'83 Alum Seeks Nomination in Governor Race
The seven Republican gubernatorial candidates argue the state's
growing $11 billion deficit and decades of political corruption set the
stage for a Republican takeover of the state's highest elected office.
Their plans to tackle the state's deficit, $80 billion in unfunded
pension obligations and double-digit unemployment rate vary widely.
None of the candidates said he would seek a tax increase. Here's a
snapshot of each candidate.
Adam Andrzejewski
Political newcomer Adam Andrzejewski deems himself the only true
outsider in the race with the backbone to stand up to unions, special
interest groups and political insiders unwilling to make change.
"Political experience in this election cycle is political baggage,"
he said. "I can bring this toughness because I am the outsider. I can
create more real reform than all of the other candidates combined."
Andrzejewski, who built his fortune through the Home Pages Inc.
telephone book business (he sold his interest in 2007), founded For the
Good of Illinois at www.forthegoodofillinois.com, a Web site that
details the spending of taxpayer dollars in various municipalities.
"Government will be accountable to citizens who demand
transparency," he said, adding the site tracks more than $1 billion in
public spending.
He vows to not raise taxes but instead cut spending. He advocates
for a forensic audit of state programs and grants, property tax cuts,
and pension and Medicaid reform. He said he would work to bar teacher
strikes and eliminate patronage jobs.
"I would make every dime of state spending in Illinois 100 percent
transparent," he said. "It is time for leadership from the governor's
office."
Bill Brady
State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) advocates an across-the-board
cut of state spending by 10 percent and an overhaul of Medicaid and
proposes the elimination of the Illinois State Board of Education to
control Illinois' spiraling deficit.
He also wants to abolish the state's sales tax on gas and the estate
tax and roll back some $300 million in business taxes and fees
introduced under the Blagojevich and Quinn administrations.
And he believes he's got the legislative track record and
relationship with Democrats to build bipartisan support for his plans.
"Democrats get it. The speaker of the house has been a dictator for
40 years," Brady said, referring to Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).
"They are starving for someone to lead."
Brady points to Medicaid, the Department of Corrections and the
State Board of Education as the key areas where Illinois can cut
spending. He wants a "better managed" Medicaid and wants to fire
well-paid administrative political appointees in the corrections
department and funnel more cash to front-line correctional workers.
"I would eliminate the State Board of Education ... and provide more
money directly to the classrooms," Brady said. "I will restructure our
educational bureaucracy by creating a streamlined, efficient and
smaller department directly accountable to the state's chief executive
and thereby, the people of Illinois."
Kirk Dillard
State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) touts his experience working in
the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Illinois government
as giving him a unique perspective and foundation to put his plans in
motion.
Dillard's pitching a "Destination Illinois" economic development
plan that includes tax incentives for high-tech and health care jobs,
investment in agriculture and tourism and "rejuvenating" the
manufacturing sector. He also has a plan to eliminate "burdensome rules
and regulations that stifle job creation" and "lower intrinsic costs
like workers compensation."
"I have the single most aggressive job creation plan among all
candidates, not just my fellow Republicans," he said. "I have no
designs to raise taxes."
Dillard vows to veto all new spending programs and examine those in
place to identify waste. He supports a two-tier pension system to slow
the growth of the state's $80 billion in unfunded pension liability and
proposes "modernizing" Medicaid in Illinois.
Andy McKenna
A focus on growing small businesses and a pledge not to raise taxes are cornerstones of Andy McKenna's campaign for governor.
McKenna, immediate past chairman of the Illinois Republican Party,
advocates cutting spending to rein in the state's growing $11 billion
deficit. He calls for a comprehensive review of all state spending and
programs.
"Neither Governor Blagojevich nor Governor Quinn has ever made
public a list of state spending items. We cannot make sound cuts if we
do not even know where the money is going," he said.
If elected, he also plans a business summit of Illinois' "greatest
job creators," large and small, old and new, to discuss the ways to
improve the business climate and create jobs.
"Eight out of 10 new jobs are created by small businesses," he said.
"Illinois needs to support their development and expansion."
McKenna is the only GOP gubernatorial candidate who chose a running
mate in the primary election. He and lieutenant governor candidate Matt
Murphy are running as a team.
"Our elected leaders have let us down. I want to make Illinois great again," McKenna said.
Dan Proft
First-time candidate Dan Proft proposes cutting personal and
corporate incomes taxes in half and eliminating the state estate tax to
spur economic development in Illinois.
Proft argues the state's fiscal situation requires a "policy
revolution" to curb the growing $11 billion deficit and lure businesses
to Illinois. This policy revolution would bring reforms to Medicaid,
kindergarten-to-grade-12 education, transportation funding and the
state's pension system, he said.
"I'm the only candidate offering to rethink and reorder big-ticket
items that can truly revolutionize they way things work in this state,"
Proft said. "We can turn Springfield upside down."
Expanding economic opportunities for Illinois residents and
reforming elementary and secondary education to ensure equal access to
a quality education are two key components of his campaign.
"We're relegating hundreds of thousands of children to second-rate
schools, and it's completely unacceptable," he said. "I would work to
provide vouchers for low-income families so that they, too, can access
a path to be a successful, independent adult."
Jim Ryan
Claiming there's "no shortages of areas to cut," former Attorney
General Jim Ryan vows to freeze wages, put a moratorium on new programs
and organize an "efficiency panel" to find and eliminate wasteful
spending to curb the state's estimated $11 billion deficit.
"We seem in Illinois to never get to the heart of the problems because we're always in crisis," he said.
"Our state is on the verge of bankruptcy. The average person is fed
up, and they don't trust government, and they don't trust politicians."
