The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. It is made of 118 representatives elected from individual legislative districts for a two-year term with no term limits.As of the 2020 Census, Illinois state representatives represented an average of 108,667 residents To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment, a resident of the district which he is to representSalary: $93,712Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_state_legislative_districts#House
As a dedicated educator, volunteer and public servant, I bring a strong commitment to responsive leadership and collaborative problem-solving. During my 33 year career as a public high school civics teacher, I have taught my students that their voice matters and that "We the People" is not simply symbolic. I am running to represent the 47th district because I believe it is important to have an ACTIVE representative; one who fosters collective dialogue. Elected to the Wheaton City Council for two terms, I have a proven track record of engaging diverse communities and building partnerships in ways that support, uplift, and include all facets of our community. I have also served as an experienced leader-advocate for strong public schools.
Working with residents over the past 7 years has taught me that our families share the same concerns; a safe community, high quality services and an affordable cost of living. Affordability comes from the perspective of diverse groups at different stages of their lives, therefore, specific legislation to address this should come in many forms. My main commitment is to continue purposeful relationships between local, county, Township and state governments while also navigating changes to federal programs. Working for the success and safety of our common constituents, serves to clearly identify issues and work towards collaborative solutions. Investing in post-secondary programs, public schools, housing and health care strengthens us all.
Throughout my career as a high school civics teacher, I have always encouraged my students to have respectful and open dialog with each other. We have discussed some very controversial topics that can be very personal for teenagers; yet, we should not avoid these conversations. As an elected leader on a non-partisan city council, I have acted on those beliefs when considering budgets, resolutions, and ordinances. I respond to and meet with all of our residents. I listen, look at the facts, and make decisions that serve our collective community. I will continue to put human decency and communication first. I commit to meeting with and listening to legislators, and residents, with different views. We all work to serve our communities.
Put the people first. Affordability for the residents of the 47th District will be a primary principle. Inclusive policies and programs that uplift our residents that are most in need while continuing to pay down debt and practice fiscal responsibility will be a priority. Within our last 7 city budget cycles, my decisions have been based on factual information from highly skilled city staff and also input from residents, small businesses, and community leaders. My experience has shown me that tax payers will pay for high quality and valuable services. Finding the value in a program and a cost-effective model of implementation is critical to decision making in budgets.
As a twice elected member of the Wheaton City Council, I pride myself on responding to constituents. I have walked the back yards of many residents viewing their flooding issues. I have walked many neighborhoods with residents assessing their safety concerns around traffic (auto, pedestrian, bicycle) and sidewalk use. I have developed collaborative relationships with many non-profit, religious, business, common governing bodies, and community groups. I look forward to expanding my relationships throughout the entire 47th district. I commit to holding public forums and I will continue to be seen throughout our communities.
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