Continuing coverage of the League of Women Voters Candidates’ Night for those seeking State Senate seats looking at answers to the question of  what to do with the State’s budget shortfall.

And the candidates had a minute to answer the question

My notes are below:

32nd District

Craig Wilcox

• 

  Mary Mahady

  Republican Craig Wilcox – comments that the progressive income tax bill that has been introduced would increase taxes on “everyone over $17,300.” He referred to a cartoon. With regard to passing a progressive income tax:”That just drives away the people who have no problem leaving .  We have plenty of revenue in Illinois.”  He then said that spending is the problem.

• Democrat Mary Mahady – “Cut corporate welfare.”  She also talked about the overwhelming passage of the advisory referendum asking if there should be a tax on millionaires.

33rd District

Don DeWitte

• 

  Nancy Zettler

  Republican Don DeWitte – echoed other Republicans’ message that the problem was not needing more revenue.  “My opponent supports a progressive income tax [which wold increase taxes for people over $7,150.  I will not.”  He also expressed opposition to a mileage tax.

• Democrat Nancy Zettler – “against corporate welfare.  Many of those corporations pay little or no taxes.”  Favors a Fair Tax, increasing taxes “on corporations, millionaire and billionaires.”

26th District

Don McConchie

Tom Georges

• Republican Dan McConchie – “Last year we increased income taxes by 32%.  The state has a $1.2 billion structural deficit.  The Senate Democrats passed $1.4 billion in additional spending. We need to constrain spending.”
• Democrat Tom Georges – “Need economic development.”  He then argued that the number of State Senators should be reduced from 59.  “Why does California have forty?”  Favors taxing the” top 5% of the population” more.