Story posted Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Lt. Gov. Candidates Share Views On Financial Fix
By RICHARD MAYER Assistant Managing Editor
Candidates running for lieutenant governor on the Republican primary ticket all believe that cutting expenses is the right direction to take toward fixing this state's financial woes.
Four of the six Republican candidates fielded questions from a Government Affairs representative and a Journal & Topics Newspapers reporter during the Friday, Jan. 15 candidates forum hosted by the Mt. Prospect Chamber of Commerce.
Current State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-27th) said what people see is what they get.
"I have built a record of consistency," said Murphy. "I oppose tax increase and lead an alternative vision, and have been a very constant voice the past three years in the Senate."
He told those in attendance that the state needs to go in a different direction by balancing its budget and making Illinois a destination for jobs once again. He also said public pensions need to be more in line with the private sector.
When asked if House Speaker Mike Madigan is an obstacle to getting things done in Springfield, Murphy replied by saying, "He's a smart man and understands power and his history has been to do whatever it takes to keep his speakership."
Murphy added that if Republicans win in November, Madigan will understand the mandates he (Murphy) and his fellow party officials will instill, which includes no tax increases and balancing the state budget by ways of cuts and/or reform.
Edwardsville resident Jason Plummer, an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves, said he is the best man for the job because he has a "sense of urgency" and has the best qualifications for the position.
"We are in a fiscal crisis, which people don't realize," said Plummer. "I am running to expand and elevate the office of lieutenant governor. This will allow me latitude to focus on issues."
Plummer said elected officials need to "get their arms around the deficit" and there needs to be a "systematic change." He is in favor of increasing the tax base so more businesses will come to Illinois. He said there needs to be a second-tier pension program created because that's an "unstable environment."
Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole said he is running because he understands the duties of the job and has "proven executive experience as a municipal leader."
"I see the impact on unfunded mandates and my experience will be able to reach out to other municipal leaders," said Cole. "I believe in conservative fiscal policies."
Cole said he doesn't believe other taxes should be levied to give residents relief from property taxes, particularly financing of public education.
"The state is not meeting the requirements and we have seen universities and schools not getting paid," said Cole. "We should take a long at schools taking back local control or prioritize education as state services. We should consolidate agencies and eliminate duplicate programs."
Business attorney and business owner Don Tracy, who resides in Springfield, classifies himself as not a "career politician."
"The state needs to come out of this financial jam and we need to pull back from this financial brink," said Tracy. "We need to bring private sector jobs back to the state. We also need to have a real compensation reform but not reduce benefits."
When it comes to workman's compensation he wants to see more investigations on soft tissue injuries and wants to see more experience when it comes to arbitration.
Two other candidates, Randy White and Dennis Cook, did not attend the one-hour forum.
On Friday, Jan. 22, the Chamber will host a forum for Democratic lieutenant governor candidates beginning at 2 p.m. at Retro Bistro restaurant on Golf Rd.
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