Dear Voters

I am running for re-election as your State Representative for the 53rd District; which includes all or part of Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Wheeling, Prospect Heights, and Mount Prospect.

Over the last eleven years, I have worked hard to serve you and your family in Springfield and here at home. I ask for your vote so that we can continue making progress together for our families and strengthen our shared vision for the future of our community.

• Control spending & balance the budget. I have introduced a constitutional amendment to require that all appropriations be approved by a three-fifths supermajority vote in both chambers of the General Assembly (instead of the current simple-majority requirement); thereby taking the power of spending away from any one political party or leader.
• Roll back Todd Stroger’s sales tax increase. I sponsored legislation to fully repeal the 2008 Stroger sales tax hike and fought to secure bi-partisan support for the effort. The pressure we brought to bear ultimately led the Cook County Board to roll back the increase by half.
• Holding down taxes and working to create new jobs. I sponsored legislation that caps property tax assessments at 7% annually and we have successfully increased homestead exemptions for seniors and families. I have also successfully fought against anti-jobs tax increases that have been proposed the past several years; including Rod Blagojevich’s Gross Receipts Tax.
• Improving our schools. I supported a new law that gives school districts greater financial flexibility and support full-funding for programs for special needs programs. I am also sponsoring legislation that would prohibit unfunded mandates on our local school districts (House Bill 4711).

I respectfully ask for your vote on November 2nd. As always, thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you.