Join Me at the Voting Polls
they address the fiscal challenges facing all of us?
Mike Marron, Vermilion County Farm Bureau Legislative & Local Affairs Committee Chairman
I urge you to sign up – if you’re not already registered, you can late-register and then vote until October 26. Then tune in — become well informed about the
For the past ten general elections in Illinois, voter turnout has averaged about 62%. The turnout for the past ten primary elections has been much lower – just over 30%. It’s a sad commentary when only three in ten registered voters view the election as being important enough to go to the polls.
budget has its challenges, too. Rural Illinois is a major stakeholder in deciding the state’s future direction. Eighty percent of the state’s land is involved in production agriculture. The market value of commodities produced here totals about $13 billion. Millions more flow into the state from agrelated industries like farm equipment manufacturers and agricultural real estate.
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There’s a “perfect storm” that exists in Illinois, as increased spending and decreased tax revenue threaten critical services at the state and local levels, including education and infrastructure. The state’s deficit is about $13 billion; that’s a debt of $1000 for every man, woman and child. The state’s bond rating has been decreased by two Wall Street rating agencies. They cite Illinois’ lack of progress in solving the ongoing fiscal crisis as the reason. And as you are well aware, the federal
NOVEMBER 2
The way in which our elected officials address the fiscal crisis and agricultural issues at all levels of government will have an impact on all of us. As you consider which candidates to vote for, we urge you to understand how they would address those issues important to you and to agriculture. What will the candidates do to support agriculture? How will they address some of the challenges facing agriculture? How will
candidates and the issues. I think you’ll find the Candidate’s Survey on pages 5-6 in this Booster helpful in getting to know candidates. Finally, turn out — be sure to vote on Election Day. It’s more important this year than ever.
Additional Races on the November 2 Ballot OFFICE DEMOCRAT U.S. Senator Alexi Giannoulias Governor Pat Quinn IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan IL Sec’y of State Jesse White IL Comptroller David E Miller IL Treasurer Robin Kelly 15th Congressional District David Gill County Treasurer - No Candidate - No Candidate Reg Supt of School Board of Review Dist 1 Amanda Shepherd Board of Review Dist 2 - No Candidate Board of Review Dist 3 Robert McMurray Vermilion County Board District #3 – Elect 2 - No Candidate
REPUBLICAN Mark Kirk Bill Brady Steve Kim Robert Enriquez Judy Baar Topinka Dan Rutherford Tim Johnson Sue Stine Cheryl Reifsteck - No Candidate
Robert Huffman - No Candidate
Steven Fourez W. David Stone
District #4 – Elect 1 District #5 – Elect 2
Edwin Barney, Jr. John Criswell “Corky” Nightlinger
- No Candidate - No Candidate
District #6 – Elect 1 District #8 – Elect 1 District #9 – Elect 2
- No Candidate
Russell Pollitt
Robert Boyd Larry Davis James “Mouse” McMahon
- No Candidate - No Candidate
A Candidates Forum on Rural Issues for Illinois General Assembly Candidates was held in the Farm Bureau Auditorium last month. Those attending and the office they’re seeking were (l to r): Al Reynolds, 52nd Senate; Vince LaMie, 105th House; Chad Hayes, 104th House; Kerry Wienke, Farm Bureau Executive Director and moderator; Mike Puhr, 104th House; and Mike Frerichs, 52nd Senate. The forum was the first in a series of three that are cosponsored by Vermilion County Farm Bureau, Vermilion Advantage, and Neuhoff Media. A forum focused on education issues was held on October 7. The last forum will be held October 21, 7:00 pm at Old National Bank in downtown Danville with finances and the state budget as the topic. All the forums are being broadcast on WDAN and vermilioncountyfirst.com, with archives of the past forums there as well. You can also link to the archive broadcasts through our website – www.vcfb.info. 4
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