Jill's Vision
I'm running to represent the 88th District because Springfield is broken. Partisan rancor in our capital has led to uncertainty for our businesses, students, veterans, social services, farmers, laborers, and seniors. While our government officials have been bickering over their political agendas, ordinary citizens have been suffering, and it's time to put the concerns of the people back at the top of the list.
While there are numerous hurdles we have to overcome, I believe the most important issue we have to address is tax reform. For too long, our representatives in Springfield have neglected their responsibilities, playing shell games to avoid decisions that didn't suit their politics. While both parties have been guilty, Springfield politicians seem to be more interested in pointing fingers about who's to blame instead of solving the very real problems facing our state. I'm interested in
solutions, and I support a fairer approach to taxation.
Illinois is one of only eight states with a flat tax, and one of only four where that system is mandated by the state constitution. We need to change that and implement a graduated income tax. Millionaires, billionaires, and corporations need to pay more than middle and working class families. Our current flat-tax system makes it impossible to keep up with the costs of simply running the state and offering basic public services. Contrary to popular belief, our state spending per person is actually less than the national average and lower than most other states. We can't “cut our way out” of our budgetary challenges. We need honest, humane, and forward-looking reforms, starting with a graduated income tax.
universities are the drivers of tomorrow's economy. Our current approach to funding is unsustainable. And when there's uncertainty, people and businesses will leave our state. With a graduated income tax, we'd be able to restore state funding of education, stabilize our institutions, and ease the burden of property taxes. As we look forward toward a reinvigorated economy, we must not forget our past. Illinois is celebrating its 200th year of statehood in 2018. From the very beginning, our contributions to the nation have been built on the bounty of our agriculture, the confluence of rivers, lakes and eventually railroads and interstates that position us as a key point of transit for the shipping of goods, and the ingenuity of our people to solve complex problems. As we enter our third century, these continue to be our strengths. We must keep our farmers, our infrastructure, and our creativity at the center of our decisions to restore Illinois' position as a driver of our national economy.
Fair
Honest
Equitable
We need a more equitable approach to school funding so we're not so reliant on local property taxes. Over the decades, the state has contributed less and less to both K-12 and higher education, which is why our property taxes have ballooned. It's also why there is such unjust disparity between schools in working class areas and more affluent neighborhoods. We need to recognize that our schools, colleges, and