Dupage Policy Journal

Amy Grant points her finger at long-entrenched House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) for the massive dysfunction in Springfield.

“For decades, the state House of Illinois has been controlled by leadership that is lacking in integrity and truthfulness,” Grant recently told the Chicago Tribune. “Gov. (Bruce) Rauner campaigned on wasteful spending, ingrained political power, property tax relief and job creation; he wanted to turn the state around. After two years without a state budget and decades of unbalanced budgets, the House Speaker and his Democrat majority are not willing to help this state succeed.”

As proof of her contention, Grant points to the 32 percent income tax increase installed as part of the state budget supported by Madigan.

“Bipartisan leaders in both chambers worked hard on a 'Grand Bargain,' which would balance the budget with meaningful reforms,” she told the Tribune. “This did not come to pass because Speaker Madigan refused to be reasonable and engage in negotiations.”

A Wheaton Republican, Grant beat Winfield Township Republican Chairman Burt Minor in the GOP primary with nearly 65 percent of the vote and will now face Democrat Kathleen V. Carrier of Carol Stream for the House seat in the 42nd District,

Currently a member of the DuPage County board, the 62-year-old Grant said she believes every lawmaker in Illinois should have a priority of not adding any new taxes.

“I think we owe it to the people of Illinois to try after raising their taxes last year,” she told the Tribune. “Before even considering any new sources of revenue, an extensive, thorough and honest accounting of how revenue is spent needs to take place.”

As for the ongoing pension liability crisis, Grant said she believes all new state employees should be entered into a defined contribution type plan.

“People who are newly hired should be allowed to contribute to a 401(k) type plan with the state employer matching it,” she added.

As for the state’s ongoing out-migration problem, and the fact that Illinois lost more residents than any other state in the country in 2016, Grant said a drastic change is needed.

“I love Illinois and my neighbors, and the people in the 42nd district do also," she told  the Tribune. "This state has many good attributes that cannot be dismissed. But many people see Illinois on the decline; expensive, ... shrinking opportunities and hostile to retire in.”

Grant said the state needs to improve its business climate if it is to have any chance of increasing job creation.

“The General Assembly needs to pass pro-growth, pro-job legislation such as workers' compensation reform and targeted tax credits for job creation,” she added. “We have antiquated labor policies and I believe, like Gov. Rauner when he talked about his turnaround agenda, that we should become a right to work state. Multi-national and other large corporations have made it clear that they will not set down their business in this state with our labor policy as it is.”

House District 42 includes parts of Wheaton, Warrenville, Carol Stream, Lisle, Winfield, West Chicago and Naperville.