This is one in a series of stories looking at contested races in the Aurora area in the Nov. 5 general election.
The race for state representative in the 65th Illinois House District is between incumbent Republican Dan Ugaste and Democrat Linda Robertson.
The general election is set for Nov. 5.
Ugaste, 60, of Geneva, has already served six years as state representative and is currently seeking his fourth term.
Issues in the district, he said, include property taxes, immigration and inflation.
Property taxes, Ugaste said, are too high and need to be mitigated by having the state play a larger role.
“Residents want them lowered and the state needs to do better in terms of paying its fair share of the school costs and funding and this requires a dollar-for-dollar drop in the tax levy,” he said.
Immigration is a concern of constituents, Ugaste said.
“These are people who are non-citizens and are receiving benefits beyond what some of our citizens are receiving in certain circumstances,” he said.
Inflation, he said, has made people “upset about what things cost and the fact that wages have not kept up and they want to know what we can do to help.”
“This would start, of course, by lowering taxes,” Ugaste said.
If re-elected, Ugaste said goals would include improving the state’s business climate.
“You do that by lowering taxes and cutting excess regulation and lowering litigation costs,” he said.
Improving educational opportunities, Ugaste said, is another goal, adding that the state needs “to reinstate the Invest in Kids Act – 9,500 kids just lost their chance at a brighter education because we did not do that.”
Robertson, 73, of St. Charles, said issues in the district include property taxes, child care issues and affordable, attainable housing.
“Taxes – we really need to look at how Illinois’ tax structuring is going. Wisconsin has a higher income tax, lower property tax and they have a graduated income tax – we don’t,” she said. “We’re the opposite. We have high property tax and income is relatively low and it’s not graduated. Income goes up and down but overall, property taxes tend to go up and it’s really starting to hurt people.”
Child care, she said, “was something that surprised me.”
“I’m a scientist and I’m trying to look at underlying issues and mothers and fathers are telling me that child care is hard to find and if you find it it’s incredibly expensive and people need safe child care if they are going to work,” Robertson said.
The housing issue, she said, also relates to “affordability in the district.”
“We have no public transportation to areas where light manufacturing is and housing is very expensive and, on top of that, people in this district, we love the environment, we love the out-of-doors with the Fox River and we need to make sure we protect that style of life,” Robertson said.
If elected, Robertson said goals would include working on water supply issues, helping young families with the cost of living and trying to attack problems and solutions in a more systematic way.
“I’m an environmentalist – an environmental micro-biologist with expertise in water and one of the issues is how we handle, treat and have water for growth within the area,” she said.
Young families, Robertson argues, “are struggling with costs with child care and heath care and housing and “these things need to be attainable to realistically attract and help our families.”
Regarding current problems and solutions, Robertson argues that “Springfield needs more subject matter experts” and that “people continue to offer answers without understanding all the questions.”
“I’m a scientist who worked in research and worked as a consultant. To me, we have to start using data, logic and communication when we’re solving problems,” she said. “One of the biggest issues in our district is a lack of transportation. We need clean energy and clean transportation and good regulations that are well thought out.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
