Samantha Jean Gasca, Illinois Senate 19th District

In January 2024, Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ editors emailed a questionnaire to candidates in contested March 19 primary races for the Illinois General Assembly, requesting biographical information as well as their views on issues ranging from corruption in state politics to Illinois’ longstanding pension crisis. Answers have been lightly edited for typos, minor grammar and consistency in styling, but not for content or length. Age was calculated as of Feb. 6, 2024.

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Candidates in contested Illinois March 19 primary races share their views on a range of issues through the Sun-Times/WBEZ candidate questionnaire.

 

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By Tony Arnold | WBEZ

 

Samantha Jean Gasca: I believe our tax money would be put to better use to hire independent/a-political, anonymous, objective, and integrous contractors to audit/track local, state, and federal governments/officials over time to expose lies/deception/corruption/self-interest to the American people. Corruption costs money; therefore, the aforementioned would be an excellent way to save money spent on taxes over time.

If someone is choosing to lead, they had better do so with the conviction of integrity, and doing so at the expense of self for the sake of God, family, and country... not pretending to have great moral character whilst not actually having to work to earn that space in the heart’s of Americans. I came from a home with plywood floors getting slivers in my feet. In my own home I faced years and years of sexual, physical, verbal, mental, and emotional abuse. In my past marriage, I was physically abused by my former husband. I have had to work for everything I’ve ever had. All suffering in my life has caused character growth in a short/compact amount of time. The crux of my campaign is doing the right thing and telling the Truth. If I ever feel truly tempted towards corruption, I will expose myself and step down, which is the only honorable thing to do in that situation.

Samantha Jean Gasca: First, our government officials have to stop borrowing from the pension fund to get anywhere. I believe a goal may be to bankrupt the state; as in a coup, one must destroy the present government in order to tear down internal structures and take over.

In addition, we should use tax funds from the Lottery system to fund the pension deficit.

Samantha Jean Gasca: In order to bolster job growth in both the state and in my district, I would stop making it so easy for people to stay home. Many people (since COVID), have found it much more appealing to stay home because we are paying people more to stay home, than they would sequester at a “normal” job. Why would anyone work when they make more by staying home, aside from personal work ethic and morality? A seeming overarching goal to control the masses. An idle mind is the devil’s playground. When we remain home/do not work for extended periods of time, we begin to: Possess little-to-no dignity (hard work and being paid for it produces dignity and self-worth through purpose), we become bored, apathetic, depressed, uninformed, and lazy... therefore, we can observe an increase in drug use, suicide, mental health issues, crime, and physical unhealthiness. These attributes bring about dependent sheep, as opposed to limitless lions. Those who are corrupt in government love when people are dependent sheep, because they are easier to control. Much of the popular media/celebrities seemingly are in agreement with our corrupt government, as they consciously and continuously pump out misinformation, lies/deceit, one-sided opinions, and propaganda, thereby making the masses even more dependent than they were before. This may truly be a goal, as dependent depressed, and misguided/misinformed people are a sure vote for corrupt political campaigns.

In addition, drilling for oil/natural gas, reducing tax/legal burdens on small business owners/businesses themselves, ceasing taxing business owners out of the state, and pushing jobs overseas by inequitable EPA standards, would be several common-sense ways to incentivize companies/jobs (overall) to return to the state.

Samantha Jean Gasca: Absolutely. I believe district lines in Illinois are being gerrymandered and harmfully manipulated by the corrupted party that is unequivocally and overwhelmingly in control. When the presiding party is able to generate the redistricting, they do so to their own advantage. This is beyond corrupt, and quite disturbing, truly.

Samantha Jean Gasca: I believe there are many problems facing our district, such as illegal immigration, parent’s rights/school choice, second amendment rights, pensions, unsafe streets, and lack of support for veterans. However, for the purposes of this question, I will address only one area: decisively outrageous taxes.

Taxes are going up 7% this year, according to a local tax assessor (for Will County only, but Cook… likely worse). According to the PTELL Law (Property Tax Extension Law Limit), “Increases in property tax extensions are limited to the lesser of 5% or the increase in the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the year preceding the levy year. The limitation can be increased for a taxing body with voter approval.” Meaning… the county/all taxing bodies can tax us (over the 5% limitation) according to inflation.

People are being taxed out of their homes in the 19th District, inflation is soaring, and our wages remain the same… so what is our leadership doing? Twiddling thumbs?

I would like to vote down all tax increases starting with a zero-balance budget, vote yes on tax rebates, and demand a lower income tax (since our wages aren’t increasing sufficiently and in accordance with the increase in our property taxes and income taxes).

My question is: What will our very own elected official, Senator Hastings, do about this surmounting crisis? I believe that he, and all public “servants” in our district, should vote NO on property tax increases until they can do something about our wages/salaries. We don’t need excess, but we do need stability without constant stress going paycheck to paycheck. Is our leadership even concerned, or have they enriched themselves so much that our reality is not their reality? Are they so spend happy with our/other people’s money that they have lost sight of the plights of the middle and lower class? Seemingly the mentality being, “It’s okay if we spend other people’s money as long as it isn’t our own…” Ostensibly, they must want a 19th district full of solely the wealthy… kind of racist, don’t you think (in accordance with “their” rules)?

Samantha Jean Gasca: I believe one with true humility has only one way to answer this question... I believe the voters should decide whether or not I am a “better” candidate on the basis of concepts such as character, integrity, cognitive intelligence, emotional intelligence, compassion, and a history of making/possessing sacrificial and self-denying decisions/actions. I have worked in ministry since 2015 in areas such as sex trafficked children (ages 10-21), urban ministry in the inner-city of Chicago (on the south side/high crime areas), homelessness, pastoral counseling helping those in domestic violence situations/addictions/child abuse/trauma, etc., street preaching, chaplain services, working with veterans/those with disabilities/the elderly, and feeding the hungry. For four years of this, I was fully a volunteer.