Daily Herald Coverage of 25th State Senate Race

Written by: Frank Craig on Oct 11, 2006 12:12 PM EDT

Education, jobs top list
By Tona Kunz
Daily Herald Staff Writer

Posted Tuesday, October 10, 2006


Ask Frank Craig what sets him apart from State Sen. Chris Lauzen and he'll tell you there is quite a lot. He bills himself as a moderate antidote to a rigidly conservative Lauzen.

But the two men do have some things in common as they battle for the 25th Senate District seat -- which includes about half of Kane County, almost all of Kendall County and a portion of LaSalle County -- in the Nov. 7 election.

Craig is 47, and a newcomer to politics except for two years as a Democrat precinct committeeman and work as campaign volunteer. Lauzen, 53, is a 14-year veteran of the Illinois Senate.

Both come from business backgrounds: Lauzen as an accountant and business adviser and Craig as a business development manager. Both describe themselves as family men and are active not only in the local political parties but in church and civic groups.

In a recent press conference Craig said he was running for office because people needed a change: someone more focused on the daily issues affecting the common person.

"People are tired of the ideological posturing from the incumbent and are looking for a leader to actually solve the important issues facing our area and our citizens," he said.

Yet both men seem to agree on what the priority issues are: education funding reform and the creation of jobs in an economy losing its manufacturing base.

And both men's approaches to those issues fall largely in line with their party's basic philosophies.

Craig favors building new jobs based on environmentally friendly technology and alternative fuels.

Lauzen favors lowering the cost of doing business in the state by minimizing regulations, and controlling minimum wage increases and workers' compensation and unemployment costs.

Both men want businesses fined for hiring illegal immigrants and oppose giving illegal immigrants driver's licenses or in-state tuition. But Craig wants those illegal immigrants' children to be able to have access to health care through programs like All Kids.

Lauzen calls the program an expansion of Medicaid and opposes it.

Both men say education funding needs a major overhaul.

Lauzen proposes freezing property taxes while increasing the impact fee cap for new development and extending the sales tax to goods purchased on the Internet. He also proposes making up the lost revenue from property tax freezes by taking advantage of several tax increment financing districts expiring in Chicago in 2007. He wants the revenue they free up to go to schools.

With federal limitations on taxing Internet sales from companies without brick and motor buildings in the state, Craig doesn't view Lauzen's plan as a viable near-term solution.

In addition, Craig says that many residents won't be able pay their property taxes even if frozen at current levels. He favors a significant reduction in property taxes replaced by the income tax and a possible sales tax increase. In essence, he would swap the percentage of property taxes and income taxes that fund schools. Pensions would not be taxed as income under Craig's plan.

Lauzen views a swap as a dangerous gamble. With legislators able to change laws, there is no way to guarantee future legislators won't raise the property tax while still enforcing the increased tax on income. That could leave homeowners doubly burdened, Lauzen argues.

On other hot button issues the men's views fall along party lines.

Craig opposes withdrawing the death penalty moratorium. Lauzen thinks recent judicial reforms have removed the issues that called for the death penalty moratorium and he wants it shelved. Lauzen also thinks the time is right for a state ban on homosexual marriages. Craig does not.

Like most political outsiders Craig is touting his lack of time in the statehouse halls as an asset. He sees himself as a fresh face with fresh ideas.

Like most incumbents Lauzen contends his experience gives him political capital and means he won't waste time on naive misconceptions, as he believes is Craig's contention that government can be run like a business.

Tags:
Location: Aurora, IL 60506