While some people were trying to sell their products at the farmers' market Saturday, immediately north politicians were trying to sell their views on the war in Iraq, terrorism, homeland security, taxes, a balanced budget in Springfield and health care.

About 100 people attended an "election awareness candidate forum" sponsored by the La Salle County Republican Women.

 

Kay Hatcher, Steve Stout, Marty Ozinga, Gary Dahl, Herman E. "Bones" Bruns, Dr. Steve Sauerberg, Randy Freeman, David McAloon, Robert Pritchard, June Steder and Mary Schneider gave 10-minute speeches

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All are Republicans except Stout, Bruns and Schneider.

"I care," said Hatcher, state representative for the 50th District. "I care about what they are doing in Springfield. There is chaos and no collaboration. They are looking at their own self-interests. They aren't talking about transportation, school funding. They are not meeting current financial commitments before adding more expenses. We need to change this and we need to change this now."

 

Steve Stout, candidate for the state Senate, said Springfield needs help.

"Politicians can't do it alone," said the Utica author and photographer. "We can change the world from this little spot. We can return Springfield back to the people. I'm not here to apologize for the governor. We need to eliminate personalization of office and stop petty politics. We need to work together and help Springfield hear our voices to affect change."

 

Marty Ozinga is a first-time candidate for Congress. Owner of an 80-year-old concrete company, Ozinga Bros., he turned the company over to his six sons so he could devote time to running for office.

"I am not a politician," he told the crowd. "I have never run for political office and when I was asked to run for Congress I said I had no political experience. 'Perfect,' they said. 'We've had enough life-long career politicians,' they said. 'We need business people with common sense.' "

Ozinga, active in community health projects and working with people with disabilities, said, "we are the most blessed country in the world. We have wealth and freedom, things we should never take for granted."

 

Frank Kobilsek, chairman for Gary Dahl's state Senate campaign, said he was happy to be participating in the forum.

"It's been a very long time since we had a nonpartisan event.

"We need leadership change in the Illinois Senate," he continued. "We need to take better care of our veterans. During the first session of the budget, which by the way is about 12 inches thick and which everyone received one and a half hours before the vote, Gary noticed the additional 80 beds we were promised for the (La Salle Veterans Home) was not included. When he asked about that omission, he was told it wasn't there and that he should get his priorities straight."

 

Herman "Bones" Bruns, running for La Salle County Board's District 29 position, decided to run after attending some board meetings.

"I got a copy of the county budget and I know the county provides a lot of services. The jail, our veterans home and their nurses, all of this and more comes out of the budget. And I know they are cutting money at all levels. A lot of people say the board is overpaid but from what I've seen, they earn every bit of their salary. We need younger blood so we can get moving in the right direction. If I get on the board, and I see something wrong, I'll fix it. I'm not a college graduate. All I want to do is help."

Bruns wants to see "more businesses with no subsidies. We need more people working. In Streator a theater closed because taxes were too high. We had a car dealership close because people weren't buying cars. We need more businesses that are not subsidized by taxpayer TIFs."

 

Steve Sauerberg is a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

"I'm running against Sen. Dick Durbin, a very liberal senator who doesn't represent the people. We need change in the senate and that's why I'm running. I just couldn't take this anymore."

Sauerberg's concerns ranged from the open border and "taxes that support Springfield, who has never seen a big enough government. We have a government that just wants us to drive less without drilling for oil anywhere. It's hard to do anything if energy issues are not resolved. The Legislature has been dealing with this for 25 to 30 years and they have done nothing. We need to deal with our rising health costs. We need change and without all of our efforts, there will be no change."

 

Randy Freeman, running for La Salle County Board chairman, agreed with Bruns.

"The board is doing a wonderful job of ignoring what people want and need. I'm not going to use the word 'change' because I think it's an overused word. We need to gain the trust and honor of the public. We have lost our way. The public expects public servants and not politicians. The board wonders why the public is not behind them in issues like the sale tax referendum. I can tell them. It's because they don't listen."

"I pledge to you," he continued, "that I will bring trust and honor back to the board. We need to get back to our roots. If I were the chairman, I would be involved in each county office. They know where they could save money and work more efficiently. No one has ever asked them how to do this. We need to put people first, over our individual needs and desires. We have a lot of good board members but they need to start doing what's right. They go along with the way things are now because it's a way of getting along with each other. But we need to gain back the honor and trust we once had from people"

Photo: Tom Sistak
Sabina Epley of Ottawa asks a question of David McAloon, Republican candidate in the 75th Illinois House District, during a La Salle County Republican Women election awareness event at Washington Square in downtown Ottawa Saturday.

 

Photo: Tom Sistak
A woman uses a campaign poster to shield herself from the sun while Dr. Steve Sauerberg, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks during a La Salle County Republican Women election awareness event at Washington Square in downtown Ottawa Saturday.

 

David McAloon is running for the 75th District state representative position.

"People need to know that you do the right thing when no one is watching. Right now, our government figures out how much revenue could be generated by raising taxes, raise those taxes and then wonder why they didn't get the additional revenue they thought they would. When taxes on casinos were raised four years ago, the revenue dropped. Springfield just couldn't figure out why. Well, I think casinos are a negative revenue stream, not a positive one. It's quicksand. We need to reduce our tax load and start with small and large businesses."

 

Robert Pritchard is running for the 70th District state representative position.

"We need to share ideas and offer suggestions to our government on how we can do a better job. We need to reach out for diversity in our government."

 

June Steder, a candidate for the La Salle County clerk, suggested ways to save tax money.

"We should develop an internal collection department. There has just been a collections agreement contract signed. But these types of contracts don't work. They ask for too much personal information that I don't think we should be answering and 35 percent of what they collect for our county, they will keep. This would all be avoided if we had an internal collection department. And it can be done. I would make it easier to pay tickets online. It would save on gas, reduce traffic in our courtrooms and relieve general stress."

"This is a passion for me," Steder said. "I love being able to make people's lives better through the court system. I know I can do a good job. When I can reduce costs and make things better, I want to do it."