PATERAKIS

September 10, 2017

Candidates, as we mentioned in our invitation, we have created a written questionnaire that we

would like all candidates to complete by October 1, 2017.

This questionnaire will be published on each our partner websites and/or Facebook pages as
applicable. It will be published as complete or incomplete as we receive them by October 1, 2017.
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DO YOU SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING:

Yes No
Charter schools moratorium X
Marijuana legalization X
Progressive income tax X
Permanent ban fracking in X
Illinois
Elected school board in Chicago X
Term limits for:
State legislators
Chicago mayor X
Illinois Speaker of the X
House
Governor X
State run single payer health X
care
Free college tuition for Illinois X
residents to state universities
Senate Bill 40 X
$15 minimum wage X
Financial transaction tax
State bank
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The Environment

In the move for renewable energy what is the appropriate role of the state government?

It all starts with the government, if we did not have government regulations, we would not have
electric and low emission vehicles. We need to move our grid to a solar grid and make sure all new
government buildings are at least LEED Gold certified.

What is your plan for reducing greenhouse gasses and making the transition from fossil fuels to
renewable energy? Please provide specific goals and timetables.

By 2020 we need a 20% reduction in carbon emissions in Illinois. We need to offer incentives
for the consumers to install energy efficient buildings and car purchases.

Healthcare

Please explain why you are for or against state run single payer healthcare.

Healthcare should not be for profit, and unfortunately it is all about profit. I feel that if we were to
remove for profit healthcare, the actual services would improve and advancement in health cures
would accelerate. We have to take a lesson from VA hospitals and make sure we have solid
leadership to make sure the transition is a success.

Today, does the business of health insurance appropriately belong in the public or private sectors?
Explain.
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I do not think we can move 100% off the private system, but I see a harmonious collaboration
between the public and private sectors, working together for a common cause.
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Economic justice

Explain why there has been a movement of African-Americans from the city of Chicago and what if
anything should be done about it?

Gentrification by Rahm. We are not investing in our communities, just make the nice parts of the
city nicer.

What, if any, role does the state have in ensuring economic justice and fairness?

Everything, if the government does not protect the poor and middle class, no one will.

Since 1980 both parties have adopted neoliberal economic policies. What is your position on
neoliberalism and has it worked?

Is there any company or sector from which the State of Illinois should divest? Why or why not?

What should the minimum wage be in Illinois and why?

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It needs to be a livable wage based on the cost of living in the community. We owe it to our citizens to
be able to afford to live in this great state.

The state budget crisis

Considering that Illinois has had majority Democratic legislatures for several years (many years
accompanied by Democratic governors) why has the Illinois not achieved a progressive income tax?

There have been no pressures, with gerrymandering, many seats go uncontested. There was and still
is no urgency to these elected officials.

What is your plan to put together the legislative coalition necessary to pass a progressive income tax
bill and what is the projected date this constitutional change will take effect?

It will need to start right when we get into office with a target date of 2022. But what we can do now
is create a tax credit for families that make under $150,000 right now.

Other than a progressive income tax what other new sources of revenue are you proposing?

Legalization of cannabis and gambling in Ohare airport.

What is your plan to resolve the pension crisis?

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Stripping pensions from people that were promised them is immoral. We need to actually allocate
the funds needed and restructure our debt to be able to keep our promises.

Assess the efficacy of the TIF program in addressing economic development in blighted areas.
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Fairness in the justice system

Several police officers have been charged in connection to the killing of LaQuan McDonald and the
coverup following. What role do you believe city hall had in the coverup?

They did a horrible job on the transparency of this case. We need to increase the transparency of
investigations against government officials.

African-Americans and Latinos are incarcerated at a much higher rate then whites. Why do you
believe that to be true and what do you propose to make our criminal justice system more equitable?
The three strike rule and mandatory minimum sentences. All sentences should be relatively equal
and not based on the lawyer representing you.

Should all drugs be legalized? Why or why not?

Only cannabis.

What reforms do you propose to improve policing?

We need reform to make sure people that end up in prison do not end up there again. We need
programs to re-assimilate these individuals back into a functioning society.
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Jobs

How do you ensure the Illinois worker keeps up and thrives in todays economy?

Reject right to work laws, simple and effective to help the worker retain their rights

Many businesses get around benefit requirements by reducing hours and maintaining inconsistent
schedules. Is there a way to protect workers regarding these issues?

In Illinois, we need to implement a minimum hour threshold so that workers are protected from
reduced hours. We also need to implement a 2 week out schedule were employer are not allowed to
make drastic changes to an employees schedule unless the employee gives consent

Do you agree or disagree that the real solution to the undocumented worker situation is law
enforcement focused on American employers rather than workers? Explain.
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Education

Do you agree with Mayor Emanuels closing of 49 public schools in 2013? Explain.

Every time you close a school you close a community. With closing these schools, Rahm is giving up
on these children and their families.

Do you believe that public schools are essential to a democracy and how do corporate run charter
schools fit into this view?

Charter schools can exist, but should receive no state funding. Public education gives all children the
same opportunity to succeed.

Are kids over tested? Explain.

Teaching to a test is a major issue. Good test scores do not equal a proper education. We need to
reduce our reliance on standardized testing.
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Government Integrity

What is your opinion of privatization of government services?

The only way they work is when there is major oversight, thus negating any cost benefits. Private
companies work on a profit model, one that does not work well with governmental services.

Do conflicts of interests exist in state government, where do they exist and what are the impacts of
conflicts of interest?

We have property tax attorneys in a leadership position that affects property taxes. We need term
limits on leadership positions so that we can rid ourselves of the conflicts of interest.

What would you do to address corruption in Illinois?

By getting a movement together fostered by the people we can put pressure on our elected officials.
We have done it with the soda tax, we can do it for other injustices against the poor.

Do you agree with the practice of the Illinois Speaker making campaign contributions to several
state representatives? Explain.

No, elections are not auctions. Only the people in the actual communities that the officials represent
should be able to donate.
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Do you believe that electronic tabulation of election results provides the public observability
necessary in a democratic election? Explain.

If we use electronic voting, there needs to be an extreme sensitivity to the systems collecting the
data. We did not do enough in this last election to protect the data of the electorate.