Environment:

Many have turned the idea of clean land, air and water into a political issue. They have thought of Global Warming as a conflict of winners and losers. (A more apt description is Climate Change / and not just warming but of extended periods of too much rain and then drought) This is not a question of politics, but, of science, and as a basic issue of survival.  We have an obligation to future generations to leave them a better place live.  And, indeed, for us, solving this problem will not cause a loss of jobs but will create better and more attractive jobs.

Budget:

For decades the politicians of both Republican and the Democratic Parties have played games with the budget. Illinois is rated as among the top 5 deadbeat states on promptly paying its bills and as one of the top three in under-funded pension funds. Here again we must not pass on to future generations debt for items we want now. If we want it now – pay for it now.  We must find revenue to bring the pensions into a fully funded level within 15 years.

Transportation:

One of the fallacies both the Republicans and the Democrats is that we need a Capital Budget to maintain and build our roads and transportation services. They want more taxes to pay for this. Currently some of the road maintenance funds come from the General Fund each year. Also each year the taxes on each gallon of gas currently around 24 cents each gallon also goes into the General Fund. Much of that money does not go into roads but into the deep crevices of the General Fund going for anything but its needed purpose.  I propose that all of road tax money go only to roads and transportation. I estimate that currently around 400 Million Dollars each year is stolen from the road fund for other projects as our roads crumble.  Gasoline is also taxed through sales taxes and as the price of gasoline goes up – so do the revenues. At $4.00 a gallon that comes to around a Billion Dollars a year. Both these sums should go into Capital Fund for transportation and not into the abyss of the General Fund as it currently does. No new taxes are needed here. Here locally, the most immediate concern is Alpine Road and the 4-lane construction of Hwy 2 between Rockford and Rockton that is 40 years over due. Also Metra must be expanded to include both Boone and Winnebago Counties. All of this should start now. These should be the #1 priority on roads in Illinois.

Education:

Education should be the high on the State’s priority list along with transportation. Decades ago we were sold the idea of a state lottery with the understanding that the money would go toward education and perhaps lower the local property taxes. What a sham. Yes they now earmark those revenues to education but they cut the other funding. Again it’s more money going off to the abyss of the General Fund.  We must restore those funds to go along with the lottery revenues. Again no new taxes needed here. For the Rockford Area the State needs to create a campus for the University of Illinois. At first it would only be for Junior and Senior level courses with the Community Colleges such as Rock Valley acting as a feeder college toward the University. This should not be a dream goal but an immediate quest.

email: gerry.il68@gmail.com

Committee to Elect Gerry Woods    PO Box 588    Roscoe, IL  61073