North Cook News

Jillian Bernas, international relations manager from Schaumburg who is running in the GOP primary in the 56th House District for the seat held by Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg), said something has to give in the state.

Bernas, who garnered 44.7 percent of the vote in 2016 against Mussman, told the North Cook News that after taking the entire month of December off, the fact that General Assembly is working only 20 days between now and April, at a $67,000 taxpayer-funded salary per lawmaker, is intolerable.

“While Illinois lawmakers take time off and put off our state’s problems, Illinois families work overtime to make ends meet,” Bernas said. “Families deserve better, lawmakers should get back to work.”

Bernas, who is seeking to serve the 56th District, which includes Schaumburg, Hanover Park, Roselle and Elk Grove Village, said raising taxes on families and businesses while refusing to make reforms and work only 20 days in the first quarter of the year is the hypocrisy characteristic of Springfield career politicians.

“Career politicians should not be receiving full-time pay for what appears to be clearly a part-time job,” Bernas said, adding it is frustrating to the rest of citizens who are hard at work serving people, making things, teaching children, helping families and curing patients.

“The government is not working for us, but instead they are taking extra days this year to ramp up their re-election campaigns in service of their own self-interests,” Bernas said. “I am going to Springfield to end business as usual and act on much needed reforms in our state.”

Bernas said her opponent in the GOP primary, Char Kegarise, has sat on the local school board since Bernas was in elementary school and raised taxes every year since while the community has had nothing to say about it.

“I do not expect her to bring relief to taxpayers,” Bernas said. “Likewise, my general election opponent Michelle Mussman is clearly complacent with the corrupt system, voting for Speaker (Mike) Madigan every time,” Bernas said.

Bernas said she does not expect Mussman to bring change to Illinois taxpayers unless Madigan tells her to, and that is not going to happen.

“I am running to demand change in our state and relief for Illinois taxpayers,” Bernas said.