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Full Name:
David Simpson
What office are you seeking?
74th district, State Representative
What is your political party?
Democrat
What is your current age?
55
Occupation and Employer:
Lumber Sales, Illinois Industrial Lumber
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Shabbona Village Trustee
City:
Shabbona
Campaign Website:
Education:
Kishwaukee College and Six Sigma Purdue
Community Involvement:
Northern Illinois Walleye Club, Public Affairs Committee of Shabbona
Marital Status/Immediate Family:
Married, two kids, both married and on their own
Why are you running for office?
To help our communities have a voice in Springfield. We as a rural Illinois district have not had someone to represent and fight for the needs of our district. We go un noticed and underfunded. I would like to take on the challenges we face. My priorities will be food security, jobs, wages, water security, education funding, healthcare and infrastructure improvements. The grant system is unfair to rural Illinois and we need a change in leadership.
Will you honor the results of the November election, including the presidential race?
YES! we need to be able to trust our election system and the results.
How would you assess the SAFE-T Act? Are there any changes/adjustments that you would like to see made?
SB3353 is a good start to resolve the issues of where people will go when addiction is the reason. A bill that does not give people a place to land is not a good bill. We need to set up a stronger community when it comes to addiction. Every law as substantial as the Safe t act need improvements and constant review. Police in Whiteside County have made the statement to me that they “don’t have a drunk tank,” and that was the main problem. We can come up with better solutions.
What policies would you support to ease the burden on Illinois taxpayers? Please be specific
Equal education funding across the state will lower property tax.
The Chicago area has been a destination for migrants, often with no housing options when they get here. What would you do in Springfield to help migrants when they appear, and to help local communities prepare when groups show up unannounced?
Encourage the federal government to cut the red tape so people can get to work. We have very low unemployment and a need to entry level workers. Although everyone should be able to make a living wage.
As for the affordable housing issue, the state needs better and more affordable housing that matches the wages that are being made. We cannot have high end housing and minimum wage. I have seen HUD housing projects that are affordable and successful.
What programs are you in favor of that could make home-buying more affordable for first-time homebuyers?
Mortgage programs are through the federal government. As for the state lowering property tax, we can start with a equal education funding program. We as a state are required to use a grant funding program. I think that needs to change, but without overhauling the entire system. Grants for first time buyers would be a good thing as long as they fit in the specifications of federal requirements of gifting. Illinois can have some grants of land and improvements to revitalize areas that have been neglected and underserved. If a village has a median income that only provides about 150K of purchasing power, they can build but without land or improvements. A land and improvement grant is where I would like to start.
The last census showed that Illinois is losing population, and that rural areas are were hit harder than urban areas. Is that a cause for concern and, if so, what can you do from Springfield to ensure rural communities don’t disappear?
Population loss is always a concern. We need to address education, jobs and wages. We also need to make it easier to live in Illinois. A large population moves out of rural Illinois for college. For example, young adults that graduate from my local school district must look for work out of our area. There are no jobs for them to return too.
Should Illinois impose a state parks fee that is earmarked for maintenance of those facilities? If so, how should it be implemented?
No fees are required at this time. We already have a balanced budget and appropriations need to be done better.
With hospitals closing and/or downsizing in northern Illinois, what can be done to ensure rural residents have access to quality health care?
This a huge issue near and in my area. Healthcare needs to bring services to rural areas utilizing technology and resources. Strengthen nursing programs for more qualified professionals and having grant opportunities for rural communities to have a professional on hand.
Do you support Karina’s Bill, which aims to strengthen enforcement of the removal of firearms from those with orders of protection against them? More broadly, are Illinois laws too strict – or not strict enough – when it comes to gun rights and gun control and what changes would you advocate for?
I am in favor of safe gun laws that do not infringe on a hunters ability to own a gun or shoot for recreation. We do need to get the guns out of hands of those who should not have them.
Should Metra, Pace and the CTA be combined into one agency? What should be done to address the fiscal cliff facing the public transit agencies?
I think that whatever needs to happen to make sure public transportation continues in Chicagoland. New leadership and figuring out an in house solution makes the most sense. The entire state should not be carrying the burden for mismanagement from that system.
In your capacity as a private citizen, have you or any business entity in which you have a ownership stake received a federal PPP loan? If so, what was the amount and is it repaid, forgiven or still outstanding?
No, I have not received any PPP loans.
Have you ever been convicted of or charged with a crime?
No.