Pritzker

September 10, 2017

Candidates, as we mentioned in our invitation, we have created a written questionnaire that we

would like all candidates to complete by October 1, 2017.

This questionnaire will be published on each our partner websites and/or Facebook pages as
applicable. It will be published as complete or incomplete as we receive them by October 1, 2017.
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DO YOU SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING: see attachment

Yes No
Charter schools moratorium
Marijuana legalization
Progressive income tax
Permanent ban fracking in
Illinois
Elected school board in Chicago
Term limits for:
State legislators
Chicago mayor
Illinois Speaker of the
House
Governor
State run single payer health
care
Free college tuition for Illinois
residents to state universities
Senate Bill 40
$15 minimum wage
Financial transaction tax
State bank
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The Environment

In the move for renewable energy what is the appropriate role of the state government?

Illinois should be a national leader in the transition to a clean energy economy. As we make this
transition we need to balance the needs of the environment, communities and workforce. This
requires investment at the state level.

Donald Trump is leveraging our future and our childrens future in his quest to disregard science
and lead us to environmental crisis. Trump and his climate change denier EPA Director Scott Pruitt
are systematically working to gut the EPA, proposing $2.6 billion in cuts to the agency. Trump is
simultaneously working to eliminate the Clean Water Rule, which would ensure safe drinking water,
as well as the Clean Power Plan, which set out to regulate energy plants powered by fossil fuels. On
June 1, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, a historic
international agreement between 195 countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Trumps
withdrawal was a striking statement that the U.S. will not partner to reduce the impacts of climate
change.

Bruce Rauner has been silent as Donald Trump wages war on our environment. While leaders of
cities and states across the country stepped forward to say that they will continue to uphold the
provisions of the Paris agreement, Bruce Rauner has failed to act. Rauner has done nothing to push
back on Trumps proposed cuts to the EPA, which could lead the Illinois regional office to close
entirely or cut critical jobs and programs. In fact, Bruce Rauners director of the Illinois EPA is a
former registered lobbyist who represented some of this states largest polluters. And, of course, the
damage done by Rauners budget crisis has decimated conservation programs across the state.

I will have Illinois join the U.S. Climate Alliance and live up to the provisions of the Paris Climate
Accord. In addition, Illinois has some of the most advanced battery technology development and
research in the nation. Battery technology is an important component of our future ability to become
a renewable energy state, and it will become a job creator for the state of Illinois. Finally, it will be
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important for us to set a course for creating jobs for areas of the state that were historically
dependent upon fossil fuel development.

Illinois should lead in the move towards a renewable energy future. As governor, I will be a leader in
proposing and implementing a renewable energy plan for Illinois.

What is your plan for reducing greenhouse gasses and making the transition from fossil fuels to
renewable energy? Please provide specific goals and timetables.

As governor, I will ensure Illinois upholds the provisions, goals, and timetables of the Paris Climate
Accord by joining an alliance of states committed to upholding the accord. I will fight to maintain full
funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and I will work to expand shared renewables like
14 other states and the District of Columbia, which already have plans in place. I will also defend
our regional EPA office and restore funding to critical conservation programs across the state.

Healthcare

Please explain why you are for or against state run single payer healthcare.

Healthcare is a human right and I support universal healthcare coverage. I have introduced a plan
for Illinois to lead the nation in expanding access to affordable healthcare. My plan, IllinoisCares,
proposes a public health insurance option that would allow every Illinois resident low cost access to
the states health insurance system. This will lower the cost of premiums for middle class families
and provide low cost health insurance for those striving to reach the middle class. We can implement
this plan immediately upon passage in a new administration in 2019, and it will serve as a bridge to
a federal single payer plan such as Medicare for all.

Today, does the business of health insurance appropriately belong in the public or private sectors?
Explain.
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I have proposed a public sector expansion of affordable healthcare in Illinois. Im running for
governor to fight for all Illinoisans and to put Springfield back on the side of working families. That
means doing everything in my power to protect their healthcare. I will resist Trump in Washington
and stand with governors across the nation to provide meaningful leadership that will protect and
expand health care for all Illinoisans. That means working to expand access to care, increase patient
choice, and keep costs down by providing a public option health insurance plan. This public option
will protect Illinoisans from rising premiums at no additional cost to taxpayers. Further, state
government must partner with nonprofit hospitals, clinics, and community organizations as critical
partners in ensuring access to care for all.
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Economic justice

Explain why there has been a movement of African-Americans from the city of Chicago and what if
anything should be done about it?

Unfortunately, its not just Chicago. African Americans across the state have left Illinois in search of
the same thing we all desire: safe, vibrant neighborhoods, good paying jobs, and educational
opportunities for our young people. Governor Rauners fiscal mismanagement and manufactured
736-day budget crisis blocked critical investments in public education, human services, and economic
development in some of our most economically challenged communities. Whats worse is Rauners
divisive rhetoric and vilification of the Chicagoland region. Its a thinly veiled dog whistle,
emblematic of the systemic racism and injustice that only exacerbates the already tenuous
conditions Rauner created.

