State House District 61 race pits Mason against Pettorini – Chicago Tribune

Spherical Lake Excessive College English instructor Peter Pettorini of Lindenhurst selected his occupation to make a distinction in individuals’s lives, and is in search of a seat within the Illinois Normal Meeting to do the identical factor on a wider scale.

“I educate to make a distinction,” Pettorini, 49, mentioned. “I could make an even bigger influence in Springfield. Illinois has been on the mistaken path for some time, and folks must step up. We want extra long-term planning. I really feel I can do this.”

State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, believes she already made a distinction within the lives of her constituents, significantly these in Zion the place she received reduction for them due to the shuttered nuclear energy plant as a part of the Local weather and Equitable Jobs Act. It turned legislation final 12 months.

“It lastly compensates the metropolis of Zion for having stranded nuclear waste buried underground with nowhere to go,” Mason, 53, mentioned of the invoice which provides $15 million yearly to assist residents there. “This might be enormous for the individuals of Zion.”

Mason and Pettorini, her Republican challenger, are competing to symbolize the state Home 61st District of the Illinois Normal Meeting within the Nov. 8 common election, giving voters a selection between candidates who take opposing positions on a wide range of points.

As candidates across the state debate the SAFE-T Act, which makes a wide range of modifications within the felony justice system, Pettorini and Mason sound like they’re speaking about two totally different items of laws. These provisions not but in place turn into efficient Jan. 1.

Pettorini mentioned the elimination of money bail, which is without doubt one of the legislation’s provisions beginning subsequent 12 months, makes criminals much less accountable. Those that favor not requiring a money bond whereas a defendant awaits trial are making an ethical slightly than authorized determination, he mentioned.

“I don’t prefer it,” Pettorini mentioned of the legislation. “Individuals who commit offenses already decided to interrupt a legislation. If making a decision to commit against the law, what good is your promise you may be there to study your punishment?”

Mason mentioned she believes the legislation wants “tweaking,” and is working with the legislation’s sponsors to make these modifications. She can be speaking with legislation enforcement officers to study their concepts for modifications. She likes the concept of not preserving an individual in jail for purely financial causes.

“Judges will now have the ability to hold harmful people in custody whereas they’re awaiting trial,” Mason mentioned. “Main home violence organizations supported the provisions on this invoice, which can hold victims of home violence safer.”

With voters expressing issues over inflation, Mason mentioned the legislature took the correct steps when it froze the gasoline tax, issued property tax rebates, created again to highschool gross sales tax holidays and different reduction. She would do extra.

“Totally funding our public college obligations and pension obligations, and placing a major extra quantity towards our pension obligation will all positively have an effect on our prices down the street,” she mentioned.

Freezing or reducing the gasoline tax is one among Pettorini’s concepts to chop inflation as effectively. He mentioned he would additionally remove a number of layers of presidency, like townships and different taxing districts, to scale back bills and with it inflation.

“I need to hold authorities lean and functioning,” Pettorini mentioned. “I can’t vote for any tax enhance. We have to take a look at methods to chop taxes.”

With regards to decreasing gun violence, Pettorini mentioned he would enhance police presence; and with ladies’s reproductive rights, he doesn’t imagine abortion must be allowed after the twelfth week of being pregnant.

“I’d put extra police on the streets and provides extra funding to the police,” Pettorini mentioned concerning curbing gun crimes.

Mason’s views on gun violence and girls’s reproductive well being are transient.

“I’m 100% pro-choice,” Mason mentioned. “I do help an assault weapons ban, in addition to background checks and shutting harmful loopholes.”

The district consists of all or a part of Gurnee, Zion, Winthrop Harbor, Seaside Park, Previous Mill Creek, Antioch, Wadsworth, Waukegan, Lindenhurst, Gages Lake and Grayslake.

Early voting started Sept. 29 on the Lake County Courthouse and Administration Constructing in downtown Waukegan, and expanded to 13 different websites together with Gurnee Village Corridor, Zion Metropolis Corridor and the Antioch Township Workplace.