Governor Candidate

Questions & Answers

What is the importance of the Illinois Governor to your constituents in Champaign County?

The next governor of Illinois has the opportunity to reverse decades of instability and disinvestment facing Champaign County and provide economic security and opportunity for every resident. Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis was devastating, jeopardizing funding for public schools from kindergarten through college, shutting down vital social services, and halting infrastructure projects. As governor, I will pass a balanced budget by passing a progressive income tax, taxing financial transactions, and closing corporate tax loopholes such as the carried interest loophole. I will use this revenue to support a capital bill to modernize infrastructure and create jobs in Champaign County and other areas, fairly and fully fund every school in every neighborhood, eliminate in-state tuition at public colleges and universities, including the University of Illinois, and affirm healthcare as a universal human right by passing Medicare-for-all at the state level.

Why are you qualified to be Governor?

I’m a middle-class father, public school parent, community organizer, and progressive state senator. I began my career teaching math and got involved in grassroots organizing for the first time when I saw our nation lurching into war with Iraq and knew I needed to do something. I fell in love with the idea that when we unite around a shared vision, we can change the world around us. That fundamental faith in grassroots organizing inspired me to run for office for the first time a decade ago; it has guided me in fighting for progressive reform in the Senate, and grounds me as I run for governor today. During my time in the legislature, I have passed nearly ninety bills including creating an automatic-enrollment retirement savings program for more than one million workers, preventing health insurance companies from discriminating based on preexisting conditions, and expanding SNAP benefits for over 40,000 families. As proud as I am of these accomplishments, I know there’s so much more to be done to build a state that works for middle-class and working families—and that’s why I’m running for governor.

What is a key policy difference between you and your Primary Opponent[s]?

I am the only candidate in the race who will ensure that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes by taxing financial transactions and closing the carried interest loophole at the state level. I’m also the only middle-class candidate, running against a millionaire and a billionaire who have benefited greatly from our broken tax system while families like mine all across our state have paid the price. My opponents say that we should leave these tax policies up to the federal government, but given that the Trump administration also refuses to build a fair tax system, it’s clear my opponents do not think we should pass these policies at all. None of these wealthy businessmen understand the urgency of passing a balanced budget—they don’t have to worry about neighborhood public schools opening in the fall, or about affording everyday necessities while still saving enough for college tuition. If we want to build a tax system that works for the rest of us, we need to elect a governor who understands the economic realities of middle-class and working families.

Is there anything else you would like to say to an undecided voter in Champaign County?

When our state fails to invest in our public colleges and universities, tuition rises while academic and extracurricular opportunities shrink, and many Illinois high school students attend college in other states or decide not to attend college at all. Our students deserve better, and that’s why fully funding our public colleges and universities will be a key priority of mine as governor. This means restoring funding for academic programs, extracurricular activities, and research opportunities. It also means eliminating in-state tuition entirely to give every Illinoisan the opportunity to pursue higher education, regardless of their background. When we decided, as a society, that a high school education was important to prepare for the future, we made it free. Now, in a job market requiring increasing education and training, it’s time we extend this promise by offering free tuition for Illinoisans at our community colleges, vocational and trade schools, and public universities.

NBC5 from Chicago hosted a Televised debate with all Democrat candidates running for Governor.

You can watch the full debate: here.