Governor
Four years ago, Illinoisans elected a Democratic Governor, Rod Blagojevich,
because they wanted cleaner government than Republican Governor George Ryan
provided and an end to "pay to play" politics in which campaign
contributions buy favors.
Have we seen an end to pay to play? Blagojevich's close
confidant and top fundraiser, Tony Rezko, has been indicted. Myriad
investigations into the Governor's administration and personal finances are
underway. In the Governor's neighborhood, the average homeowner was socked
with a property tax increase of more than 36%. Blagojevich's tax increase
was 1%. The FBI is investigating a $1,500 check he received just days after
the check-writer's wife got a State job. Blagojevich has raised more than $7
million in campaign contributions from firms with State contracts and from
people or associates of people he has appointed to State boards and
commissions.
Not exactly an end to pay to play.
What about the Republican alternative, Judy Baar Topinka?
Rather than nominate a reformer, the GOP picked Topinka, the poster girl for
the Republican Party’s old guard, which gave us the George Ryan
administration. Topinka is backed by Robert Kjellander, close confidant of
Karl Rove and treasurer of the Republican National Committee, who has made
millions in consultant fees related to the State. In the State Treasurer's
office, Topinka has accepted plenty of campaign contributions from those
with whom her office does State business$590,000 from the banking industry
alone, according to the Sunshine Project. In 1995, she attempted to forgive
a debt owed to the State by an investment group that included GOP power
broker William Cellini.
Not exactly the alternative to ending pay to play.
If one cannot choose one of these candidates on the basis of ethics and morals, one must look at the issues. Here, Blagojevich has some accomplishments: State guarantees of access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare for all children; more access to healthcare for veterans forgotten by the Federal government; State aid to seniors to fill the gaps in the Federal prescription drug plan horror; a good record of job creation and environmentalism; and in this community, assistance to the University of Illinois at Chicago to graduate more nurses and give more poor kids dental care.
Unfortunately, the Governor has "balanced" the budget in large part by tapping State employees' pension funds and cutting higher education funding. How about Topinka? While she's been a good State Treasurer, her stands on the issues include a casino for Chicago (just what we need, more gambling addiction and prostitution, both of which rise when casinos are present), an attempt to curtail class action lawsuits (so if you've been injured by big business, too bad), and opposition to a ban on assault weapons.
There is one unquestionably ethical person in this race, with great stands on the issues. Carbondale attorney Rich Whitney is the Green Party candidate. He wants a single-payer healthcare system like Canada’s so everyone can receive medical care. He would push for property tax relief for homeowners and a revamped progressive income tax that (shocking!) would tax the rich at higher rates than the poor. He would promote clean energy. Perhaps most important among Gubernatorial candidates, he accepts no corporate contributions.
Two of the running mates for Lieutenant Governor are decent folks: Pat Quinn for the Democrats and Julie Samuels for the Greens. Republican DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett has "accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions...from defense attorneys who have regular dealings with his office," according to Crain's Chicago Business.
We very reluctantly endorse Rod Blagojevich for Governor. He
has scored some important accomplishments for the people of Illinois that no
Republican Governor ever considered and should continue to do so in a second
term. There is no reason, policy- or clean government-wise, to vote for
Topinka. But if you can't stomach either one, vote for Rich Whitney, a
decent fellow with good policies who missed getting our endorsement only
because electing a Green Party candidate would be so difficult in this
State.
Attorney General
When you think of the name "Madigan" in Illinois politics, the modifier
"independent" seldom comes to mind. In the case of Attorney General Lisa
Madigan, maybe it should.
She's taken on the Emerald casino, even though the regulars of both parties love to take those gambling interest contributions, and has attempted to strip it of its license. She forced part of the City government, the Chicago Transit Authority, to reverse a decision because it had not followed the open meetings act. She prosecuted and secured the conviction of a Democratic State Legislator from this community, Patricia Bailey, for forgery and perjury. She stopped Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich from trying to mortgage the Thompson Center. She appointed the state's first Public Access Counselor in an effort to "put an end to a government run by and for entrenched insiders." The list of her accomplishments in only one term goes on.
Madigan faces Republican Stewart Umholtz, State's Attorney of downstate Tazewell County, and Green Party candidate David Black.
