Aurora's Mike Strick, the Republican candidate for the state House District 84 seat, recently spoke candidly about Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), referring to him as “the Emperor of Illinois” who was freely handed his power.
“The one person who has presided over Illinois' deepening fiscal woes for 30 of the last 32 years is … Madigan,” Strick said. “Sometimes referred to as the ‘Emperor of Illinois,’ Speaker Madigan does not get the power he has on his own. Instead, he is given his power by other representatives whose first vote they cast at the beginning of each two-year cycle is who will be speaker."
Strick said it was state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit's (D-Aurora) support of Madigan and “his undisputed record of destruction” that informed his decision to run for state representative.
“At the beginning of each of her terms in office, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit has voted to hand Madigan the gavel yet again,” Strick said.
Strick, who has owned and operated an oil change shop in the area for 22 years, explained that although this is his first fun for public office, he was fueled by frustration — a feeling, he said, that was shared when he went door-to-door campaigning.
“I've logged close to 70 hours knocking on doors and introducing myself to the voters,” he said. “Like many of you, I have grown increasingly frustrated by the dysfunction in Springfield. Speaker Madigan often puts politics ahead of policy to the detriment of the state. The voters know this.”
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 Madigan machine, as he called it, is using taxes as a crutch instead of focusing on issues of spending and budgeting.
“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 cited rising property taxes, increasing education costs and job loss as “very serious problems” which he is determined to address. Pointing out that Madigan’s “rock-bottom” approval rating of 13 percent has failed to deter support from Kifowit, Strick challenges Springfield to do better.
“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 84th District?”
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