West Cook News

The election is just days away and Katy Dolan Baumer, Republican candidate for the 44th state district House seat, plans to get right to work if elected.

She said it's time for a change and she plans to begin making them the day she takes office if elected.

“If you vote for the same person you are voting for the status quo and after 10 years of the status quo, I think the people deserve better and more representation of them, not of Mr. (Michael) Madigan's (D-Chicago) district,"Baumer told the West Cook News.

Baumer's opponent, incumbent Democratic candidate Fred Crespo, has represented the 44th district for 10 years. Madigan has held the Speaker of the House position since 1983, except for a single term for 1995 to 1997. Baumer said it is time to change that and bring new leadership into the house. Madigan has such a wealth of experience it's time for him to mentor and train new people and put faith in them rather than just supporting power and money, she said.

“If I get elected the first thing I'm going to do is cast a vote for someone other than Mr. Madigan for speaker of the house,” Baumer said.

Baumer said she hopes that if she is elected she will be appointed to the Appropriations Committee, a post her opponent now holds because, that committee holds the purse strings. She said it is important that Illinois have a budget, something the current legislature has failed to do. It needs to have a healthy budget that is truly a budget and not a spending bill, she said.

Baumer said she would immediately begin examining every single line item. The legislature must also take a look at pension reform. If there is a problem with the system they need to find a way to solve it in an equitable way, she said.

Despite which committee she is appointed to Baumer said she will do her best to represent the people. She said all the committees are there for a reason and it's important that the people on the committee focus on making good decisions for the people of Illinois.

The third item on her agenda if elected will be to learn more about the needs and wants of the lobbying groups. She said she wants to know why some are stronger than others and understand their needs. She said if they have legitimate needs they should be addressed.

As Election Day grows near, attack ads have increased. Baumer had words for those putting out lies about their opponents.

“How dare you lie to the people?” she asked.

Baumer said she has been the victim of such attacks even though her opponent knows her personally and knows the accusations are not true. Baumer said she had been accused of not supporting health screening for women, but as a breast cancer survivor that couldn't be further from the truth. Despite the lies being spread about her, she refuses to engage in attack ads.

“It's ugly, it's deceitful, it besmirches my name as well as his and I don't think it's helpful, putting out lies,” Baumer said.

Overall Baumer said she wants to be a true representative of the people. Living in the center of the district and having served her community on boards such as women's groups and the chamber of commerce, the Streamwood resident said she has the best interest of her people at heart.

“Whether Democrats or Republicans are elected I hope good people who really want to represent the people win,” Baumer said.