Nothing wrong with those two, but Madigan has tallied a
stellar record as Attorney General, demolishing the predictions of naysayers
who figured she'd be nothing but "daddy's little girl" and spend all her
time doing what her father, House Speaker Mike Madigan, told her to.
Instead, Lisa Madigan has proven not only to be a good Attorney General but
a possible future Governor or Supreme Court nominee as well. She deserves
another term as Attorney General.
Secretary of State
The Secretary of State's Office is the part of State government with which
people have the most contact. The secretary is in charge of drivers'
licenses and license plates, but there is much more to the office than that.
Incumbent Jesse White's work on behalf of organ donation, programs for
youngsters and seniors, literacy, and state library issues has been
exemplary.
The Republicans have put up a great candidate for the office in State Senator Dan Rutherford of Pontiac. Rutherford has perhaps been the State Legislature's most vocal opponent to Governor Rod Blagojevich's use of state pension funds and other state funds earmarked for different purposes to balance the budget. Karen Young Peterson of the Green Party also is in the race. She has a professional background in commercial radio and is the founder of Media Democracy Chicago.
This is a rare race with three good candidates. White has
been active in this community in the 27th Ward as Committeeman for years and
has tallied some good accomplishments as Secretary of State, so the Gazette
endorses Jesse White.
State Comptroller
The Comptroller is the state's chief fiscal officer, and Democrat Dan Hynes
has served two terms.
In that time, he created the state's Rainy Day Fund to pay for unexpected expenses. During budget crises, he froze pork barrel spending projects. He has proposed a Government Integrity Initiative that would ban all campaign contributions from companies doing business with the State government. Hynes also blocked Bush Administration rules that would have eliminated overtime pay for thousands of Illinois workers.
He is running against Republican Carole Pankau, a State
Senator from Itasca, and Green Party candidate Alicia Snyder.
Dan Hynes has been a great Comptroller, and he is a future Gubernatorial or
U.S. Senate nominee as well. He deserves another term as Comptroller.
State Treasurer
Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is a vice president and senior loan officer at
Broadway Bank. Republican State Senator from Lemont Christine Radogno is a
former LaGrange Economic Development Commissioner and a member of Senate
Appropriations committees. Green Party candidate Dan Rodriguez-Schlorff
works with grants and procurement for a development firm and is a member of
the finance committee of the Green Party of the United States.
While we endorsed Giannoulias in his primary race in March, he refuses to answer allegations that his bank has lent money to organized crime. Because of this refusal to address the issue, even the Democratic Speaker of the House has refused to endorse him.
As a State Senator, Radogno has sponsored legislation
toughening laws against drunk driving and expanding medical care to the
indigent as part of her excellent record in Springfield. She would be a good
choice for treasurer, as would Rodriguez-Schlorff. Christine Radogno gets
our endorsement because of her stellar record and potential of winning.
3rd Congress
Two years ago in this spot, we offered the opinion that with his academic
background as a political scientist, Democrat Daniel Lipinski could be a
great Congressman. He has not yet lived up to his potential. In fact, one
website rates his influence in Washington below those of the representatives
from Guam and Puerto Rico, and they are not even allowed to vote.
Nonetheless, he does have some solid accomplishments and has brought needed Federal dollars to the district to improve mass transportation and local railroads. We admire his taking on an issue such as railroading that is not much in the news but nonetheless is important.
A good Republican candidate might have been worth a look, but
Ray Wardingley is not that candidate. A political gadfly and knee-jerk
conservative, Wardingley offers little more to the district than the promise
of continuing to send money and soldiers into the Iraq quagmire if elected.
We endorse Daniel Lipinski for another term in Congress and hope that as he
builds seniority he will carve out his own niche and become more influential
in Washington.
4th Congress
Democratic Congressman Luis Gutierrez has been a national leader on
immigrants' rights, fighting for due process for immigrants and sponsoring
citizenship workshops. He consistently champions the economically
disadvantaged and is a leading advocate for increasing funding for CTA's
Blue Line. His opponent, Republican attorney Ann Melichar, has good legal
and historic preservation credentials but is running a pretty low-profile
campaign.
In what he says is his last race for Congress (and prior to a possible Mayoral run), we endorse Luis Gutierrez because of his leadership on pocketbook issues such as transportation and jobs.
