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Illinois Senate District 18, Republican Primary

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The questions

All candidates were invited to respond to questionnaires, although not all chose to participate. Click on a candidate's name to see the unedited response to each question.

Biographical information & experience
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    Bellar
Bellar
Birthdate: 8/12/1947
Occupation: Physician, Attorney, Professor
Marital status: Married
Spouse: Harold P. Welsch, Ph.D

Education:

Bachelors of Science, Biology
Bacherlors of Art, Psychology
Bachelors of Health Science, Physician Assistant
Master's Of Art, Bioethics and Health Policy
Master's Public Health, Matriculant
Juris Doctorate, Law
Medical Doctorate, Family Medicine

Civic, professional, fraternal or other affiliations:

American Medical Association
American Bar Association
Illinois Medical Society
Chicago Bar Association
DuPage Bar Association
American Academy of Family Physicians
American College of Legal Medical
Association for Practical and Professional Ethics

Have you held elective or appointive political office or been employed by any branch of government?

None to date

Please list jobs or contracts you, members of your immediate family or business partners have had with government.

Not Applicable

Campaign information
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Campaign headquarters: 8513 Johnston Rd
Website: www.electbellar.com
Campaign manager: Keith Sellers
Campaign budget: $200,000
Name your five biggest campaign contributors and the amount they contributed.
I have made personal loans to my campaign to date.
Fund Raisers Pending.

What are your top priorities for your district?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Job Creation
Business Development
No Tax Increases

What is your top priority for the state?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Accountability
Transparency
Tax Reductions for Small Businesses
Job Creation

For incumbents, please list your accomplishments. For challengers, what unique strengths would you bring to the job of state lawmaker?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

As a challenger, I bring expertise in the fields of medicine, law, ethics and education. My strengths include superb judgment, analytic ability, oration, honesty, reliability, perseverance and God-fearing.

The state public employee pension system is severely underfunded and paying down the debt threatens to crowd out spending on core state services. Do you support reducing pension benefits not yet earned through a bill like SB512, which offers state workers three options for earning future pension benefits. Should police officers and firefighters be included in a reduced pension system?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

If you don't support a bill like SB512, how would you deal with the state's unfunded pension liability?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Do you want the 2 percent point income tax increase to expire in 2014, as planned, or would you like to see the tax increase extended beyond 2014?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Do you support any changes to the corporate income tax rate? Do you support any other changes to the state's business tax structure?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

What should the state government do to create a more favorable business climate and to promote job growth?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Lay out your plan for paying the billions the state owes schools, universities, human service providers and others. Would you support borrowing to pay down those bills?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

State legislative leaders are trying to give the General Assembly a role in negotiating contracts with state labor unions. What is your opinion of that?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

The legislature has tried repeatedly to expand gambling in Illinois. Do you support expanded gambling in Illinois? In what form? Do you support a Chicago casino?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Would you seek any changes to the state ethics and campaign finance laws? Would you support capping what state party leaders can donate during a general election?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Would you back a constitutional amendment to shift from a flat income tax to a progressive income tax system?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

Do you have a plan to adequately fund schools and reform the property tax system that results in inequities?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

Did not respond

What is your view on gay marriage?
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    ALL
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    Bellar
Bellar

I support the Defense of Marriage Act, as enacted Sept 21, 1996.

The race
The candidates
Barbara Ruth Bellar
Ricardo A. Fernandez
The district
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