All candidates were sent questionnaires by the NorWest Republican Organization.
The questions and replies on the first page follow (other pages will be published one a day):
Question | Schuster | Brettman | Wheeler | Miller | Tirio |
D-6 | D=6 | D-4 | Treas. | Clerk | |
1. Elimination of Capital Gains Tax? | yes | yes 9 | blank | yes | yes |
Comment 9: or in the alternative a reduction to a rate below that of a person’s regular federal rate. We need this incentive to further investment and growth. | |||||
2. Elimination of the state death tax? | yes | yes 10 | yes | yes | yes |
Comment 10: The ability to pass wealth from generation to generation is the mechanism by which civilization itself is built. | |||||
3. Repeal of the federal estate tax? | yes | yes 10 | yes | yes | yes |
Comment 10: The ability to pass wealth from generation to generation is the mechanism by which civilization itself is built. | |||||
4. State tax on retirement income? | no | no 11 | no | no | 75 |
Comment11: Particularly where taxes on this money has already been paid.
Comment 75: I think it might be interesting to look at taxing state pensioners that leave the state. |
|||||
5. Increase State School funding with dollar for dollar offset in property tax? | no 1 | yes | blank | no | 76 |
Comment 1: Were they to remove all school funding from the property tax bills, I would reconsider this position.
Comment 76: Would like to see plan. |
|||||
6. Constitutional referendum to remove public sector pension guarantee for ALL positions (includes elected office and all public sector employees)? | yes | yes 12 | yes | no | yes |
Comment 12: This is the primary driver for our States insolvency | |||||
7. Elimination of State Prevailing wage laws? | yes | yes 13 | yes | yes | yes |
Comment 13: A proper government should spend the money in it’s trust in the same manner as would the people who provide it | |||||
8. Right to work laws (elimination of closed union shops)? | yes | yes 14 | yes | yes | yes |
Comment 14: Statistics show RTW States are financially better off then closed shop states, and all Federal jobs are ‘Right to Work’._ | |||||
9. Caps on torte liability awards? | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes 77 |
Comment 77: Complicated issue, would like to proposed solution. | |||||
10. Work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients? | yes | yes | yes 33 | yes | yes |
Comment 33: With Drug Testing |
these people want the entire government shut down and they can just have gunfights in the street with the last person starting the new government.
Why are they asking questions about issues that are completely beyond the purview of county government?
It seems kind of pointless.
Very good answers by Schuster, Brettman, Wheeler and Tirio. Of course left wingers and most Democrats would not like their answers.
Re: “Why are they asking questions about issues that are completely beyond the purview of county government?”
Maybe it was done to “out” the Progressives within the GOP?
Hahahaha!
“Torte liability.”
Who is responsible for pastries in politics?
What a bunch of maroons.
Why no questions about 2nd. Amendment issues ?
Re: “Why no questions about 2nd. Amendment issues ?” I think this is page one of more to come.
OT – Let’s hope you are correct, only time will tell.
…And people wonder why Illinois voters are stupid enough to elect idiots for office. None of these questions have anything to do with entities that are within control of these candidates. It’s disappointing, because prior to this I actually respected some of their views. Answering these type of questions is pointless, and the wiser ones should have seen it as such and responded accordingly.
More bad news for Illinois residents …. at least for the legal ones among us:
https://patch.com/illinois/huntley/s/gdbgw/illinois-among-worst-states-for-quality-of-life
Re: ” None of these questions have anything to do with entities that are within control of these candidates”
What is disappointing is the lack of reading / comprehension of some commenters.
Is LTRESIDENT telling us that public sector pensions for elected officials has nothing to do with local entities?
Prevailing wage does not affect local taxes?
Can’t wait to see other answers on the next page.
Those issues are all important, but neither the County Board, nor the Treasurer, nor the County Clerk have any control over them.
The Norwest Republicans might as well ask the candidates what they think about defense spending or what the Federal Reserve is up to.
Out of Towner, you may want to brush up on your own comprehension.
SECTION 5. PENSION AND RETIREMENT RIGHTS
Membership in any pension or retirement system of the
State, any unit of local government or school district, or
any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an
enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which
shall not be diminished or impaired.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
Set by the state in the General Assembly. Not within the control of local elected officials.
Regarding the questions that may not pertain to the roles these particular offices…
The idea here was to not only get a better understanding of these candidates’ views on local issues, but also to see how well they align with the Republican Party platform -viewable here:
https://prod-cdn-static.gop.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL%5B1%5D-ben_1468872234.pdf
Unfortunately, McHenry County has a history of people running for office as Republicans for political expedience, but then governing like liberal Democrats.
This being primary season, the Norwest Townships Republican Central Committee wanted to offer Republican primary voters the opportunity to get a better feel for whether or not a candidate is a Republican-in-name-only, or if she or he actually believes in and will support the Republican Party platform.
The answers to this questionnaire shed light on that, as does the list of candidates who refused to answer these questions altogether.