Working for Illinois Caucus

On the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities, the only local contested race for the State House of Representatives is for the 72nd District, which covers a large portion of the urban areas of Rock Island County.

The incumbent Democrat representative, Gregg Johnson, said his priorities are improving opportunities for the future generations by increasing investment in local schools, improving access to mental health care, and focusing on local economic growth opportunities. His Republican opponent, Charlie Helmick, said that his top priority is the well-being of residents in the area. To achieve this goal he proposes curbing illegal immigration and increasing spending on law enforcement to improve safety, and expanding incentives for businesses.

The candidates and their responses are listed in the order that they appear on the ballot.

What is your current occupation? State Representative, Software Solutions professional

What prior experience do you have that best speaks to your qualifications for the position? I spent 32 years working as a union member in the Illinois Department of Corrections, first as a frontline officer and eventually as a supervisor. As an AFSCME local president, I led numerous contract negotiations, which helped me develop a deep understanding for how state government agencies function, how funding is allocated, and, most importantly, how these policy decisions impact individual people’s lives.

What steps have you taken to learn more about the job? As a freshman legislator, I spent my first term learning from my colleagues, meeting with community leaders and constituents, and doing a lot of reading. No one person can be an expert on every issue, but there is a wealth of knowledge and lived experience in our district. To take advantage of that potential, my office established policy advisory councils, led by community members, that are focused on key policy areas – economic development, mental health, education, and more. This creates opportunities for me to learn from people in our community and gives our constituents an opportunity to help craft legislative solutions to the problems they see every day.

What would be your top policy priorities if elected this term? As a parent of a daughter in public school, my top priority will always be providing for our children’s future. That starts with ensuring high-quality local public schools that prepare students to compete in a 21st century economy with up-to-date curriculum and resources. For too long, communities like ours have seen less investment than wealthier areas – our students deserve the same opportunities that kids in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs get. One of the opportunities that our students need most is access to quality mental healthcare. Rates of mental health issues have skyrocketed among young people. As parents and leaders, taking care of these kids is the most important responsibility we have. To provide students with better access to mental healthcare in schools, we need to expand the pool of available school social workers by streamlining the certification process to reflect current needs.

On what policy issues can Democrats and Republicans find common ground? In today’s hyper-partisan political world, it can seem like the two parties are worlds apart. For a lot of politicians that’s true, but I don’t see things that way – and neither do most of the people I talk to in our community. Republicans and Democrats alike want to see a thriving economy that provides real opportunities for workers young and old. We all want to see safe neighborhoods where our kids can play and grandparents can walk to the store without fear. As a state representative, I have a responsibility to represent all of my constituents, not just one part or another. We must create real economic growth locally and regionally by investing in transportation infrastructure, workplace training/apprenticeship programs, and partnerships between higher education institutions and employers in key growth areas including advanced manufacturing and green energy.

What would you advocate for in the budget this year? In a large state like Illinois, there can often be an outsized emphasis on Chicago and the surrounding area when it comes to budget priorities. Smaller communities like ours can get overlooked when it comes to funding for critical programs like early childhood education, infrastructure dollars and economic development opportunities. As the representative for our area in Springfield, I will advocate for our community to get its fair share of state funding – which unfortunately has not always been the case.

What action, if any, should lawmakers take to address the supply and costs of housing in Illinois? To ease cost of living and make ownership available to more families, Illinois must explore ways to incentivize new development of market-rate housing along with renovation of existing buildings. Housing costs have risen significantly in many parts of Illinois, which is a primary driver of increased costs of living that so many residents are struggling with. An expansion of new home construction and existing home renovation would also create good-paying local jobs in the construction sector and the many industries that support it. Our district has a number of empty and underutilized buildings that could be repurposed into mixed-use residential and commercial properties that support local growth and walkable communities. I am committed to working with partners in local governments to streamline zoning and land-use ordinances and with the federal government to identify additional funding sources.

