Truax attacks Oberweis on pension vote

U.S. Senate Republican primary contender Doug Truax lashed out at state Sen. Jim Oberweis’ “yes” vote on Tuesday’s landmark pension reform bill.

Oberweis and Truax are competing for the Republican primary nod in an ultimate attempt to unseat longtime powerful U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

“Illinois is the worst run state in America due to a political class — largely Democrats — that consistently fails to put the interests of everyday taxpayers first,” Truax said in a statement on Wednesday. “My opponent in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, Jim Oberweis, knows this but voted anyway in favor of a tepid pension reform bill that is likely to result in further tax increases and a continued stagnant economy. Every other financial “fix” passed in Springfield the past decade has harmed taxpayers. Mr. Oberweis needs to explain why he so easily voted with the status quo that never solves problems but rather transfers them to the next generation.”

Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, on Tuesday voted in favor of the measure that promises to ultimately save the state $160 billion. In his remarks from the Illinois Senate floor, Oberweis said the bill wasn’t true reform — but it was the best that Illinois was going to get right now.