There's "too much talk and no action," in Springfield, according to David McAloon, the Republican candidate for state representative in the 75th Legislative District.

"Sen. Gary Dahl, R-Granville, talked about how the Democrat legislative leaders are like three kids in a sandbox that can't get along," McAloon said. "Well, sandbox playing time is over: It's time for the 3-year olds to come in and take a nap and it's time for the serious adults to get in there and actually develop policies and do what they're supposed to do as representatives."

 

At a press conference Tuesday at the Holiday Inn in Morris, McAloon rolled out his "Agenda for Action."

 

Creating jobs, a balanced state budget, property tax relief, anti-corruption laws, safety for domestic violence victims, cyber-safety laws and affordable college education are his goals.

 

But the seven action points really are nothing new, he told the 20 well-wishers and three reporters who attended.

 

"Most of them in general are not new to my campaign, whether it's this year or two years ago É Most of these I've called for at one time or another, or worked on continually in one form or another É

 

"These are common things that people want to see. It doesn't matter who you're talking to, whether Republican, Democrat, independent, young old, middle-age -- it doesn't make a difference; they pretty much say all the same things. They're tired of government not functioning or being dysfunctional."

 

But the Legislature, he said, "has been doing near nothing now for near five years."

McAloon a self-described Ronald Reagan conservative, says he believes in "limited government, defending personal freedoms, personal responsibility and the rule of law."

 

McAloon favors a new state constitution that would contain, among other things, provisions for the recall of elected officials at every level.

 

He also said the state needs a top-down review of its tax structure. McAloon said the state needs to get away from taxing possessions like real estate and productivity.

 

"I think we need to go to more of a consumption-based type of revenue stream which doesn't tax productivity. It enhances your business environment, it gives more money in the pocket of people to spend what they want to spend instead of being forced to spend money on things they don't want to spend money on."

 

How to do that "is open for discussion."

 

McAloon said a first step for property tax relief would be to raise homestead exemptions and the senior homestead exemption.

 

"It's an action point in Springfield that they're not even doing, they're not even thinking about. Which is not acceptable. They don't even have a plan down there."

 

The 75th District includes all or part of Grundy, Will, Kankakee, La Salle, Iroquois and Livingston counties and is represented by state Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Morris.

 

McAloon has a Web site at www.FriendsForMcAloon.org.