Press Releases

Candidates Talk Solutions to State Deficit

DAILY HERALD
By Jake Griffin | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 9/3/2010 12:02 AM

Illinois' $13 billion budget deficit was the topic and target of a candidate forum Thursday in Naperville featuring a dozen DuPage County legislative hopefuls.

The event was sponsored by the DuPage Work Group, an advocacy group for people with disabilities.

Organizers asked the candidates about restoring and retaining funding for human services organizations and agencies that were hit hard by state budget cuts in recent years.

The five Republican incumbents at the event complained they were stymied in their attempts at reform by the Democratic Party majority and that party's leadership. Even bipartisan attempts were thwarted by Democratic legislative leaders, they said.

"It gets kind of redundant after a while," said state Rep. Darlene Senger, of Naperville. "We have representatives who have solutions to the state budget problems, but we're not given the opportunities to bring those solutions forward."

But challengers questioned the legitimacy of the incumbents' solutions.

"Put those out there and let people see what you're suggesting," said Greg Brownfield, a Democrat from Bartlett challenging incumbent state Rep. Randy Ramey, who was not in attendance. "You can't just hide behind your minority status and say, 'Gee, we can't get our bills to the floor.'"

In an odd showing of solidarity, some of the challengers sided with the Republican incumbents about how much power House Speaker Michael Madigan holds in Springfield.

Democrat Jim Speta of Downers Grove, who is challenging Republican state Rep. Patti Bellock of Hinsdale along with Green Party candidate Bob Mueller of Westmont, suggested term limits for legislative party leaders.

"Yes, Michael Madigan is one of the big problems," Speta said, "but that doesn't mean the rest of the representatives don't have any power."

The biggest difference in budget philosophy among the candidates related to support for tax hikes to balance the budget. Some Democratic candidates said the task would be impossible without a potential income tax rate increase.

"Increased revenues will be needed to get the state back on the right track," said Democrat Kay Vlahos of Downers Grove, who is challenging Republican incumbent state Rep. Sandy Pihos of Glen Ellyn. "That includes raising the income tax rate."

Pihos said the state should be taking advantage of financial experts in the state to help solve the state's financial problems.

Democrat Dawn DeSart of Naperville, who is challenging Senger, said other methods of balancing the budget should be attempted before increasing taxes.

"The state needs to clean up its act and put a moratorium on expanding government programs and any rate increases until we can cut spending and pay down our debts," DeSart said. "I believe there's a way to streamline to cut the budget."

The forum lasted nearly two hours and also featured Republican state Rep. Michael Connelly of Lisle who is challenged by Democrat Barbara Green who also hails from Lisle.

West Chicago Republican state Rep. Mike Fortner was also there along with his Democratic challenger Maria Owens, who is a Winfield resident.

The election is Nov. 2.
Brownfield Decries Incumbent's Divisive Politics

State Representative Candidate Greg Brownfield (D-Bartlett) is voicing opposition to incumbent opponent Randy Ramey’s (R-Carol Stream) recent tactic of offering tough immigration laws as a solution to the state budget crisis. Ramey announced that he plans to offer a bill modeled after the controversial Arizona law that was largely struck down by a federal judge. Ramey offers this measure as his solution to the state budget crisis, claiming that it will save $4.2 billion.

Brownfield says the proposed measure is divisive and a distraction from the fact that Ramey has not offered a workable solution to the state budget crisis.

“It's unbelievable that our federal government has lost control over who is working in our country,” Brownfield said. “But we need to treat this as a problem to be solved, not as an opportunity for politicians to score political points by preying on both our legitimate concerns and our prejudices.”

The Brownfield campaign highlights that Ramey is claiming the bill to be a “solution” to the budget crisis without offering any facts to back this up.

For a host of political, legal, and factual reasons, Ramey’s proposal does not offer a viable solution to the immediate problem of our state budget crisis. Ramey’s political motives, according to Brownfield, are at the core of his proposal.

“I am running on the idea that we need to get beyond divisive politics so that we can put all of our focus on a bi-partisan search for the best solutions,” Brownfield said. “I encourage my opponent to join me in this approach so that we can have an honest conversation about our most important problems, especially the state budget crisis.”