7th Congress
Republicans have come up with a good candidate in Charles Hutchinson in the
7th Congressional District. A small business owner and activist at Old St.
Mary's Catholic School in the South Loop, Hutchinson is eager to take on
poverty and education issues.
Democratic Congressman Danny K. Davis has been a good and sometimes great Congressman. Davis is one of the most grassroots representatives in Congress, holding town meetings that bring people together with providers of services they desperately need. In a highly partisan Congress, he works with Republicans to get legislation passed that helps the poor.
We have a concern with Davis's cozyness with religious
extremist the Rev. Sun Myung Moon of the Universal Life Church ("the
Moonies"). That relationship is something to keep an eye on but is not
enough to keep us from endorsing Davis. While Hutchinson is good, Davis has
proven himself in the job, and we recommend Danny K. Davis for another term
in Congress.
1st District State Senate
We did not endorse 1st District incumbent Democratic State Senator Antonio
"Tony" Munoz during the March primary, feeling his opponent Oscar Torres was
a better choice than the Hispanic Democratic Organization-backed Munoz. But
the voters had their say in March and voted for Munoz and other HDO-backed
candidates, even though Federal prosecutors are looking into alleged HDO
campaign work-for-jobs practices. In the general election, we will agree
with those March voters: Munoz is the best choice of three candidates. In
the State Senate, he has worked on improving treatment of veterans and
making sure high school students are financially literate.
We endorse Antonio Munoz, but for those still bothered by his
HDO ties, Green Party candidate Dorian Breuer is an excellent alternative.
Although we like her view on protecting private property, Republican Rose
Pappas, with her ideas on privatization and drilling in Alaska, is too
conservative for this district.
3rd District State Senate
This year has brought a general lack of good Republican local candidates,
but an exception is Chad Jackson Surles. He's got intelligent ideas for job
training, and we like his solutions for improving John H. Stroger Hospital.
Incumbent Democrat Mattie Hunter is the real healthcare Senator, however. That's her main issue, and her solid accomplishments include forcing insurance companies to cover mammograms and getting lottery money designated for breast cancer.
Surles would make a good Senator, but Mattie Hunter already
is one, and gets our endorsement.
13th District State Senate
When 13th District State Senator Barack Obama got elected to the U.S.
Senate, Democratic Committeemen made a good choice in Kwame Raoul to take
his spot. Raoul was a former Cook County prosecutor and attorney for the
City Colleges of Chicago. In the State Senate, he has fought for improved
education, healthcare, public safety, consumer protection, and economic
development. Kwame Raoul gets our endorsement over Republican Charles Kinzer.
5th District State Rep
An active member of the Illinois General Assembly known for his visibility,
accessibility, and sponsorship of local events, Democrat Ken Dunkin is
everything one would want in a Representative. He's one of the hardest
working Representatives in Springfield, serving on seven committees and
bringing job training centers and funds for road, bridge, sewer, and other
infrastructure improvements to the district.
He is running against a highly inexperienced opponent fresh out of college, Republican Keely Drukala, who too freely tosses around charges of "Democrat corruption." There never has been a hint of scandal about Dunkin, and it is sad that Drukala would make such baseless charges.
Ken Dunkin deserves another term and gets our strong
endorsement.
9th District State Rep
Democrat Arthur L. Turner in more than 25 years in the State Legislature has
promoted fair housing, made it easier for ex-felons to make a living
honestly, and been tough on domestic abusers. Republican Myra Bland is a
former Illinois Community Leader of the Year and vows to be a hard worker if
elected. We question her assertion that school administrators are putting
school funding "in their pockets," but we like her moderate stand on
immigration.
Arthur L. Turner has delivered for the 9th District and
deserves another term.
26th District State Rep
In Illinois we are stuck with a system that, when there is a vacancy in
elective office, has party bosses pick the replacement. Mercifully, when
26th District State Representative Lovana Jones died earlier this year,
party bosses did not choose a party hack to replace her. Instead, they chose
Elga L. Jefferies, who has a long record of community activism in local
organizations and is interested in improving healthcare, education, and the
availability of affordable housing.
