Illinois Senate 8th District Democratic candidate: David A. Zulkey

Complete coverage of the local and national primary and general election, including results, analysis and voter resources to keep Chicago voters informed.

On Feb. 6, David A. Zulkey appeared before the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. In advance, the Sun-Times sent all candidates seeking nominations for Illinois State Senate a list of questions to find out their views on a range of important issues facing the state of Illinois. Zulkey submitted the following answers to our questionnaire:

QUESTION: Please explain what your specific cause or causes will be. Please avoid a generic topic or issue in your answer.

ANSWER:

EDUCATION

BUDGET AND BUDGET FUNDING

ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION IN OUR GOVERNMENT

I will apply COMMON SENSE and COMMON COURTESY to consideration and application of all legislation.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

David A. Zulkey

Running for: Illinois State Senate 8th district

Political/civic background: Active Registered Voter since 2004

Member of the Real Estate Law Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association

Member of the Chicago Bar Association

Member of the Sauganash Community Board of Directors

Eagle Scout

Occupation: Attorney and Counselor of Law

Education: The John Marshall Law School

University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Bachelor of Arts

Oakton Community College, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic License

Campaign website: facebook.com/votezulkey

QUESTION: Please list three district-specific needs that will be your priorities. This could be a project that is needed in your district, or a rule that needs to be changed, or some federal matter that has been ignored.

ANSWER: TRAFFIC: Ensure speed cameras are only at locations of high volume pedestrian traffic or location of high volume vehicular accidents. Legislation to make 4-way yield signs more prevalent. Pothole/ road condition repair.

EDUCATION: Ensure all schools have the resources necessary to provide students the confidence, skills and ability to pursue the life and career path of their choice.

RESTORE FAITH IN GOVERNMENT and understanding of the importance of YOUR VOTE. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey March 20, 2017.

TOPIC: Pension debt

QUESTION: In 2017, Illinois’ unfunded pension liability ballooned to at least $130 billion. Do you support re-amortizing this debt? Please explain your answer. And what is your position on a constitutional amendment that would reduce the liability of the pension debt?

ANSWER: I do not think re-amortizing the debt will help the problem to a considerable degree, but it could be appropriate to help set a responsible budget. We need to start paying funds into the unfunded pension liability.

A constitutional amendment that would reduce the liability of the pension debt is a complicated issue. I would be open to consider such an amendment. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Minimum wage

QUESTION: Cook County and Chicago are on their way to paying a $13 hourly minimum wage. Many suburbs in the county, however, have opted out of the wage increase. Should Illinois raise its minimum wage from $8.25 an hour? Please explain. And if you favor an increase in the state minimum wage, what should it be?

ANSWER: At this time, Illinois should not raise its minimum wage. 1) Illinois does not need to give businesses another reason to leave Illinois. 2) A mandated increase in minimum wage might actually decrease jobs in Illinois.

I think we can encourage businesses to increase pay by other means. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Marijuana

QUESTION: Should recreational marijuana be legalized in Illinois? Please explain.

ANSWER: Yes, marijuana should be legalized responsibly.

If legalized, people need to understand that they have a duty to use it in a safe manner.

Legalization can have multiple benefits: 1) funding for education, pension, and healthcare among other needs 2) lower prison rates on charges based on marijuana/ marihuana. 3) reduce use of heavier drugs by reducing contact with drug dealers who also sell those other dangerous drugs. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Casinos

QUESTION: Would you support more casinos in Illinois, including in Chicago. What about racinos? Please explain.

ANSWER: Although I am hesitant to do so at this time, I am willing to listen to arguments for and against more casinos. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Property tax freeze

QUESTION: A property tax freeze in Illinois has been proposed frequently since Gov. Bruce Rauner took office. What’s your position? If you favor a freeze, how many years should it last? Should the freeze exclude property tax increases to service the debt, make pension payments or cover the cost of public safety? Again, please explain.

ANSWER: I am for lower taxes. I am not convinced a tax freeze will help that especially when our goal should not be to limit property taxes but our goal should be to lower property taxes.

What good is a property tax freeze if it is allowed to increase to service the ever increasing debt, etc.? Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: School funding

QUESTION: A revised school funding formula was approved this year by the Legislature and the governor, but a bipartisan commission has concluded that billions more dollars are needed to achieve sufficient and equitable funding. Should Illinois spend more on schools, and where would the money come from?

ANSWER: Schools can always use more money, but we ought to review the allocation of the money we spend on schools and make sure it is as efficient and productive as possible.

Some of the money would come from marijuana sales. Illinois needs to be more creative on how to generate funding. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Opioids

QUESTION: How can the Legislature best address the problem of opioid abuse and addiction? Please cite specific laws you have supported or would support.

ANSWER: The Legislature may best address the problem of opioid abuse and addiction by enacting laws that make it harder for people to have access to opioids- I understand access to opioids comes from drug dealers and pharmacies. Legalization of marijuana may help as mentioned above. Studies on what should be a proper dosage or prescription may help. Also, encouraging people to return unused prescribed opioid medication may help with the studies and help people who should not have access to opioids from having them.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Guns

QUESTION: Do you support a state ban on gun silencers? Please explain.

ANSWER:Aren’t gun silencers already illegal in Illinois? I would likely support the ban. Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

QUESTION: Should all gun dealers in Illinois be licensed by the state? Please explain.

ANSWER: No. I do not think such state legislation is necessary in Illinois. This is because such legislation may prove expensive if contested as constitutional. Further, it would likely only drive business further out of Illinois without providing any more gun safety to us.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

QUESTION: Should family members be empowered to petition courts for the temporary removal of guns from emotionally or mentally disturbed people who may be a danger to themselves or others? Please explain.

ANSWER: This sounds like a reasonable proposition, but it would have to be carefully drafted to ensure abuse or harassment does not take place.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Medicaid

QUESTION: What would you do to ensure the long-term viability of the state’s Medicaid program? Do you support continued Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act? Should the state continue on a path toward managed care for Medicaid beneficiaries? Should everyone be permitted to buy into Medicaid?

ANSWER: I support Medicaid expansion to assure that our most vulnerable are taken care of. Quality and affordable healthcare is important and I support the avenue that best provides this to everyone.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: College student exodus

QUESTION: Illinois is one of the largest exporters of college students in the country. What would you do to encourage the best and brightest young people in Illinois to attend college here at home? Does Illinois have too many state universities, as some have argued?

ANSWER: First, I would ensure that all of our schools continue to provide quality education.

Second, I would propose legislation that allows our schools to offer our students special scholarships for those majoring in fields related to the sciences and other areas in which the job market is growing.

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey.

TOPIC: Gov. Rauner

QUESTION: Please list three of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s principles, or decisions he has made, with which you agree. Also please list three of the governor’s principles, or decisions he has made, with which you disagree.

ANSWER: Agree: I understand and agree with the Governor Rauner supporting green energy, marriage for everyone, and reducing recidivism.

Disagree: The budget. At this point, any budget is better than no budget.

Term-limits. Consecutive Term Limits might be more palatable to people, but at the end of the day it is up to us to vote for new people in office.

Constitutional Amendment. The governor wanted pension reform and term limits among others which would require a constitutional amendment. Illinois may be due for a Constitutional Convention in 2018…the bicentennial anniversary of Illinois’ statehood. A progressive income tax may then be implemented….

Please VOTE for David A. Zulkey