The 55th District covers parts of northwestern DuPage County, far southwestern Cook County and far northeastern Kane County. It encompasses all of Bartlett and Wayne along with portions of St. Charles, West Chicago, Hanover Park, South Elgin, and Carol Stream.

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General Election Kickoff

Democratic Stalwarts, Novices Tout Public Service at Fundraiser

Bartlett, IL - A broad spectrum of local residents and Democratic officials met at Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett on Monday night to kickoff the general election campaign of State Representative candidate Greg Brownfield (D-Bartlett), whose history in public service was emphasized by Lieutenant Governor Candidate Sheila Simon. Both Brownfield and Simon share a history in legal assistance, a position that provides legal aid to low income individuals and families.

“When you graduate law school, you have two options,” Simon said. “You either get a job with a big law firm, and make a lot of money; or you go into legal aid to help those who can’t afford a big law firm. Greg chose legal aid.”

Also in attendance was David Wilhelm, who served as chairman of the campaign for Simon’s father, Senator Paul Simon in 1984, and later served as DNC Chairman and chaired President Bill Clinton’s reelection campaign. Wilhelm drew several parallels between Brownfield and the late Simon, saying both have worked hard because they are “tough, but not mean.”

Brownfield addressed the donors at the end of the night, highlighting why service from elected officials is essential to the state’s well being.

“The basic problem is that too many of our incumbent politicians are focused on partisan victories, narrow ideology, connected insiders, and their own self interest,” Brownfield said. “As a result, both parties are locked in a political struggle that mortgages our future.”

Greg Brownfield will oppose the Republican incumbent of the Illinois 55th District in the fall election. The 55th District covers parts of northwestern DuPage County, far southwestern Cook County and far northeastern Kane County. It encompasses all of Bartlett and Wayne along with portions of St. Charles, West Chicago, Hanover Park, South Elgin, and Carol Stream.

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Good Goverment Above Partisanship

PRESS ADVISORY January 18, 2010

State Rep. Candidate Joins Push for Fair Map Amendment

Bartlett IL.- As another step toward good government and independence from ideological battles, state representative candidate Greg Brownfield (D-Bartlett) has joined efforts to amend Illinois’ constitution to ensure that future legislative districts will be drawn in a fair, non-partisan manner. The Illinois Fair Map Amendment would create a Temporary Redistricting Advisory Commission (TRAC), a nine-member group of independent Illinoisans that would be responsible for drawing legislative districts. The objective of the initiative is to create a non-partisan process of drawing district lines in the state that invented political gerrymandering. If successful, this effort would produce fairly drawn districts starting with the 2012 election cycle.

While the Chicago Tribune described Democrats in the General Assembly as “non-committal” on the Fair Map Amendment, Brownfield strongly supports the effort:

“Allowing legislators to choose their voters violates the most basic principles of representative government. Among other things, the current process enhances the prospects for career politicians by allowing them to create safe districts that are virtually immune from challenge. The Fair Map Amendment would end this loathsome practice and replace it with a non-political process that would promote competitive elections and give voice to the shared values of a particular community.”

While most of the members of the TRAC would be appointed by the state’s legislative leaders, the Amendment prohibits insiders and their family members from TRAC service. The Amendment will also bring transparency to the redistricting process by requiring TRAC to hold public hearings and accept suggestions from citizens.
The legal requirement for getting the amendment on the ballot in November of 2010 is 280,000 petition signatures but proponents are seeking 500,000 signatures to ensure that opponents cannot kill the amendment with a petition challenge.

On Monday January 18, Brownfield kicked off his campaign’s Fair Map efforts at a candidate forum hosted by the Wayne Township Democrats. He announced that he will personally collect signatures while he canvasses the 55th legislative district in the three months between the February 2 primary and the May 2 petition deadline. He set a goal for his campaign to collect 1% (2,800) of the required signatures.

For more info on the Fair Map Amendment, go to www.ilfairmap.com. For more info on Greg Brownfield and other upcoming events, visit www.gregbrownfield.org