We endorse Elga L. Jefferies over incognito Republican candidate Gregory McClure for a full term as 26th District State Representative.
County Board President
When longtime Cook County Board President John Stroger had a stroke, he had
to be replaced as the Democratic Party's candidate for the post. Rather than
pick Commissioner Forrest Claypool, who ran for and nearly won the
nomination in March, or Acting County Board President and longtime
Commissioner Bobbie Steele, party bosses picked Alderman Todd Stroger, whose
only qualification appears to be that he is John Stroger's son.
Didn't this country fight the revolutionary war to get rid of hereditary monarchy?
Eminently qualified is Republican Tony Peraica, who has been a Cook County Commissioner since 2003. An alumnus of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Peraica is the reform candidate, with plans for budget, economic, environmental, healthcare, public safety, tax, and transportation reform. With the FBI investigating Cook County government, it apparently could use some reform.
Todd Stroger will not provide it. Tony Peraica will, and gets
the Gazette endorsement.
County Clerk
There is an epidemic of mistrust of voting machines in this country, and
with good reason. The more electronically complicated they are, the more
they do not work correctly or can be manipulated. The March elections in
Cook County became a disaster when touchscreen machines failedas they have
in other jurisdictions.
Whoever wins as County Clerk should make fair elections a priority, and that includes having failsafe, non-provisional paper ballots available at every polling place for when machines fail or just for people who don't trust the machines. They have good reason not to trust them.
Nancy Carlson is the Republican challenger, and David Orr is the Democratic incumbent.
Because David Orr has provided candidates space on the
Internet to explain why they are running and fought for the motor-voter law
to increase voter registration, we endorse him for another term. We urge him
to make voting by paper ballot and by voting machines with a paper trail his
number one priority.
County Sheriff
Democrat Tom Dart is the top aide to Sheriff Michael Sheahan, whose
less-than-stellar regime is mercifully coming to an end, and a former State
Legislator. Republican Peter Garza has served as a criminal investigator for
the Cook County State's Attorney's Office since 1993.
Garza is a good candidate, but so is Dart. Although Dart worked for Sheahan, he is not Sheahan. We've always liked Dart and endorsed him for State Treasurer in 2002 and in his primary this year. As a State Legislator for ten years, he led the fight to protect children and families through landmark reforms of the Department of Children and Family Services and for tough laws against predatory lenders. He also is a former Cook County prosecutor. As Sheriff, he would increase the number of guards at Cook County Jail.
Both Garza and Dart would be reformersyes, we feel the
regular Democratic organization is capable of fielding genuine reform
candidates from among its ranks. Democrat Tom Dart gets our endorsement.
County Treasurer
Democratic incumbent County Treasurer Maria Pappas has a solid record of
accomplishments as Treasurer, returning unspent funds to the County,
reducing the size of her staff, and creating a navigable website. In an era
in which older people, churches, and charities have been targeted by
predators who try to steal their property through fraudulent documentation
or by tax scavengers who take property "legally" through tax sales, Pappas
launched a third-party delinquency notice program that works with religious
leaders to prevent church properties from being exposed to tax sale. She
also decreased the number of parcels offered for sale because of tax
delinquency by running outreach programs.
We believe a person's home should never, ever be sold out
from under them to tax scavengers. Period. If you owe money on a credit card
or TV, nobody takes your house away. If you owe money to the county, nobody
should take your house away either. Pappas should make this her priority in
her next term if she gets re-elected.
Her Republican opponent is Eric Peck, an attorney and activist in the
Hispanic community.
We endorse Maria Pappas but urge her to do even more to
protect people from losing their homes.
County Assessor
Incumbent Democrat James M. Houlihan has pushed for tax exemptions and
assessment freezes for senior citizens, invested in new technology,
increased outreach, and lobbied in Springfield for fairer tax laws. He gets
the nod over Republican Ralph Connor.
1st District, County
Democrat Earlean Collins has been an active County Board Commissioner,
introducing legislation on videotaping interrogations, giving juvenile
arrestees health screenings, preventing predatory lending, and bringing
property tax appeals to the community. If re-elected, she wants to establish
additional programs for the mentally ill in Cook County jail and work on
housing issues. In a race against Republican unknown Henrietta S. Butler,
Earlean Collins is an easy choice.
