North Cook News

Republican candidate for Illinois House District 16 Vince Romano has questions regarding money going to his opponent's campaign.

Romano will face Democrat Kevin Olickal in the general election. He is calling attention to a number of transactions that eventually put $50,000 into Olickal's campaign. 

“Something that needs to be looked into," Romano said. "This looks like dark money which Democrats are supposed to be against. How far down the rabbit hole this goes with all candidates coordinating with new candidates? It looks like there's coordination between the PACs and the candidates because there's no way to (raise) $53,000 (for) mailings in the three days before our primary. That's not going to get made and sent out. So it must have been done before then. And then they just happened to have almost the exact amount to pay for all of it."

The transactions Romano is calling out focus around a PAC called 16th District Citizens for Ethical Leadership that was created this past May. Romano noted that the Healthcare Council of Illinois gave $53,550 to the Healthcare Council of Illinois PAC. Then, on the same day, the Healthcare Council of Illinois PAC gave $53,445 to 16th District Citizens for Ethical Leadership. Then, the 16th District Citizens for Ethical Leadership made an in-kind contribution to his opponent for $53,445. The Healthcare PAC had already given Olickal $29,700. 

Romano believes there is "coordination between everyone."

"There's there's so much to this story. We're still trying to wrap our heads around it. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, and I think the citizens of the district and the state need to know what's pushing this," Romano said. "And this looks like it's tied to Amendment 1 stuff with SEIU, Healthcare Control or Health Care Council, the Illinois SEIU Healthcare, which Phil Brown has been part of and seems to be behind all this with. Those people may have some explaining to do.”

The Illinois GOP is opposing the proposed Amendment 1 because it says it would raise taxes on everyone across the state, Prairie State Wire reported. State GOP chairman Don Tracy warned voters of the amendment in a memo in which he said that "Amendment 1 is being promoted as a Workers’ Rights Amendment. In reality, however, it is a disguised tax referendum, a Trojan horse that, if passed, is projected to cost a typical family over $2,100 in additional property taxes within the next four years." Tracy also stressed that "Amendment 1 is a power grab that would result in a gigantic transfer of government power from we voters and our legislators to state union bosses. If it passes, it would make state government less flexible, less responsive and less efficient, while enriching state union workers at the expense of all other workers." 

"Amendment 1 is not a workers' rights amendment; instead, it will give state unions powers they have no where else in the country," Tracy said. He went on to say that if passed, the amendment would make Illinois less attractive to businesses. 

According to Illinois Policy, Illinois has the second highest property tax burden in the country, after New Jersey, and Amendment 1 would only make it worse.

According to his campaign website, Romano was born and raised in Skokie and has had successful careers in both financial services and real estate. 

While working in real estate, he was asked to assist his dad in the financial services field. He transitioned to financial services and landed a job at Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor. Now, Romano is partnered with the Romano Group which provides services to retirees.

His main campaign issues are opposing corruption, fraud, and waste in Springfield, pension reform, reducing taxes, crime, and school choice. 

He opposes the SAFE-T Act and the elimination of cash bail. He also supports parental rights, lower taxes, and transparency in Springfield.

District 16 includes part of Skokie, Lincolnwood and West Ridge.