Are Illinois residents being taxed appropriately? If not, what would you support changing? Illinois’ flat state income tax rate is a major obstacle to fairly and adequately managing the state budget. In Illinois, billionaires and bus drivers pay the same state income tax rate – that is both unfair and puts most of the burden of education funding on local property taxpayers. This drives up both the cost of housing and the financial pressure on homeowners, especially seniors and others living on fixed incomes. While the majority of property taxes are levied by local governments and school districts, state government can help alleviate that upward pressure by increasing state funding to local school districts. To do that, I support adopting a graduated state income tax system, which would put Illinois in line with the federal tax code and most of our state neighbors, and would allow the state to play a greater role in education funding without additional burden on working and middle class families.

What is your current occupation? Insurance Agency Owner, Licensed Insurance Agent

What prior experience do you have that best speaks to your qualifications for the position? Helmick is an honorably discharged Marine Corps non-commissioned officer, has served as first vice chair and as precinct committeeman of the Republican Party in Rock Island County. He attended the Criminal Justice Academy at the University of Miami at Melbourne and the Federal Law Enforcement Academy at Glynco, Georgia. He is a former law enforcement officer and officer for the Department of Homeland Security.

What steps have you taken to learn more about the job? In recent years, I have been actively involved in the field of politics. I ran for the 17th Congressional District in 2022, and the knowledge I gained from this experience was incredibly valuable. I had the opportunity to meet many elected representatives, which allowed me to learn about all aspects of a representative’s responsibilities. I gained real-time insight into policies, procedures, and the role itself from the men and women currently in office. Additionally, I spoke to former elected representatives to learn from their experiences and seek ways to improve performance. One elected representative even offered to mentor me during my initial weeks as I learn the ropes. I strongly believe that listening is crucial, especially to the needs of the people, because ultimately, serving "the people" is the job, not the political party.

What would be your top policy priorities if elected this term? My policy priorities will prioritize the needs of the people in my district. Immigration is a top concern for the community. I will focus on eliminating the sanctuary status of Illinois, as we are currently using tax dollars to support non-citizens instead of helping citizens in need. Additionally, increasing spending on law enforcement in our cities is crucial, as it directly addresses the concerns expressed by the people. I aim to repeal HB 3653, the criminal bill of rights, to ensure that everyone feels safe in their homes and neighborhoods. Lowering the costs at grocery stores and gas stations, as well as reducing the expenses for heating and cooling our homes, are also important. I will advocate for keeping businesses from leaving with expanded incentives preserving small businesses and union jobs and being able to better compete with Iowa by improving the tax and business climate.

On what policy issues can Democrats and Republicans find common ground? Both Republicans and Democrats need to seek common ground on every issue. Emphasizing our identity as Americans over partisan affiliations is crucial. The well-being of the people of Illinois should be the primary focus of the government. When legislators work together as a cohesive team, rather than emphasizing political divisions, they can accomplish their best work. Collaboration benefits everyone across the board. Let’s strive to eliminate barriers and work collectively to enhance the greatness of Illinois. We can make strides in all areas from immigration to economics, community security to education, as long as we always remember that the people of Illinois are the priority, not the political parties. I look forward with excitement to working with both groups in Springfield next term.

What would you advocate for in the budget this year? The primary focus in next term’s budget should be achieving balance. Deficit spending has been a persistent issue in Springfield since 1982. This year, due to the passage of legislation that has harmed the state’s economy and led to a decrease in population, we are facing an $880 million shortfall in the 2024 budget. Managing the state’s retirement fund is the number one issue, and making budget cuts is crucial. We have spent over a billion taxpayer dollars on illegal undocumented foreign nationals, money we don’t have — money that could and should have been allocated to the taxpayers. We must allocate more funds to low-income housing and healthcare. Making Illinois more attractive by cutting taxes across the board. Creating a more business-friendly environment will attract families and businesses, thus adding tax income to the state coffers.

What action, if any, should lawmakers take to address the supply and costs of housing in Illinois? The issue of housing in Illinois is becoming increasingly problematic due to the growing population in metropolitan areas like Chicago. To address this, I believe we should start by streamlining the process, which would involve improving permit processing and re-zoning codes. We should also revise building codes to reduce overall costs while maintaining safety standards. Simplifying the application process would further aid in streamlining. Additionally, constructing more multi-level apartment buildings and relaxing parking limitations could help increase housing availability. Expanding rental assistance programs for lower-income families and making homeownership more attainable in the future are also important steps. Finally, initiating assistance programs for the maintenance of new or existing properties would be beneficial. Incentives for the building and purchasing of Tiny Homes would be good. They are affordable, and efficient, and allow for in-fill in areas where land is at a premium.

