Democratic candidate for Illinois House in the 25th District: Flynn Rush

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

On Jan. 25, Flynn Rush appeared before the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. We asked him why he’s running for the Illinois House of Representatives in the 25th District:

My name is Flynn Rush and I’m a candidate for state representative, 25th District, and my political background — I’ve worked on campaigns for Harold Washington, Congressman Bobby Rush, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. My background is community development. I worked as a community employment placement specialist. Also a community outreach property tax specialist and those are my experiences within community.

My top priority will be cutting down crime within the 25th District. Crime, lower property taxes and also education, My main cause is to reduce crime in the 25th District. The 25th District is one of the most violent districts within Chicago. The police district there is the 6th District, so trying to fight crime, recidivism and bring opportunity for employment for those who don’t have employment in the 25th District.

The Chicago Sun-Times sent the candidates seeking nominations for the Illinois House of Representatives a list of questions to find out their views on a range of important issues facing the state of Illinois. Flynn Rush submitted the following answers to our questionnaire:

TOPIC: Top priorities

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

ANSWER: I want to a be voice for the voiceless in the state legislature. If elected, I will make it a priority to fight for living wage jobs for my constituency and ensure adequate and well-funded schools.

Flynn Rush

Running for: Illinois House of Representatives 25th district

Political/civic background: Employment Specialist, Rebirth of Englewood Community Development Corporation. Community Outreach Specialist, Cook County Assessor’s Office. Precinct Captain, Area Coordinator for various campaigns including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Harold Washington.

Occupation: Community Outreach Specialist, Cook County Assessors Office

Education: Hyde Park Career Academy, McCormick Theological Seminary, Congressional Black Caucus Political Leadership Institute

Campaign website: RushforChange.com

TOPIC: Top district needs

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:Jobs that pay a living wage. Adequate and well funded schools. Safe neighborhoods (removing guns off the streets and curbing gun violence).

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: No, I do not support re-amortizing the $130 million debt. I believe that delaying payments only exacerbates our funding shortfalls because we never truly eliminate our underlying liability. I do support a constitutional amendment that would reduce the liability of the pension debt. However, I favor a graduated income tax which is fairer and more efficient.

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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: Yes, Illinois should increase the state minimum wage to $15 hour. We must pay workers a living wage. Raising the minimum wage will help employees and business (higher productivity and low turnover rate).

TOPIC: Marijuana

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

ANSWER: Yes, I do believe that recreational marijuana should be legalized but within a regulated framework because according to the ACLU there is a “staggering racial bias” in how we enforce marijuana laws in our country and in our state. Additionally, in the interim, revenue from legalized marijuana sales will allow Illinois to get its fiscal house in order while developing long -term viable solutions that is not depend on controversial sources of income.

TOPIC: Casinos

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

ANSWER: I would only support more casinos/ racinos if it were supported by the local community.

Bookmark the Sun-Times 2018 Illinois Primary Voting Guide

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: As you know, property taxes support Illinois schools. I would only support a freeze if we ensure that our schools are adequately protected and funded.

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: Yes, Illinois should spend more on schools. I believe most of the funding should come from the State, at least 50 percent.

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 should include funding for prevention, treatment (overdose-reverse drugs) and recovery.

TOPIC: Guns

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

ANSWER: Yes, I do support a state ban on gun silencers. Gun silencers distort the sound of a gunshot and puts one’s safety at risk. It also makes it difficult for law enforcement to do their jobs and protect the public safety.

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

ANSWER: Yes, all gun dealers in Illinois should be licensed by the State. I strongly believe that businesses that sell guns should be treated like any other business in Illinois where we require a license to operate.

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: Yes, family members should petition the court for removal of guns from emotionally and mentally disturbed people especially if one or many lives are at risk.

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: The State of Illinois needs progressive revenue to maintain the long-term viability of the state’s Medicaid program. I strongly support Medicaid expansion for the Affordable Care Act.

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: We need to ensure that college students can attend affordable universities.

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: I disagree withGovernor Rauner’s right to work, including ban on political contributions by unions; Expansion of public charter schools; Moving Retirement benefits to a 401 K plan.

I agree with Constitution amendment to the state’s public pension if and only if it is based on a progressive tax plan. Higher funding for public school districts. Modernization of State agencies