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GOP state rep hopeful seeks pension, tax reforms
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By Stephen Elliott, selliott@qconline.com
By Stephen Elliott, selliott@qconline.com
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State representative candidate Neil Anderson on Wednesday said he would seek to eliminate legislative pensions if elected as District 72 state representative. Mr. Anderson, 30, is the Republican challenger facing state Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, for the District 72 seat on Nov. 6. During a Wednesday news conference at his Moline headquarters, Mr. Anderson said Illinois is bleeding people to almost every state in the nation because of its uncontrollable debt. "We are broke, and, yes, we need to fix it," he said. Mr. Anderson said he opposed the 66 percent tax hike approved by the legislature, including Rep. Verschoore, and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn in 2011. He said, if elected, he planned to author legislation to take pensions away. "We're in a tough spot in our state with our budget," he said. "Right now, legislators get elected and the first thing they're worried about is getting re-elected." Part of the re-election motivation, he said ,was "to keep padding that pension." Asked about his own future pension as a firefighter, Mr. Anderson said he is concerned about pensions overall. "It is very important we do have some kind of pension reform for public employees," he said. "I'm a firm believer in a promise made is a promise kept. "We have to fix this problem, the pension problem, with integrity." Mr. Anderson said an $85 billion shortfall in the state's pension system could force the state to face bailouts or bankruptcy. "If that happens, everybody's pension is up for grabs," he said. Mr. Anderson also said he believes the state income tax increase has hurt job growth in Illinois, saying it created a tradeoff between more tax dollars and more jobs leaving the state. "Are we going to lose some revenue cutting the tax increase back?" he asked. "I guess. Maybe. But, you're also going to build by making a more business-friendly environment." Mr. Anderson said he never thought about going into politics until he worked on the campaign for U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling, R-Colona, in 2010. That increased his interest in finding solutions to government-created problems, he said. "This is something I need to do for the future of the state, the future of the country," Mr. Anderson said. "Moreso, for the future of my son and my little girl on the way. "Something has to change. Government is not intended to be about politics," he said. "It's supposed to be about principles, and that's what we need to bring back to the state." 
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Today is Sunday, May 19, the 139th day of 2013. There are 226 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The Rt. Rev. Harry I. Witherspoon, D.D. Bishop of Illinois, willpreach in Trinity (Episcopal) Church, in this city this evening.
1888 -- 125 years ago: At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Mississippi River flooded itsbanks at Rock Island, destroying the warehouse of the Rock Island Lumber companyand damaging the Lumber Company and arsenal power plant. Total loss isestimated at $100.000.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Residents of South Rock Island township are circulating a petitionfavoring the annexation of that area to the city of Rock Island.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Mrs. Thomas Ackles, of Rock Island, has been elected president ofthe Playcrafters for the next season. She succeeds Warren Leonard.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Some 8,000 people filed through the gates of Rock Island Arsenal on Saturday to view a display of a part of the nation's armed strength. The occasion was theannual observance of Armed Forces Day.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Willis Kuschmann, of Moline, who already has won his laurels as oneof the most artistic men in the Quad-Cities area, has a new hobby. He is deeply involvedin miniature railroading. At the age of 88, when many other seniors are dozing in theirchairs or sitting before the television, Mr. Kuschmann is planning and working on hiscollection.
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