Dupage Policy Journal

Michael Strick, who is campaigning for House District 84, has some strong words regarding House Speaker Mike Madigan and the Democratic Senate refusing to take a vote on term limits.

“I don’t agree with anything that Mike Madigan says as far as term limits,” Strick told the DuPage Policy Journal. “When people run for office, it was supposed to be for civic duty. What it has become now is a life-long career choice with benefits for their other businesses. It’s definitely not representative government if these people are allowed to run for 35 or 40 years.”

Strick said he believes the politicians in Springfield are no longer serving the people and their hesitation to vote on term limits reflects their position.

“Most people are tired of career politicians," he said. "Mike Madigan has been in office for 40 years and John Cullerton over 35 years. I keep trying to tell people that we need some change. Everything that they’re doing…if they haven’t done it by now, it ain’t going to get done.”

Strick reiterated that if he were lucky enough to get elected for his district, he will limit himself and represent the people, bringing a fresh start with him.

“If I am lucky enough to be elected, I will be only in there for eight years,” he said. “We need to bring some new blood; new ideas. And do what is right for the people and not is what right for the career politicians.”

Serving his community is once again at the forefront of his values and ideals, which is why he is frustrated with Sen. Andy Manar’s education funding formula that passed the Illinois Senate recently. The formula would heavily focus on propping up Chicago schools while neglecting others, according to Strick.

“I actually believe that Chicago school funding is way and above (others),” he said. “They get more money than any other school district in the state. And to just keep piling money into a rusty old furnace, which is very inefficient, it just evaporates money. With all of the bonds they have to go out and get, they’re paying so much on interest for those bonds, that as a business owner I can’t understand how they are able to afford that.”

Stick said he thinks it unfair of the state to take money from other districts and re-purpose it to pay for certain inefficiencies in Chicago. That is money that may help local schools, he said.

“Here in Naperville, Oswego and Aurora, I’m sure that some of those districts are going to be losing millions of dollars,” he said. “And to constantly take money out of the classroom…I mean for the kids to pay Chicago’s teachers and their pension system is ridiculous. You have to live within your means. We out here in the suburbs don’t want to send our school money to Chicago to pay for their inefficiencies.”

Regardless of the outcome, Strick said he does approve of the focus on education, stating that it is one of the building blocks to success.

“There is success with education,” he said. “I think that’s what (the youth) needs to be instilled with. If you become very well educated, you will also have success.”

He said he believes that Gov. Bruce Rauner’s recent remarks about trying to ease tension among party lines to balance the budget and push for proper education funding in the state is an example of the governor reaching out and compromising.

“I am really in support of Gov Rauner’s agenda in turning around business in Illinois,” Strick said. “I truly believe that Madigan and his team are making Rauner out to be the bad guy for his turnaround agenda. I think the people are aware of what’s going on with the Democratic machine in Illinois. And I have seen great success telling people that term limits are the way to go, bringing new people, new ideas, and that Gov. Rauner is on the right track. He just has to stay the course and work and fight to promote his message.”

Like Rauner, Strick said he will also stay the course and fight for his district. If elected, he said he’ll fight to serve his community and not his interest, such as a demographic who he believes needs a voice: those under the middle class.

“Everybody keeps talking about the middle class," he said. "But you know what? There are people under the middle class that needs jobs as well. We need to spread some of those middle class jobs to people that are making the $10 or $12 an hour and try to lift those people up, who I really consider to be wanting to work but can’t find the good work that they need.”