Chet Olson

On the Record

Despite some cuts, the state remains in the midst of the worst fiscal crisis in its history. Significant budget cuts still need to be made, including cuts that will affect services. Prioritize cuts that you think should be made, and include how much money can be saved. Be specific.

Specific areas of the budget have to be identified before this question can be answered. Once those line items are identified, then they can be evaluated on the budget dollars that support the item, its fiscal need, and if the line item can justify the any reductions. Until this process takes affect, you can not put a dollar figure to the money saved. One cannot properly evaluate the cuts that are needed, until they have access to the full budget document, evaluate the associated services, and then determine the areas that need to be reduce. My budget evalution process would be detailed, objective, and well researched before specific cuts can be recommended.

Did you support the income and corporate tax increases approved in 2011 by the state Legislature? Explain your answer.

I would not have supported the tax increases that were approved in 2011. The individual tax increases are not good for the citizens of Illinois during these tough economic times. It is very hard for individuals families to keep their budgets in line and make ends meet under todays economy. The Corporate increases is only forcing the businesses in Illinois to evaluate whether or not they can afford to do business in this state vs moving to another state where the cost of doing business is much less.

Several of the lawmakers who voted for the tax increases were lame ducks who later were hired into state jobs, creating the appearance that their votes were bought. Would you support legislation banning elected state officials from taking jobs in state government until at least five years after they leave their elected post? Explain.

I am absolutly in favor of supporting legislation to limit the elected officials from taking state jobs after leaving their respective elected position. The limitation should be a minimum of one year with a maximum of five years.

State lawmakers in 2010 passed legislation creating a two-tiered pension system for new state employees, but still has not addressed its $85 billion funding gap. How do you propose bridging that gap, and should similar reform legislation be passed for workers hired before Jan.1, 2011?

The pension systems have been funded over the years by the state employees contributions, but the state of Ilinois has not fully funded their share of the pension contributions. The first step is that the state of Illinois should in good faith begin to fully fund their share of the contributions. The second step would be in order to bridge that gap, the state general assembly would have to determine what revenue sources that would have to be created to offset the shortfall. This cannot be done overnight, but a steady revenue system has to be put in place to provide a continued positive progression to reduce this gap. This can be done in the budget process and the realloction of identified funds that can support this issue.

Do you support term limits for state lawmakers? For House Speaker and Senate President? Why or why not?

Yes, I support term limits for elected officals. I also support term limits for the House and Senate leadership. I believe fresh new perspectives are warranted for elected officials with some limitations that should be determined by the General Assembly.

Shortly after the General Assembly passed sweeping changes to FOIA allowing improved access to government by taxpayers, lawmakers began chipping away at the act, taking away some of the access it had granted. Is government in Illinois accessible enough to its taxpayers?

I think the present FOIA legislation is very efficient in giving the taxpayers access to the public information.

Rod Blagojevich was sentenced in December to 14 years in prison. He is the second consecutive Illinois governor and the fourth of the past nine to go to prison. What more can be done in the General Assembly to further combat the state's pervasive corruption?

Term limits would be a step in the right direction to help solve this issue. Electing good citizens that have high moral and ethical standards would be another step.

What – specifically – would you do to improve job creation in Illinois?

We need to balance the budget and eliminate the deficit. We also need to get the states fiscal house in order. We need to reform the Corporate Tax to encourage existing businesses to stay in Illinois and new businesses to come to Illinois. We need to eliminate any and all onerous regulations that would harm existing and perspective new busineses. We should promote good economic development policy that would encourage new businesses to come and existing businesses to expand in order to create new jobs for all of Illinos.