Metro East Sun

Deborah Brennan’s rallying cry in her run for the St. Clair County Board is aimed at re-energizing the masses. 

“Not under any circumstance, not under any condition, will I ever be in favor of more property taxes,” Brennan told the Metro East Sun of her primary motivation for a 2018 run. “It makes no sense for any of us to continue to go along with that. I’m hoping to make a pact with as many board members as I can that feel the same way I do.”

Brennan has even more at stake than most. She and her husband own a home as well as several other properties, all of which are increasingly becoming more expensive.

“Every year our property taxes go up on every house,” she said. “We have to find other ways of doing things. People are not only being squeezed out of their homes, but out of the state entirely.”

But property taxes are only part of what's wrong in Illinois, Brennan said.

“I’m adamantly opposed to SB1 and not in favor of bailing out Chicago Public Schools,” she said. “I think SB1 is one more example of crooked, corrupt Chicago politics. I don’t think the proposal is fair to students outside of CPS.” 

Gov. Bruce Rauner recently used his veto power to strip that "bailout" from the state's K-12 funding measure. The bill is now back with the Democratically controlled Legislature, where a three-fifths vote in both chambers is needed to override his veto.

“I think it’s outrageous that CPS would get $250 million for its pension problem,” Brennan said. “It’s a problem they caused all on their own.”

In the end, Brennan sees the state’s best chance at prospering contingent on the ouster of long-time House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).

“He needs to go,” she said. “We have to vote for Republicans to fire Madigan and take majority control on county boards like St. Clair to make a difference. The time is now to take back our state.”