Dupage Policy Journal

Mike Strick is logging in the hours to speak to voters of his district, and he has been hitting the campaign hard and listening to their concerns.

And they are disappointed with what is happening in Springfield.

“I continue to work hard, connecting with voters in the 84th District,” he told the DuPage Policy Journal. “I've logged close to 70 hours knocking on doors and introducing myself to the voters. The people I talk with are frustrated.”

The voters are tired of being taxed and they are leaving, Strick recounted. He said he wants to change that.

“It's intriguing to find out how many people are up to speed with Springfield and how many people realize that having lifelong politicians dictating to them to pay ever increasing taxes is wrong,” he said. “People are being taxed out of our homes and want to leave Illinois. This out-migration needs to stop and I will do all I can to bring manufacturing jobs back to our state.”

Strick said he believes that curbing unnecessary taxes will benefit the economy which is why he opposes a proposal on taxing retirement income for seniors. The (Speaker Mike) Madigan machine, as he called its, are using taxes as a crutch instead of focusing on issues of spending and budgeting.

“I have read that many Democrats want to tax retirement income of seniors,” he said. “The Madigan machine is eyeing the potential tax to bring in an additional $2 billion to the financially strapped state. I really do not like the thinking of these career politicians. Tax and spend, tax and spend. When have we heard any talks about reducing the spending and passing reforms to balance our state budget?”

He challenged Springfield to do better; most notably State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit who he believes is an echo chamber for Madigan.

“I certainly could not run my business like our state,” Strick said. “Rep. Kifowit is walking behind Madigan and voting the way that he tells her to. Madigan has given Kifowit thousands of dollars to keep her seat in the 84th District so he can direct her every move. In fact Kifowit has voted in favor of Madigan's bills and directives nearly 100 percent. How does that type of voting help the people from the 84 district.”

Such rubber-stamping has cost the state in expenses and penalty fees, such as the report done by the Pew Charitable Trust which found that Illinois owes over $56.3 billion in state employee health care debt.

“Illinois has become a debtor state and it will only get worse,” he said. “Illinois is not alone in the area of owing for post employment obligations. We are, of course, way up on the list. This casualty was perpetrated by Madigan and (John) Cullerton who continue to give pay raises and benefits to the highest paid public sector employees in the nation.”

Strick asserted that while public sector employees are getting raises, the rest of the workers in the state are struggling. The hard working communities are the ones who bear the burdens of failed policies.

“That isn't fair to the hard working people in our community. The unions pour millions into their campaigns to foster business as usual and to hell with the taxpayers and people who pay,” he said. “All the taxpayers get are reduced services and more taxes. Due to Madigan and Kifowit Illinois pays over $900 million in late payment penalties. Where is the common sense?”

Such common sense was apparently no where to be found when lawmakers were caught playing video games on their phones while education was being debated on the legislative floor. This shows how detached the lawmakers are to their constituents, Strick said.

“The lifelong politicians in Springfield don't respect their constituents,” he said. “They don't feel our pain and they aren't serious about solving common sense problems. I want to serve the people of Illinois and bring accountability to those lifelong politicians who have failed us for so long.”

Bringing accountability to Springfield is important to Strick. He said he wants Springfield to answer its people about their concerns with higher taxes, education, and job loss. He said he wants the lawmakers to address concerns and not the screens on their mobile games.

“As I talk with families in my community, they are concerned about rising property taxes, the increasing costs of education and the loss of jobs and companies leaving Illinois,” Strick said. “These are very serious problems and demand immediate attention. I will bring that to Springfield. Kate Cloonen and Mike Smiddy playing games on the House floor is appalling. They should be working on problems affecting their districts and not blindly do Madigan's bidding.”