Chambana Sun

The “Other” Mike Madigan, campaigning for Senate District 52, wants change.

He believes term limits will help bring that change.

This flies into contradiction with the Mike Madigan serving as Speaker of the House who, along with some of his fellow Democrats, refused to take it to vote in Springfield.

The Other Madigan believes that far too many politicians have warped the notion of public service and turned into a prosperous career.

“I support term limits,” he told the Chambana Sun. “Serving in the legislature was intended to be a short-term public service, but it has morphed into a full-time career with a lavish pension for many. I'm not surprised at all that Chicago Mike Madigan blocks this reform. He will block anything that threatens his decades-long control of state government, as long as he has enough rubber-stamp legislators to back him up.”

While Springfield will stall on term limits, Madigan insists that there is an alternative that may curb abuse.

“Since term limits are not on the ballot, I urge all Illinoisans to vote for the Illinois Independent Redistricting Amendment which will take away legislators' ability to draw their own districts and instead allow a citizens commission to draw fair and competitive districts," he said. 

The Illinois Independent Redistricting Amendment would allow voters to redraw the legislative map via a non-partisan and independent commission. This amendment would help strengthen minority voting rights, protect the interests of all voters, and limit incumbency.

Madigan believes that this amendment will curb the wasteful mismanagement in Illinois and decrease the emigration the state is facing. Such mismanagement has cost over $900 million dollars in penalties and fees due to late payments of bills. This is something that needs to stop, according to Madigan.

“For 12 years the Democrats spent more than they took in, even after raising income taxes by $31 billion and this is the sad result: almost $10 billion in debt and nearly $1 billion blown on interest and penalties,” he said. “This is $1 billion that now can not go to helping the truly poor and disabled. It can not help fund our schools. It can not help reduce our crushing pension liability. This kind of fiscal mismanagement must be stopped.”

Fiscal responsibility is vital for a state that is facing a budget stalemate that has affected every citizen. More importantly, it has affected the schools and the students. Relief was thought to have been found for schools when an education-funding formula was passed in the Senate last Tuesday. The bill faced heavy opposition, however, due to what many are calling unfair practices. Madigan is one such opponent.

“This is not school-funding formula reform,” Madigan said. “It is essentially a bailout of the failed Chicago Public School system at the expense of many downstate schools. Rather than bailing out Chicago, we should reform our education systems to ensure that every child receives a quality education. Only 1 in 5 Chicago Public School graduates is considered “college ready,” and the average amount spent per student annually will exceed $14,000.”

Madigan believes that the school system has failed because Springfield has failed. He compares it to a hostage situation.

“What is my opponent's party's answer? More money. A bailout at our expense,” he said. “Instead, they should take up the governor on his suggestion to pass a bill fully funding education now and work toward true education reform. Unfortunately, they are holding our schoolchildren hostage and threatening not to fund any schools until we bailout Chicago.”

Madigan elaborates further on what he believes is the current failed state of the capital.

“They (House Speaker Madigan and his party) aren’t interested in bipartisanship or compromise; they are interested in protecting their power,” he said. “For decades, the politicians in Springfield have refused to pass reforms and have been making promises they know they cannot keep. And once again, they want to push the costs of their mistakes and lack of leadership onto us. Instead of protecting our community, they are protecting themselves.”

Madigan wants to do what he believes Springfield can’t: serve the community and protect it. He has seen the disappointment from voters first hand while campaigning.

“I will go to Springfield to protect our community, to protect your quality of life and protect the investment you’ve made in our community,” he said. “I am attending many community and charity events, and also meeting with people individually or in small groups listening to their concerns about our state government and our economy. There is a lot of anger and frustration.”

They speak to him, he says, and he listens.

“People are concerned about businesses and families leaving our state for better opportunities," Madigan said. "They want legislators who will fight for reform and end the failed status quo; legislators who will take principled stands to restore economic liberty in Illinois -- and that's what I will do.”