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Four candidates running in two Illinois State House races — incumbent state representatives Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17th) and Tracy Katz Muhl (D-57th), and their challengers Jim Geldermann (R) and Daniel Behr ® — squared off in a recent League of Women Voters candidate forum in Wilmette.

The Tuesday, Oct. 8 event was organized by the League of Women Voters of Wilmette and co-sponsored by the Leagues of Women Voters of Arlington Heights-Mount Prospect-Buffalo Grove, Glenview-Glencoe, Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth, and Evanston.

“As a citizen, I consent to be governed by delegating limited powers to the government,” Geldermann began his opening statements with. “I was asked to run not because I had a burning desire, but I believe as a citizen I have a duty to stand up and to serve when asked.” 

He said he was running against the “big crime lobby,” the “let’s keep our kids stupid lobby,” the “DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) lobby,” and the “death lobby.” 

In her opening statements, Gong-Gershowitz said, “I ran in 2018 with a wave of women who ran for the first time in the wake of Donald Trump to protect our freedom, our environment, and our democracy and that’s why I’m still running. We’ve all seen the consequences of increased tension and even hatred in this community; anti-Semitism islamophobia, racism and other forms of bigotry that are on the rise.” She said the community must commit to rebuilding the country, rejecting hate, and tackling complex issues. “It will require hard choices and I’m not afraid of that.”

In his opening statement, Behr said, “I could stand by as a spectator no more.” He pointed to failed state policies and leadership and to his background in economic development and his PhD in applied economics, which he said he could apply, for the good of the people of the state. 

He pointed to the state’s challenges of high taxes, rising crime, which he said is not good for the business climate, “and on top of it, we have a largely unfunded and almost insolvent (state) pension system.”

He pointed to Democratic party-sponsored state legislation against party-slating rules, which would have taken him and 19 other GOP candidates off the ballot, if not for a lawsuit.   

In her opening statement, Katz Muhl pointed to her 15 years in public service working with community groups, non-profits, and in elected office, including with groups like Moms Demand Action on gun legislation, working on reproductive rights issues and serving on the Northbrook Dist. 28 school board for eight years during the COVID pandemic. She said she studied government at Georgetown University and has worked as the Democratic committee person for Northfield Township for 15 years.  

On housing affordability, Gong-Gershowitz said the state should help add to the housing stock by offering incentives to align and match with federal affordable housing incentives to developers, to put downward pressure on housing costs. 

Behr said he would favor an increase in “ADU’s” — auxiliary dwelling units, additions to homes where seniors could live with families rather than going into assisted living. To fund these home additions, Behr suggested tax abatements.  

Katz Muhl said she worked on legislation in the House to allow developers, operating as LLCs (limited liability corporations), to be allowed to apply for the same tax incentives as other developers to create more affordable housing. She suggested changes to the property tax structure.

Geldermann blamed crime and poor education in Chicago for causing people to flee the city, which “pushes up prices here.” He said 25 to 50% of seniors apply for a senior exemption on their property taxes based on income.

“When we start forcing people out of their homes, it’s insanity,” Geldermann said. 

On a state law pushed by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is also the state’s chief librarian, to withhold grants from his office to the public libraries including school libraries that do not adopt anti-book ban policies, the reaction among the candidates was mixed. 

Behr said he does not believe any content of a sexual nature should be available to grade school-aged children: “Some things are not appropriate for grade school children, stick to the three R’s: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Don’t confuse them with anything else.” 

Katz Muhl said she does not support book bans: “We have grade school teachers and grade school librarians who are experts in this area.” 

Geldermann said, “You wonder why people like P Diddy and Jeffrey Epstein can exist. It’s because of the desensitization of our children. We used to be worried about Mr. Stranger Danger and the DARE (program). You don’t hear about those anymore, you hear about people being in touch with their sexuality.” 

Gong-Gershowitz praised the legislation saying it protects against book bans and censorship and helps protect the free flow of information. She pointed to the rise in recent threats including bomb threats targeting libraries and librarians. 

“The last time in our world’s history where books were banned was in the rise in advance of World War II. I think book bans are dangerous. We live in a democracy where each of us should have the ability to seek out information.” 

On the Safe-T Act, which abolished the cash bail system and made other law enforcement reforms, Katz Muhl and Gong-Gershowitz pointed to the fact that suspects are held based on their danger to the community, not the ability to pay to be bailed out of jail. 

Geldermann and Behr said many charged with crimes and not held in custody fail to show up to their court dates. 

Geldermann pointed to “releasing predators back into neighborhoods.” Behr said suspects fitted with ankle monitors who used to be responded to by law enforcement after being out of their zone for a half an hour, now do not see law enforcement respond for 72 hours.

The post Candidates In 17th, 57th House Districts Square Off At League Forum first appeared on Journal & Topics Media Group.

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October 24, 2024 at 10:34AM