North Cook News

Jon Luers, a candidate for Illinois State Senate District 10, expressed his concern about the high taxes in Illinois. He stated, "High Illinois taxes continue to drive residents from all parts of the state." In his bid to unseat incumbent Democrat Robert Martwick in the general election, Luers emphasized the need for fiscal responsibility, saying, "We need to get control of spending so we can reduce taxes and make the state an attractive place to live and work again."

"High Illinois taxes continue to drive residents from all parts of the state," said Luers, according to Facebook. "We need to get control of spending so we can reduce taxes and make the state an attractive place to live and work again. 3 in 4 Illinois communities lost population in 2023."

In a post on his Facebook page, Luers cited an article from Illinois Policy. The article highlighted that over 75% of communities in Illinois experienced a decrease in population according to data released by the US Census on May 16. This included cities and towns of all sizes. Communities with more than 100,000 residents saw a loss of 9,213 people; those between 50,000 and 100,000 lost 7,205; those ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 lost a combined total of 1,904; and communities with populations between 10,000 and 25,000 lost 3,719 residents.

Screenshot of Jon Luers for IL 10th Senate District May 17 Facebook post | Jon Luers for IL Senate Facebook page

According to the same article from Illinois Policy cited by Luers on Facebook, communities with fewer than 10,000 residents saw a decrease of 4,623 residents in total in 2023. The report suggested that high taxes are likely contributing to this population decline. It also pointed out that negotiations by the Chicago Teachers Union could be exacerbating the issue due to the financial strain it places on the city's budget.

Luers is a veteran software engineer with four decades of experience who is now turning his attention towards politics as a candidate for the Illinois Senate's tenth district. Born in Chicago and educated at Northwestern University, he has expressed disappointment with both Illinois' and America's direction under Democratic leadership. Luers argues that more people are beginning to see through what he perceives as the Democrats' lack of genuine concern for their welfare and are ready for significant change. On his website, Luers criticized his opponent, State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago), describing him as a clone of Mike Madigan who benefits from a property tax appeals business while taxes continue to rise.

The 10th District includes Chicago’s northwest side and North Cook County communities such as Norridge, Schiller Park, Rosemont, Park Ridge, and Niles. The seat is currently held by State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago). A map of the district can be found on Martwick’s website.