North Cook News

Marilyn Smolenski was hoping to hear a truly balanced budget proposal from Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday, one without any new taxes that rein in spending.

“As a small business owner, I know the critical need of having a balanced budget and I’m ready to work toward creating one in Illinois," Smolenski, a Park Ridge Republican running for the seat held by Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), told the North Cook News before the governor made his annual budget address. 

Smolenski, who owns Nickel and Lace, a women’s concealed bodywear holster brand, also said she would like to see Rauner’s plan cap spending at the state's expected revenue and be very specific about what reductions he is going to make. 

According to the governor's address, one of his top priorities is to put a stop to unsustainable growth in pension and healthcare costs. 

"Our reforms must begin with pensions and employee group health expenses," Rauner said. "They now consume 25 cents of every dollar the state spends, and they grow faster than you can raise taxes, and we can grow the economy. In fiscal year 18, we spent more of our budget in these two categories than we spent on K-12 education."

He also spoke on halting and reversing the advance in taxes while also investing more in education, human services, public safety and infrastructure.  

Seeking the 55th District seat, which covers parts of Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and the Northwest Side of Chicago, Smolenski said Illinois’ pension burden over 20 years has grown from just 3 percent of the state’s general budget to nearly 25 percent.

“A policy goal would include the introduction of a self-managed retirement plan for all new state workers and allow current workers to opt in,” Smolenski said.

While stopping short of laying out specifics, Rauner echoed her sentiments to some degree.

"The key reforms have to do with accountability," he said during his speech. "We need to move pension costs to the people who do the buying, and make them responsible for the paying, too."

The only element the governor did not address that Smolenski wanted him to was term limits.

“A balanced budget and having term limits on the ballot would be a good step in the right direction to restoring public trust in our state government,” Smolenski said. “If elected, I would support term limits for legislative officials.”