2nd District, County
Democrat Bobbie Steele has been 2nd District Cook County Commissioner for 20
years and has been a big advocate of healthcare for the indigent. She would
like to promote preventive healthcare to head off more serious illnesses
among that population. She also has pushed for more women in County
leadership roles and led by example when she served as Interim Cook County
Board President for the last several months.
Republican Scott Kummer would like to see more integrity, independence, efficiency, accountability, and accessibility in Cook County government.
While we cannot argue with that and feel Kummer would make a
fine Commissioner, we would hate for the County to lose Steele's experience
and commitment to the underserved. We support Bobbie Steele for 2nd District
Commissioner.
3rd District, County
This is another race in which voters have a rare choice of two really good candidates. Democrat Jerry "Iceman"
Butler
Butler has been on the board for 20 years, working to improve County-provided healthcare to the underserved. He would like to reform Cook County jail and focuses on governing, rather than politicking.
His Republican opponent is Maurice Perkins, head of the Inner-City Youth Foundation, which provides training, rehabilitation, life management skills, and education to troubled youths and ex-offenders. Prison reform and fiscal reform are his two main issues.
Although Perkins would be a good Commissioner, Jerry "Iceman"
Butler has a proven record and deserves another term as 3rd District
Commissioner.
11th District, County
While Republican Carl Segvich has surprised us pleasantly with moderate
positions on some issues equal pay for women and minorities, opposition to
discrimination, and interest in the environment we take issue with some of
his extreme right-wing stands. He speaks of "the homosexual agenda" as "a
way to overthrow the country" and of illegal immigrants "invading our
country." We like his interest in promoting honesty, ending political
corruption, ensuring accountability, curtailing waste, and promoting fiscal
responsibility, yet are concerned that he tosses around charges of alleged
John Daley corruption too freely.
When one thinks of John Daley one too often thinks of the political. Quietly, however, he has achieved a solid
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Daley
record on the governmental side, working with Republicans at the State and Countylevels, opening up financial processes, and stopping the County from doing business with people who owe it money. He understands that procedures at the County's medical facilities have to be tightened to enable them to get money from other sources. He also understands that (gasp!) taxes have to be raised sometimes if the County is going to provide services for the poor.
John Daley has done the job the voters elected him to do as
Cook County Commissioner and in his next term can be expected to deal with
tough budget issues with experience. We endorse John P. Daley for another
term as 11th District Cook County Commissioner.
Assault weapons
Should the State of Illinois ban the manufacture, sale, delivery, and
possession of military assault weapons and .50 caliber rifles? Those who
take the right to bear arms to its extreme say "no." We, on the other hand,
question why anybody but the military needs military weapons. We can
understand arguments about having a handgun to protect oneself or one's
property or having a hunting rifle for those who enjoy legal hunting, but
military assault weapons are used for neither. These weapons already are in
the hands of drug dealers, gangbangers, and overthrow-the-government wackosa
frightening prospect for future violence.
Vote yes on the assault weapons ban.
Wage referendum
An advisory referendum asks Cook County voters whether legislators should
raise the minimum wage in Illinois from $6.50 an hour to $7.50 an hour.
We believe workers deserve a living wage. Business interests
generally oppose increasing the minimum wage by claming business will
suffer; so generally do Republicans, as Gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar
Topinka has called the minimum wage a "giveaway program." Ultimately,
however, businesses survive and thrive after wages increase, and everyone
benefits from raising the standard of living of lower income neighbors.
Vote yes on the minimum wage referendum.
Iraq referendum
A final advisory referendum asks Cook County voters whether U.S. troops
should be brought home from Iraq.
Even the Bush administration has had to admit Saddam Hussein-led Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Attacking Iraq because of 9/11 made about as much sense as if the U.S, after the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl Harbor, would have invaded Canada.
Now, the U.S. is spending $8 billion per month in Iraq, or $11 million each hour. For what the U.S. spends in five days in Iraq, we could put radiation detectors in all of our ports. For what we spend in two days in Iraq, we could screen all air cargo. Those would be real security measures that truly would protect the United States.
Iraq has a government, a constitution, and a military force.
It's time for Iraqis to defend Iraq and time for U.S. troops to come home.
Vote yes on the Iraq referendum.