Are Illinois residents being taxed appropriately? If not, what would you support changing? Illinois is undeniably one of the most overtaxed states in the nation, a result of decades of mismanagement. The overall tax burden on each tax-paying citizen in Illinois is about 13% of the average family income. We currently have the second-highest property tax rate in the nation at just over 2%. In addition, there is a tax of just over sixty-six cents a gallon on gas. JB Pritzker has signed into law over 275 bills ranging from taxes to occupational licenses to shampoo bottles. It has been said that if he can figure out how to tax the air you breathe, he would do it. This is just another example of not doing all we can to make people’s lives as good as it can be.

BLOOMINGTON — Voters in the 91st House District will choose whether to send incumbent state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, back to Springfield for a second term or give a second look to Republican challenger Desi Anderson, who lost a state Senate bid two years ago. 

Chung, elected in 2022, is the first Korean American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly. She previously served for four years on the McLean County Board and is a trained musician who plays the violin and viola.

Anderson, who lives in Carlock, owns the The Hesed House wedding venue in Heyworth with her husband, Nick. A native of Bulgaria of Roma background, Anderson was abandoned as a baby and grew up in an orphanage until adopted by an American family at age 7. 

In 2022, Anderson unsuccessfully challenged state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, losing 58% to 42% in the 46th Senate District, which includes the entirety of the 91st House District.

The district covers the urban core of Bloomington-Normal to the suburbs of Peoria. In all, it picks up portions of McLean, Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties. It leans Democratic, but is competitive. Chung defeated Normal City Councilman Scott Preston by just 4.5 percentage points in 2022.

"Who would have ever thought — people have said this — in the 91st district, you would have two female minorities running? That’s what makes America great," Anderson told The Pantagraph in an interview. "We’ve got the opportunity to strive to be whatever we want to … and follow our passion wherever that might take you."

Anderson and Chung are similar in that their backgrounds are unlike most who have represented Central Illinois in the state legislature in the past. But on the substantive issues facing the district and the state, the candidates are offering significant contrasts to one another. 

Though both cite cost of living as a top issue that needs to be addressed, Chung emphasized her support for preserving and increasing access to reproductive health care, an issue that’s been at the forefront since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Anderson, on the other hand, steered toward issues related to crime and immigration. 

Chung said she hopes to "continue to fund things at the state level" in order to keep local taxes flat or possibly be lowered. She said this includes supporting more funding for K-12 education under the state’s evidence-based funding formula and more money to municipalities through the Local Government Distributive Fund. 

"We’re trying to do things best as we can at the state to sort of keep those things down," Chung told The Pantagraph in an interview. "So, we eliminated the grocery tax, we capped the price of insulin at $35. Those sorts of things I think really do make an impact."

Chung voted for both the state’s 2024 and 2025 budgets, though in the latter case, she also voted against an associated bill that was necessary to raise the revenue needed to bring the budget into balance.

She explained that there were "a lot of great things in that budget," such as more funding for schools, infrastructure and economic development, but the revenue was "a bit of a struggle" since it included a series of tax increases.

It did, however, include a Chung-backed tax credit for Illinois companies engaged in musical productions and employing Illinois musicians.

Another issue Chung has emphasized in her paid advertising is her pro-abortion rights record. While Illinois has among the most liberal reproductive healthcare laws in the country, she said "things can change in a couple of election cycles."

"We could go to possibly not having a Democratic governor or not having a supermajority if things just don’t go our way," Chung said. "And so that’s why I think that message has been so strong. People have seen how detrimental some of these anti anti-abortion laws have been really affecting women all throughout the country, and we don’t want that happening here."

Anderson would not directly answer whether she supports or opposes abortion rights, simply calling it "a settled issue."

"Gosh, no. It’s already settled. To think I would have that much influence, I mean, what an honor, right? I’m just a single individual," Anderson said. "I think in Illinois, it’s been settled. I don’t think that’s a concern for folks just because we’re in the superminority, folks," she said, referring to Republicans’ position in the Illinois General Assembly. 

"People know that. People know the Republicans don’t have a single vote right now if they wanted to pass legislation."

