about your family.

  General

• Tell us something about you that might surprise us.

  General