Two GOP foes are vying for Illinois’ District 35th Senate seat

The first election race for Illinois Senate District thirty fifth options incumbent republican Sen. Dave Syverson, a member of the Senate since 1993, and challenger Eli Nicolosi, a former Winnebago County Board member and chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Central Committee. The thirty fifth District contains sections of Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Kane and McHenry counties. The first will happen on June 28. The overall election is Nov. 8. The candidates have been requested to share their ideas concerning well being, taxes and crime. Listed below are their responses:

Eli Nicolosi

Age: 43

Metropolis of Residence: Rockford (Loves Park metropolis limits)

Training: Rock Valley Faculty, Bachelor’s Diploma in Artwork & Design, Columbia Faculty, Chicago, Illinois (2001)

Work Expertise: Astute Internet Group – An online & graphic advertising company that I’ve owned for over 20 years.  I’m the president and inventive director and my crew and I’ve served many various industries round our state, together with native authorities, manufacturing, and non-profit teams.

Previous jobs embody: UPS, Rockford Map Publishing (map maker), Artistic Pig Minds (Illustrator).

Political Expertise: Chairman of the Winnebago County Republican Social gathering. Winnebago County Board member from 2014 to 2018, serving on the Operations & Administration Committee, vice chairman of the Public Security Committee and chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee. 

Organizations and Memberships: Holy Household Church, Winnebago County Republican Chairman, Knights of Columbus, Boone County Republican Membership.

Previous affiliations embody: Subsequent Rockford, BNI (Companions in Success), Household Peace Middle Neighborhood Board. 

Household: Jennifer, spouse; Luciana, 13, Bianca, 13, Gianni, 9, and Francesca, 3.  

Since I get requested quite a bit, all of the Nicolosi’s in Rockford are carefully associated together with my grandfather (and inspiration) Philip A. Nicolosi (Legal professional & justice Justice of the Peace), Grandmother and matriarch, Rosemary, Father Angelo (Chiropractor and Window Gross sales, Mom Pam (instructor) and Uncles – Frank (Household Physician), Phil (Decide), Joseph (dentist / artist), and Paul (lawyer).  

Healthcare prices proceed to soar. What proposals do it’s important to tackle the escalating prices of healthcare together with prescribed drugs?

My first proposed step is to drastically cut back lobbyists’ affect in healthcare. Healthcare suppliers and hospitals must be centered on therapeutic the sick, not on income. Lobbyists get in the way in which of that. This additionally contains banning legislators like Dave Syverson from sitting on healthcare boards like Mercy Well being right here in Rockford, a transparent battle of curiosity to our neighborhood.

Mercyhealth was speculated to be the area’s beacon of hope and a not-for-profit Youngsters’s Hospital when constructed. In a bait-and-switch transfer that many native elected officers felt betrayed (together with myself on the County Board on the time), Mercy closed its doorways and fired their pediatric docs & workers IN JUST TWO YEARS. Sure, you learn that accurately.  Disgustingly, hospital executives and Syverson (who’s board place is paid by Mercy) improve their income as he makes use of state political connections to extend their income. We the individuals have a proper to know the place our tax {dollars} are going – and have grow to be – in addition to the power to take them again. As a senator who will symbolize individuals over income, I’ll demand a greater job of implementing these guarantees.

Illinois has been ranked because the least tax-friendly state for the center class within the nation. How will you try to assist ease the burden on taxpayers?

Property taxes in Illinois are a significant drawback. There isn’t a cause why we must be main the nation with 8,923 taxing districts when absorption into different our bodies of presidency and using attrition can cut back this quantity considerably with out sacrificing individuals’s jobs. 

The second step ought to embody a property tax freeze – with out elevating different taxes – which might pressure higher efficiencies in authorities. This might make our total tax burden workable and present constituents that we’re companions on this collectively.

Violent crime continues to plague Rockford and the state as an entire. What laws will you introduce or assist to fight violent crimes?

My household has lived in Rockford for six generations, and crime has by no means been as unhealthy because it has been immediately. On this time, we should first take a look at options to lowering crime by emphasizing the position of fogeys and the neighborhood, moderately than implementing top-down, one-size-fits-all options compelled onto us. The state additionally must do higher collaborating with personal companies who’ve a monetary stake in our neighborhood as a substitute of pushing extra unfunded mandates or worse but, elevating taxes for extra packages which have carried out little or no for our neighborhood. It’s important as we put money into schooling on all ranges – together with working with constructing trades – to convey hope that there are excessive paying alternatives in Rockford for individuals who might really feel crime is the one possibility.

Lastly, we have to work with regulation enforcement to maintain our communities protected whereas respecting the rights of law-abiding residents. One of the vital harmful and frustration-provoking payments we have seen in years is SB 3653 that systematically neuters police in Illinois. We have to reformulate this laws so it doesn’t take away certified immunity for law enforcement officials that protects them from lawsuits, until their actions meet prison requirements or negligence ranges already set forth.

Dave Syverson

Age: 64

Metropolis of residence: Cherry Valley 

Training: Rock Valley Faculty 

Work expertise: Monetary area

Political expertise: State Senate 

Organizations and memberships: Nationwide Affiliation Monetary Planners,  quite a few Chambers of Commerce, NFIB, and miscellaneous boards

Household: Married 

Healthcare prices proceed to soar. What proposals do it’s important to tackle the escalating prices of healthcare together with prescribed drugs?

We’ve got many pressures on our well being system that the majority different international locations shouldn’t have together with litigation and malpractice prices. Then the US has increased ranges than most of violence and substance abuse, psychological well being, weight problems, getting old, and a big rising undocumented inhabitants that each one result in increased prices. Any one in all this stuff places strain on healthcare prices however if you end up solely Nation with all these pressures it isn’t stunning we see these prices outcomes. Then you definitely add to {that a} lowering variety of individuals really paying for this system and that results in the place we’re immediately. Vital to notice, we’re blessed with the perfect healthcare system on this planet nonetheless, if leaders don’t tackle these core issues driving up prices the standard of our healthcare is at jeopardy.    

Illinois has been ranked because the least tax-friendly state for the center class within the nation. How will you try to assist ease the burden on taxpayers? 

Illinois doesn’t have a income drawback, it has a spending drawback. We have to perceive authorities will not be the answer to all our issues, in reality, in lots of circumstances they’re the issue. We’ve got a authorities that’s bloated with duplication, they by no means do prices evaluation of the packages already in place; they usually proceed to spend past its means. Elevating taxes must be a final resort, not the primary. We have to elect leaders at each degree that perceive it’s your cash not the governments. The repair is straightforward; enhance the roles local weather, cut back taxes and also you develop you method into prosperity like different states have proven that works.  

Violent crime continues to plague Rockford and the state as an entire. What laws will you introduce or assist to fight violent crimes?

 I’ve joined in with like-minded legislators to attempt to reverse the ill- conceived “defund police’ initiatives democrats have handed the previous few years in Springfield. The governor and his events concepts of not holding criminals accountable for his or her motion has result in the biggest improve in crime in our historical past. It is rather easy, if there are not any penalties on your actions you’ll get this type of habits. We’re seeing the identical leads to our colleges once they do not maintain college students accountable for his or her actions. Take a look at the counties and municipalities that maintain criminals accountable for his or her actions vs those that do not, it is so clear. 

I’ve additionally sponsored laws that will increase penalties for individuals who assault or homicide anybody in regulation enforcement. If there isn’t a respect for the regulation, you will have chaos that results in the sort of outcomes we’re getting immediately.   

Chris Inexperienced: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen