Election 2024 Questionnaire: Crystal Loughran, Illinois House District 76

Crystal Loughran, a Republican candidate for Illinois House District 76 in the March primary election, answered these questions from the Shaw Local News Network.

Full Name: Crystal Loughran

What office are you seeking? Illinois House of Representatives in the 76th District

What public offices, if any, have you previously held? Precinct Committee Woman

City: Peru, Illinois

Campaign website: www.loughran4rep.com

Considering the increasing influx of migrants to Illinois, how do you propose the state should address the challenges?

So far, this year, we spent 450 billion dollars on illegal immigration. This year we spent 100 billion dollars on the Ukraine war, not counting the hundreds of billions of equipment that we provided to that country as we fight in a proxy war with China.

We also supply hundreds of billions of dollars in American AID to these countries every year.

We can authorize the funding to hire 65,000 IRS agents, but we cannot hire more Border Patrol Officers or ICE Agents to control the border.

300,000 illegals are coming in every month just to come to our communities to live in free hotels and thousand-dollar gift cards and other freebies, including our schools and colleges. All at our expense. However, many will never see the inside of a courtroom disregarding our immigration laws because their court dates that they are ordered to present themselves will be ignored as they are forever lost into Country.

It’s about America First, not Americans last. As human beings we have to take of others when it’s called for but this has gone beyond just helping and now Americans are asking for help after being neglected.

The Democrats will pay dearly at the ballot box next year. The PEOPLE are rising and challenging Biden and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker by running for political office as Conservative Grassroots Republicans to defeat the Democrat agenda destroying Illinois and this great nation.

Even Democratic voters are voting Republican for financial relief. They have seen personally what liberal ideologies can do to destroy America.

Change is coming soon to help all Illinoisans, Americans and our veterans!

What are the top issues facing your district and what would you like to do to address those issues?

TAXES: Illinois has a flat tax of 4.95% ( individual income tax rate) 9.50 corporate tax rate. State sales tax rate is: 6.25. Under Pritzker Illinoians are paying $2,165 more in taxes. We need to prevent any progressive taxes. We need to trim our budget of needless spending to prevent the raising of taxes. We need common sense spending. My plan includes cutting taxes including the senior real estate tax that’s excessive.

UNIONS: 12.5 billion dollars in residential and non residential construction. There is a cut in Union work because manufacturing, capital projects and building have been cut due to the economy. There is no money to build homes or produce goods. Manufacturing has fled to China and Mexico because of wages. We need to rebuild our economy. Currently we pay $50,000 more just in lumber costs. We need to reinvest in infrastructure and building. When you do that manufacturing follows. We need to make more in America and Illinois, attracting industry with incentives to invest in Illinois.

PENSIONS: 26% of the Illinois budgets take up the Illinois budgets for taxes. Illinois is facing a pending pension collapse with some public pensions funded at only 20% Most Unions invest in hedge funds If the economy and the markets suffer so will Union investment returns. The standard return rate is 6%. We need to cut off nepotism and cronyism in government. For far too long Illinois politicians hand out pensions for political favors including themselves. We need to reduce the government and restructure the public pensions. Pensioners deserve protected pensions. Not to have their union funds treated as a loan bank with no returns.

If there was one bill that you could get through the legislature next year, what would it be?

SCHOOL CHOICE: The Illinois public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. Illinois has 2,072,880 students enrolled in a total of 4,266 schools in 1,070 school districts. There are 135,701 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 278 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Illinois spent $12,288 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 14th highest in the nation. 70% of real estate taxes are dedicated to school districts. Most of the school budget goes to salaries and pensions. The students are left with nothing. There are fewer schools because less people are having children. We need to restructure our spending to open the door for parents to place their children in private schools with public funding or using rebates or vouchers for private education.

If there was one recently passed law you could repeal, what would it be?

HB3653: The Safe-T act is responsible for criminalizing Police while giving a pass to criminals. We need to repeal HB3653 and replace it with a bill creating more penalties for offenders. We need stiffer sentencing guidelines giving criminals more jail time and the possibility of criminals seeing up to 80% of their sentences. Currently we are releasing too many criminals that are not in accordance with their sentence. We need to reinstate the death penalty. We need more funding for prisons. We need to scale down home monitoring. This program proves to be ineffective. It’s an expensive program and it is using more Police resources as these offenders escape.

Do you support term limits? If yes, why and what would they look like? And if no, why not? Yes. I support term limits.

ILLINOIS CORRUPTION: Illinois is the first in the nation for public corruption. We need a public integrity Police investigative unit to investigate crooked politicians. We need stiffer penalties for corruption. We need to restructure our laws to trim donations from certain donors and lobbyists. We need more transparency in politicians’ funding including them reporting how much they make including salaries,

Taxes are a top concern of Illinois voters. What do you think the underlying issues are and how would you propose addressing them?

What are three things the state legislature could do to promote better fiscal responsibility within state government?

JOBS: Currently there are 8 million people working in Illinois.The per capita disposable income is $56,839 (14 out of 50 states) Chicago produces 77% of the state’s wages. The poverty rate is 12%. We need to attract more Manufacturing to Illinois. We need to provide more training for Cyber which is the next generation of job employment with inexpensive trade schooling.

FARMS: Illinois biggest crops are corn and soybeans. Farmers are under threat over climate change. Farm lands want to be used for solar and wind farms. 30% of farms are dedicated to the production of ethanol for fuel. 50% is dedicated to trade. We need to fight the green deal. If the Democrats succeed. Thousands of farms will shut down including their support such as refineries, truck drivers, gas stations. We need to protect and reinvest in farms for more output not less. It’s a valuable commodity.

VETERAN CARE: Illinois has 559,656 veterans. Illinois provides only 6 homes for veterans. One (Prince Home) only occupies 15. For too long veterans homes have been mismanaged contributing to many veteran deaths due to the spread of diseases because of poor healthcare and management. We need more funds to build new veteran nursing homes and we need housing vouchers for homeless veterans including placement for permanent homes.

Do you support the Illinois gun ban? Why or why not? Please be specific.

A special THANK YOU to the Illinois State Rifle Association for their ENDORSEMENT. I make you this promise. I will defend 2A and to defend the rights of ALL Illinois residents to own, carry and have the ability to defend their families with no limitations. I will fight to VOID THE FOID and other unnecessary gun regulations suppressing the rights of our citizens that practice their 2nd Amendment rights afforded to us by the Constitution of the United States. God bless America and the ISRA!

What is your opinion of the role of tax incentives in economic development and business growth? Should tax incentives be offered to corporations to entice them to plant roots in local communities? Why or why not?

ECONOMY: The state of Illinois Gross State Product is 782 billion with a population of 12,671, 821 people. Manufacturing produces 101 billion dollars. Chemical manufacturing 16.6 billion. Food manufacturing 14.4 billion. Machinery manufacturing 13.6 billion. Fabricated metal products 10.5 billion. Plastics and rubber 6.8 billion. Transportation 6.7 billion. Computer and electronics 6.4. billion. The economy is the worst in the U.S. behind Kentucky. We have suffered business and job losses due to the COVID mandates. We need to reinvest in business. Attract industry back to Illinois with tax incentives and subsidies. The more companies means more tax revenue. Jobs equals spending to stimulate the economy.

How would you classify the state of public health in your district? Do you believe access to affordable healthcare is an issue? Why or why not? If you believe it’s an issue, what ideas do you have to remedy it?

HEALTHCARE: 25% of the Illinois population is on Medicare and Medicaid. Many are on this program that are not qualified for. Illinois is practicing socialized healthcare. We need to overhaul our public healthcare system. We do not need socialization and free healthcare. We need a better screening system prior to Medicare and Medicaid being provided.

When elected my goal is to provide better healthcare for legal taxpayers. It’s only right that you should receive the best access to healthcare without overcoming any obstacles that are preventing you from getting the necessary treatments for your health.

When I ran for City Counsil, I developed a short survey. While out canvasing I asked two questions of those who live in my ward located in Peru, Illinois. “What is more important to you? Building a new swimming pool or the closure of our two local hospitals.” Hands down folks in the neighborhood had grave concerns about the handling of the hospital. Some folks questioned the accountability of COVID funds and how did it get so bad so quickly? Many folks in my Ward are mature adults and realize just how important the hospitals are to our very survival. However, there were some folks in the community who favored a swimming pool over the hospital.

I’m sure this headline news brings hope, love, and joy to all the surrounding communities in knowing that we will have health care in the Illinois Valley once again. Congratulations Mayor!