The disillusionment voters felt when former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was ousted from office has only grown, he said.
"It's nauseating to see the level of corruption in our state," he said.
Ryan said he'd leave the state's flat income tax rate alone, saying
it's attractive to businesses. He advocates for Medicaid and pension
reform, including instituting a two-tiered system in which new hires
would not receive as generous benefits as current workers.
"We need to lower the cost of doing business. A rising tide lifts all boats," he said.
Robert J. "Bob" Schillerstrom
DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom describes himself as
socially moderate but fiscally conservative and touts his executive
experience in DuPage as training ground to take over the state's top
job.
"I've essentially operated as governor of DuPage County for the past 12 years," he said. "I'm not part of Springfield culture."
Schillerstrom counts among his accomplishments the county's 12
consecutive years of balanced budgets, its long-range planning and its
business-friendly environment. He claims Medicaid is a "disaster" and
vows to revamp the state's "1950s pension system."
"You have to have someone willing to make the cuts. I'm prepared to shake things up," he said.
If elected, Schillerstrom pledges not to raise taxes and said he
would force state agencies to adopt zero-based budgeting, meaning they
would have to justify each expense. Currently, agencies start from the
previous year's budget and work upward year to year.
"We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem," he said.
Schillerstrom also has vowed to serve only one term if elected, saying that will allow him to focus solely on the job.
ADAM ANDRZEJEWSKI
Age: 40
Hometown: Herscher
Education: Bachelor's degree in business and finance, Northern Illinois University, 1992
Occupation, employer: Executive director of "For the Good of Illinois;" on leave to run campaign
Family: Wife, Kerry, and daughters, Ellie, 5, Molly, 3, and Emma Kate, 1
Political experience: None
His view: Political newcomer Adam Andrzejewski deems himself
the only true outsider in the race with the backbone to stand up to
unions, special interest groups and political insiders unwilling to
make change.
"Political experience in this election cycle is political baggage,"
he said. "I can bring this toughness because I am the outsider. I can
create more real reform than all of the other candidates combined."
Andrzejewski, who built his fortune through the Home Pages Inc.
telephone book business (he sold his interest in 2007), founded For the
Good of Illinois at www.forthegoodofillinois.com, a Web site that
details the spending of taxpayer dollars in various municipalities.
"Government will be accountable to citizens who demand
transparency," he said, adding the site tracks more than $1 billion in
public spending.
He vows to not raise taxes but instead cut spending. He advocates
for a forensic audit of state programs and grants, property tax cuts,
and pension and Medicaid reform. He said he would work to bar teacher
strikes and eliminate patronage jobs.
"I would make every dime of state spending in Illinois 100 percent
transparent," he said. "It is time for leadership from the governor's
office."
BILL BRADY
Age: 48
Hometown: Bloomington
Occupation, employer: State senator, 44th district; real estate development, construction and marketing for Brady Homes & ReMax Choice
Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, finance and political science, Illinois Wesleyan University
Family: Wife, Nancy, and children, Katie, 26, William, 23, and Duncan, 17
Political experience: State Senate, 2002 to present; state House of Representatives, 1993 to 2000
His view: State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) advocates an
across-the-board cut of state spending by 10 percent and an overhaul of
Medicaid and proposes the elimination of the Illinois State Board of
Education to control Illinois' deficit.
He also wants to abolish the state's sales tax on gas and the estate
tax and roll back some $300 million in business taxes and fees
introduced under the Blagojevich and Quinn administrations.
And he believes he's got the legislative track record and relationship with Democrats to build bipartisan support for his plans.
"Democrats get it. The speaker of the house has been a dictator for
40 years," Brady said, referring to Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).
"They are starving for someone to lead."
Brady points to Medicaid, the Department of Corrections and the
State Board of Education as the key areas where Illinois can cut
spending. He wants a "better managed" Medicaid and wants to fire
well-paid administrative political appointees in the corrections
department and funnel more cash to front-line correctional workers.
"I would eliminate the State Board of Education ... and provide more
money directly to the classrooms," Brady said. "I will restructure our
educational bureaucracy by creating a streamlined, efficient and
smaller department directly accountable to the state's chief executive
and thereby, the people of Illinois."
Kirk Dillard
Age: 44
Hometown: Hinsdale
Education: Hinsdale Central High School, honors graduate of Western Illinois University and DePaul University College of Law
Occupation, employer: State senator, 24th District; attorney, Locke, Lord Bissell & Liddell
Family: Wife, Stephanie, and daughters, Emma, 8, and Ava, 6
Political experience: State Senate, 1994 to present; judge
for the Illinois Court of Claims, 1987 to 1991; former president of the
Western Illinois Alumni Association; past chairman of the Downers Grove
Township Republican Organization and DuPage County Republican Party
His view: State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) touts his
experience working in the legislative, executive and judicial branches
of Illinois government as giving him a unique perspective and
foundation to put his plans in motion.
Dillard's pitching a "Destination Illinois" economic development
plan that includes tax incentives for high-tech and health care jobs,
investment in agriculture and tourism and "rejuvenating" the
manufacturing sector. He also has a plan to eliminate "burdensome rules
and regulations that stifle job creation."
"I have the single most aggressive job creation plan among all
candidates, not just my fellow Republicans," he said. "I have no
designs to raise taxes."
Dillard vows to veto all new spending programs and examine those in
place to identify waste. He supports a two-tier pension system to slow
the growth of the state's $80 billion in unfunded pension liability and
proposes "modernizing" Medicaid in Illinois.
Article by Amy Lee of Sun-Times Media
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1996058,011810GOPgov.article