As a tech executive who has spent her entire career in the private sector, Kathleen understands and has always been held accountable to the bottom line. Employees don’t get paid, services can’t be rendered, and companies can’t exist unless business leaders produce, control expenses, and are held responsible for mismanagement. It is time for the Illinois public to take the same approach towards their elected officials. Illinois democrats have overseen higher costs of living and ever-increasing tax hikes on their constituents, making living in Illinois barely affordable. As a reward for Illinoisans becoming more cash-strapped Democrat legislators voted to raise their pay in 2021, the opposite of accountability and unacceptable in Kathleen’s book.

Kathleen will take the perspective of a business owner and taxpayer to Springfield and work to cut waste and balance budgets. She will vote NO on any legislative pay raises and will introduce legislation to credit Illinoisans back any increase to their state income tax at the rate of inflation in the prior year.

On December 23, 2021, while shopping for a Christmas present for her daughter, Kathleen experienced what turned out to be a life altering moment for her. As she was strolling through Oakbrook mall — as members of our community have done hundreds if not thousands of time— she heard claps of gunfire and screams piercing through the shopping center. Kathleen was about 15 feet from one of the gunmen as he opened fire on the crowded corridor in front of her. As she turned to get herself and those around her to shelter, she had to mentally prepare herself for a bullet which thankfully never arrived.  Four others were not as fortunate. It was a rude awakening that has led Kathleen to recognize that one cannot just sit idly by waiting for change or waiting for the next tragedy, but that she must become an agent of change.  

Our community is one that Kathleen has chosen to remain in because of the safety it provides and the nurturing environment it provides her children. Due to the policies enacted by the Democrats in Springfield, that is no longer the case.  The people of the 21st Senate District cannot sit back and watch as our communities deteriorate and are riddled with crime. We don’t want to worry about our children leaving the house to go to the mall, the movies, or even schools and fear they will never return home.  That is why the time is now for inspired leadership and Kathleen is willing to do the hard work it will take to keep our community and families safe.

As if the burden Illinoisans face from high costs, loss of security and safety, and deteriorating institutions isn’t enough, politicians and bureaucrats have an increasing propensity to dismiss the concerns of their constituents and to treat us as pesky thorns in their sides. The shift toward careerist politicians has made our political body arrogant, and ignorant of the fact that they exist to serve the public and only hold their positions because of our will.

A bureaucracy which feels invulnerable, and lack of transparency is emboldening this toxic relationship between representatives and constituent. Kathleen will push for two initiatives rebalance the equation and put the power back in the people’s hands:

First, a right to know//right to information petition rule which constituents can invoke toward any public agency, school board, or public official in their district. The rule can be used to compel an audience with the selected entity on the target issue or to release communications to the public domain.

Second, a law requiring taxpayer funded agencies to fire and replace a minimum of 10% of their lowest performing staff force in order to be eligible to receive increased budgets and funding for the following year. This will ensure systematic accountability within agencies and efficient use of taxpayer dollars.