North Cook News

Jillian Rose Bernas announced the formation of the Women for Jillian Coalition recently. The group is comprised of state and local leaders who support Bernas' candidacy for Illinois House District 56, Schaumburg.

The public is invited to attend the launch of the group at 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Westwood Tavern, 1385 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg. Tickets range from free to $2,500 sponsorships.

In addition to meeting Republican candidate Bernas, attendees can meet and greet with current and former state officials Leslie Geissler Munger, Illinois State Comptroller, and Suzzane Bassi, Former State Rep., 54th House District.

Republican Party leaders endorsing Bernas include Susan Wynn Bence, President Illinois Federation of Republican Women; Elaine Zannis, Deputy State Central Committeewoman and Cindy Wellwood Burke, Deputy State Central Committeewoman. Local officials, business owners and community leaders who have joined the coalition will also be present.

Bernas is running on a fiscally conservative platform that emphasizes a balanced budget, education, term limits and redistricting reforms. As part of her campaign for fiscal responsibility, she supports structural reforms in the state's systems, pension reform, implementation of cost-saving measures and paying down the state's debt.

"Our state is in a very precarious position given its massive state debt and crushing unfunded pension debt," Bernas said on her campaign website. "This means our state is in a weak position to provide the programs and services needed by those that most need them."

Recognizing the issues that are driving business and residents out of the state, Bernas also expressed her opposition to raising taxes. She pointed out that after the implementation of the Taxpayer Accountability and Budget Stabilization Act, state income taxes rose from 3 percent to 5 percent for individuals and from 4.8 percent to 7 percent for corporations.

"[I]n 2011, the highest tax increase in state history was levied with the promise to pay down the backlog of bills burdening the state. This vote took $31 billion in additional revenue from taxpayers without making a dent in the state debt. At the same time, our pension liabilities grew, our credit rating was downgraded and $127 million was added to our debt."

When the temporary income tax increase was implemented, the state's unpaid bills totaled $8.5 billion. Despite the addition $31 billion collected between 2011 and the expiration of the temporary tax in 2015, the remaining unpaid bill backlog remained at approximately $7 billion.

To add to the taxpayers' burden, struggling municipalities have used property taxes to fill the gap between funding and expenditures, such as paying for unfunded mandates imposed by the legislature. Property taxes in Illinois are among the highest in the nation, second only to New Jersey.

Due to high income and property taxes and restrictive regulations on businesses, Illinois continues to see an out-migration of businesses and residents. Bernas pointed out that Cook County lost 10,000 residents in 2015. The exodus has been ongoing as the state struggled to recover from the 2007-2009 Great Recession.

Bernas opposes additional income and property taxes. Instead, she supports reforms that would allow the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget, such as structural and pension reforms that would reduce spending and eliminating political pet projects. She also supports changes in business regulations that would promote a business-friendly climate in Illinois.

As a former teacher with master's degrees in education and public policy, she also supports Governor Bruce Rauner's proposed $400 million increase in K-12 education funding. She believes that education dollars should follow the children, not the bureaucracy.

Bernas will face off with Democratic incumbent Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg) in the November general election.

Bernas supporters can meet with her and discuss the budget, education and other issues at the Women for Jillian Coalition launch. Tickets are available here.