State Rep. Mark Batinick, a practical and fair-minded lawmaker, is endorsed for re-election.
A moderate Republican from Plainfield, Batinick wants to work next session on getting the state’s finances on track. He also wants to change the Cook County property tax appeal system, which he points out historically has allowed politically connected property owners to reduce their tax burden. This, Batinick argues, unfairly forces Springfield to divert state funding for education from the suburbs and downstate to Cook County to make up for the questionable property tax reductions.
We like that Batinick is among a group of legislators seeking to put a check on state spending — but without resorting to the kind of slash-and-burn rhetoric that probably won’t fly in a statehouse that’s likely to have a Democratic supermajority next session.
We also like that Batinick was an early adapter of face-mask use in his district at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, he marshaled volunteers to deliver food and prescriptions to seniors.
Batinick is endorsed over his Democratic challenger, Plainfield Village Trustee Harry Benton.
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To read more Sun-Times endorsements, please go to suntimes.com/political-endorsements. For more information about this race and others, including candidate questionnaires, go to our Illinois voting guide. Our newspaper is owned by a group of civic-minded and, in some cases, politically active investors; for details, see our owner information page.
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