Election 2012: Curt Renz

Name:

Curt Renz

Position Sought: 

State Representative, 53rd District

Campaign contact information:

www.curtrenz.com

Age and Birthdate: 

66 - 12/04/45

Family: Include as much info as you like (names, ages, number of children, etc.)

Single - three younger brothers - many nieces and nephews

Education Include degree(s) and school(s):

Northern Illinois University: BS in Business Management – GPA 3.73

Occupation:

Semi-Retired - Anchor, Financial Editor & Market Analyst for the “Stock Market Observer” program on Chicago’s WCIU-TV for 16 years - Author of “The Investor’s Guide to Technical Analysis” - Former Stockbroker & Real Estate Broker - Vietnam War Veteran

Political Party: 

Democratic

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices:

None, first-time candidate

Official Name of Campaign: 

Curt Renz for State Representative

Is there any additional experience you believe qualifies you for the position?

While taking a semester off from college to earn tuition, I was drafted into the US Army. I graduated from Non-Commissioned Officers Candidate School with the rank of sergeant. In Vietnam I served with the elite First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) as a liaison to the Air Force. During my final months in Vietnam the Division Transportation Officer put me in charge of my five-man unit, which was supposed to be headed by a captain. During my year in Vietnam we never lost an airplane under the control of our unit. After the nearly two years service required of a draftee, I was honorably discharged with several awards including the Army Commendation Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.After my service and after earning college degrees,

I have gained a wealth of experience in the private sector, in particular in the financial and real estate markets. As a TV newsperson, I was an independent who did not choose parties in primaries. I regularly split my general election votes among the candidates I believed to be the most qualified. During recent years I began leaning Democratic as the Republican Party became dominated by its more extreme elements.

What would your priorities be if elected to this office?:

Priority #1: Jobs

Priority #2: Fiscal responsibility

Priority #3: Short-term independent citizen legislators rather than career politicians. (I was not slated by Madigan, am too old to make this a career, and have voted independently all of my life.)

Illinois’ unfunded pension liability is $83 billion. The state’s inability to address the issue recently led Moody’s to downgrade Illinois’ credit rating. What should be done to address the state’s rising pension obligations?

- Pay current retirees as agreed.

- Negotiate realistically with current employees.

- Make realistic offers to new employees. Pension negotiations and determinations should be made by those entities that have to consider only their own budgets.

- Eliminate pensions for all legislators.

Partisan gridlock can be eliminated by bringing all concerned parties to the discussion table. Compromises will be required for the state to meet its obligations. Continue paying retirees as promised by the Illinois Constitution. Offer fair and responsible programs to new employees, and negotiate with those in mid-career to discuss reasonable options.

Well-managed reputable 401(k) plans may provide sensible supplements to possibly reduced pension benefits. All parties must understand the need for sustainable compromises to prevent tax-paying employers and workers from revolting or leaving Illinois, and to keep hard-working public employees on the job.

What are the most important issues facing your district and what would you do as a legislator to address them? 

The most important issue is jobs. To help the local economy and create more jobs, we can:

- Provide incentives for small and medium sized businesses to encourage hiring unemployed workers and training them in the skills necessary to perform.

– Continue to support emerging green-collar jobs and local energy-efficiency companies like those in Arlington Heights, etc.

- Support common sense construction projects such as the high speed rail system to improve Illinois' status as the backbone of the Midwest's agriculture and manufacturing corridor and take advantage of public-private partnerships with support from the federal government and rail companies.

- Build highway bridges and underpasses around suburban railroad tracks and develop the plan to extend Route 53 to save motorists’ time, save energy, save lives, reduce pollution and make it easier for our state's businesses to bring their products and services to market by road or rail, again to fully utilize public-private partnerships including the federal government, railroads and other infrastructure companies.

- Allow well-managed slot machines at the race track provided there is strong ethical oversight.

- Support the arts, especially filmmakers and stage producers, and continue to support and expand Illinois' tourist industry. Our state's tourism business not only leads directly to thousands of jobs, but also draws money from outside of Illinois. The ripple effect of all those visitors is huge.

The return on investment and economic impact of productive citizens gaining full employment amid transportation improvement will greatly increase business activity and profitability. This would allow these projects to pay for themselves.

Illinois’ state government has a terrible reputation in terms of corruption. What would you do to change the culture of state government that has seen recent governors from both political parties convicted of felonies? 

 Stop political party bosses from transferring money to candidates

and instead demand that candidates reach out to voters more directly. The current system of having only a handful of backroom wheeler-dealers (from both parties) dictating the flow of obscene amounts of campaign cash has led directly to both Republican and Democratic ex-governors going to jail.

Voters are growing weary of negative mail, harassing phone calls and deceptive TV ads made possible by huge campaign contributions. Although the conservative Roberts Supreme Court has currently rendered the issue of campaign contribution limits moot, far fewer dollars in campaign accounts would help alleviate much of that negative campaigning.

I would support a constitutional amendment to mitigate the negative impact of the Supreme Court’s failed “Citizens United” decision.

While my incumbent opponent has received generous backing from his party and other entities, to date the state's Democratic Party and leadership have not offered any financial assistance to my campaign, nor am I seeking such help as I choose to remain independent. 

Education in Illinois is funded primarily through local property taxes. What changes, if any, would make to that funding system?

Keeping control of local school districts in local voters' hands, through locally elected boards and local property taxes, offers tax-payers the most direct form of supervision over their schools. Those who negotiate and determine teachers’ salaries and benefits should be the ones whose budgets must be considered. Converting to a system more reliant on state-funding could wreak havoc on our communities' schools (especially considering Springfield's attempts at so-called "fund sweeps" in recent years).

Illinois recently passed a significant increase in its income tax, yet the state continues to run a deficit. What specifically should be done to reduce the deficit? 

Why would you do a better job representing the district than your opponent? If you are running unopposed, please just share why you are qualified for the position. 

I will refuse to be beholden to any party leader or any special interests who might get special benefits from legislative action. I will also stand firm in my task of representing my fellow citizens and will not flip-flop on important issues.

I will bring my independence, my finance and business background and good old-fashioned common sense to the job of truly representing the diverse and vibrant communities of the 53rd District and fighting on their behalf in Springfield.