Anderson said she would focus on addressing the cost of living, seek to lower property tax bills and find ways to support small businesses. She did not offer specific policy proposals to achieve those goals, however.

But she was clear in the first legislative act she would seek: the repeal of the SAFE-T Act, the landmark criminal justice reform law that, among other actions, ended cash bail in Illinois and mandated that all police officers in the state wear body cameras by 2025.

She also cited immigration as an issue, disagreeing with the nearly $640 million spent in last year’s state budget and the $182 million included in the current year’s budget to deal with the influx of migrants.

"Every state has now become a border state," Anderson said. "It’s not just our southern states that are seeing the influx."

She said that she would seek to repeal the Trust Act, the law signed by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2017 that generally prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement.

"So it makes their jobs harder, right?" Anderson said of the current law. "So if McLean County is facing a crime with an illegal immigrant, Bloomington police can’t pick up the phone and tell ICE the status of that case."

Beyond the specific political issues, Chung touted the benefits of incumbency. She said she is "proud" of what she has been able to accomplish the past couple of years in Springfield, adding that "being in the party of the supermajority, that means that we get maybe a little more attention."

As one example, Chung said she was able to secure $250,000 for a 2,500-foot expansion of Bloomington nonprofit Project Oz’s Front Street facility. The group provides services for homeless youth.

This came out of what’s known as "member initiative" funds. These are funds in the state budget allocated to members of the Democratic supermajority in the legislature to spend on projects within their districts. 

"We have a big concentration of Democratic caucus members that are up in the Chicagoland area," Chung said. "I’m one of the few folks that are from downstate, and it’s my commitment to be a really strong advocate for our needs here and to make sure that needs up in Chicago aren’t going to take away from the needs that we have here."

In that same vein, Chung has taken the lead on legislation aiming to shield farm families from some of the financial burden of state estate taxes. The proposal would raise the threshold from $4 million to $6 million. Farms valued above that would also be exempt the first $6 million in estate taxes.

The measure ultimately was not included in the massive revenue package signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year, but Chung said she was able to get "a lot of really good attention on that issue." 

"They know that they have a fierce advocate in me, that I’ve been really fighting for them and fighting for family farms," Chung said. "It’s a huge part of our economy here in Illinois. And that’s another thing that I’m really trying to get done this next year."

If elected, Anderson acknowledges that her party’s superminority status in the House — unlikely to change — would limit her influence. 

However, Anderson argued that belonging to the dominant legislative party does not necessarily make for an effective legislator. She used Chung’s stalled estate tax reform effort as an example of the incumbent not delivering for her district. 

"This year, you have the estate tax bill that did not pass," Anderson said. "What did pass for the farming community is the airport tax authority. So in Carlock, where I live, those farmers now have to pay that tax increase on their land. Where my business exists, those folks had to pay for that tax increase."

Anderson is referring to legislation, sponsored by Chung and signed into law by Pritzker in 2023, that expanded the tax base for Central Illinois Regional Airport from Bloomington-Normal to all of McLean County. The effect, essentially, is lower airport tax bills for Twin Cities residents but a new tax for those who live in rural portions of the county. 

On building back Republican influence in Springfield, Anderson said "we’ve got to start somewhere" while casting herself as "an independent thinker" who can work with Democrats. 

Chung served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, pledging her support to her party’s presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Anderson, asked multiple times, would not say whether she planned to vote for the Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump.

"I’m gonna vote for whoever I think is the best candidate, and I’m not voting for Harris," Anderson said.

Asked if that meant she could vote for somebody other than Trump, Anderson observed, "Well, I mean, I think RFK is still on the ballot in Illinois," referring to independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. 

Asked why she would not confirm whether or not she planned to vote for her party’s presidential nominee, Anderson said, "because nobody cares."

"I have zero influence at the national level," Anderson said. "No one in D.C. has ever heard of my name. Nobody at the local level really cares."

Chung has a strong lead in fundraising, having collected more than $814,000 in contributions since July from the House Democratic campaign arm, labor unions and other groups. Pritzker donated $50,000 to her on Oct. 8, according to campaign finance reports.

Anderson has brought in more than $271,000 since July, mostly from the Illinois Republican Party and Illinois House GOP campaign arm. 

The election is Nov. 5. Early and mail-in voting are underway now.