North Cook News

Mount Prospect Republican Katie Miller is ready for Tuesday's primary.

With the primary days away, Miller, who is seeking the 53rd District seat being vacated by retiring Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights), told North Cook News this week the only thing her opponent seems to stand for is attacking her.

“There is a clear difference between my opponent and I,” Miller said. “I am for term limits and am not planning to take a pension.”

Katie Miller

Miller, a longtime nurse at Alexian Brothers epilepsy clinic in Hoffman Estates and case manager at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, has spoken openly about many subjects since last year, sharing her views on the legalization of marijuana and the sexual harassment scandal in Springfield.

“I oppose legalization of marijuana for recreational use,” Miller has said. “We are a nation of laws, and it is against federal law. We cannot be picking and choosing which laws to follow.”

As a nurse, Miller has said the drug can be dangerous since it stays in your system for anywhere from one week to one month.

“With that variation, how can society know when someone is driving or working under the influence of marijuana?” Miller has said.

As for hiding sexual harassment, Miller was one of many who spoke out against House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), saying he should step down from his leadership position in the House and as head of the Illinois Democratic Party for potentially abusing his power and covering up for those close to him.

“Will my opponent Mark Walker demand his resignation?” Miller has asked. “Will he pledge to not vote for him as speaker? Will he return the money he has received from him? Or will he again stand shoulder to shoulder with Madigan?”

While Miller has taken matters seriously, campaigning and speaking out on controversial issues since she has announced her run, she said Walker has done very little.

“My opponent has not given any ideas on how he is going to fix Illinois,” Miller said.

Seeking the 53rd District, which covers Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights, Miller said plans to remove the 32 percent income tax increase that was placed last summer and reduce property taxes to a 1 percent hard cap.

“A property tax freeze is a start, but more could be done,” Miller has said. “It has been done successfully in other parts of the country, so we can do it here.”

But bottom-line, Miller said no matter what happens next week in or out of the race, “after the primary we need to come together as a party.”