When we invest in communities and provide children and families with the tools they need for
success, like quality, equitable public education and economic opportunity, we incentivize families to
stay and thrive here in Chicago and across the state. Thats why, as governor, Ill remain committed
to creating economic opportunity and investing in quality education, including universal preschool
and quality childcare.

There is no real economic justice without racial justice. This means rooting out systemic racism from
our critical public institutions like the criminal justice system and law enforcement. We must begin
to restore trust in these institutions by making them more responsive and accountable to the
communities of color they are sworn to protect and serve.
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What, if any, role does the state have in ensuring economic justice and fairness?

In Illinois, our labor movement is under attack. The state must recognize the value of partnering
with organized labor to ensure economic justice and fairness. As Governor, after the Supreme
Courts ruling on Janus v. AFSCME, I will work with the labor movement to ensure the rights of
public sector workers to collective bargaining. I am proud to have received the endorsements of 23
individual unions as well as the Illinois AFL-CIO. I will always stand up for working families and
support our labor movement.

As governor, I will work to build prosperity in our state and keep it in our communities. A central
focus of my campaign is the modernization and reform of our tax code to implement a progressive
income tax so that we can protect the middle class and working class and so that wealthy individuals
and businesses who can afford to pay more, do. We also need to increase tax credits for working
families like the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Since 1980 both parties have adopted neoliberal economic policies. What is your position on
neoliberalism and has it worked?

Im a proud progressive Democrat and Im fighting for economic policies that protect working
families and collective bargaining rights, raise wages for low, moderate, and middle income workers,
build prosperity for people of color, and restore stability and vibrancy to communities across our
state.
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Is there any company or sector from which the State of Illinois should divest? Why or why not?

The governor's first priority should be standing up for working families and investing in small
businesses, especially in communities that have been historically neglected.

What should the minimum wage be in Illinois and why?

Increasing the minimum wage creates a level playing field across all industries, and benefits
everyone across our state. I support raising it to $15 an hour, but we must not stop there. We must
create more jobs and foster economic opportunity across our state.

The state budget crisis

Considering that Illinois has had majority Democratic legislatures for several years (many years
accompanied by Democratic governors) why has the Illinois not achieved a progressive income tax?

Im running on a platform that strongly advocates for a progressive income tax, and I intend to help
elect other Democrats who agree and will vote for a progressive income tax. Special interests like the
Koch brothers network and Bruce Rauner have stalled the fight for the progressive income tax by
using scare tactics to wage a public war so that those who can afford to pay more continue paying
less. As governor, passing a progressive income tax will be a top priority, and we must elect
progressive income tax advocates to the legislature in 2018 in order to accomplish that goal.

What is your plan to put together the legislative coalition necessary to pass a progressive income tax
bill and what is the projected date this constitutional change will take effect?
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As a candidate and as governor, I will work with stakeholders, including grassroots leaders,
activists, and communities across Illinois, to elect progressive income tax advocates to the Illinois
House and Senate.

Other than a progressive income tax what other new sources of revenue are you proposing?

We need a progressive income tax to ensure we can protect the middle class and those striving to get
there while asking the wealthiest Illinoisans to pay more. I also support legalizing and taxing
recreational use of marijuana, which is estimated to help generate as much as $700 million for the
state. Finally, I support eliminating the $75 million backdoor voucher tax credit that was
implemented as part of the school funding reform bill.

What is your plan to resolve the pension crisis?

Promises have been made to hardworking public servants, whether they are teachers or they are
state employees, and the State Constitution guarantees those promises will be kept and the Illinois
Supreme Court has upheld that view. To help resolve our pension crisis, we need to bump up the
payments we make now so they level out and allow the state to budget properly in the future. We
cant focus on assigning blame theres a lot to go around. But we have to step up and do whats
right now.

Assess the efficacy of the TIF program in addressing economic development in blighted areas.

TIFs can be an important piece of economic development in underperforming areas. Too often
though, especially in Chicago, they are used for purposes that stretch beyond the original intent of
the tool, and they end up diverting money away from where theyre intended to go: public schools.
We need to increase transparency and accountability to taxpayers, and as governor, I will bring
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together stakeholders, including educators and community leaders to reform the TIF system to make
sure funds generated are put to the best public use.
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Fairness in the justice system

Several police officers have been charged in connection to the killing of LaQuan McDonald and the
cover-up following. What role do you believe city hall had in the cover-up?

Those responsible for the senseless killing of Laquan McDonald must be held accountable. We must
rebuild trust between the police and the communities they serve by rooting out the systemic injustice
his murder represents.

African-Americans and Latinos are incarcerated at a much higher rate than whites. Why do you
believe that to be true and what do you propose to make our criminal justice system more equitable?

Systemic racism and injustice have led to African Americans and Latinos being incarcerated at a
higher rate than white people in Illinois and across our country. We must reform our criminal justice
system to remove barriers to justice for people of color, and we must invest in evidence-based
community prevention, intervention and re-entry programs that keep youth and adults out of the
prison system. There has also been systematic disinvestment from communities of color, and my
administration will focus on creating economic opportunity for those who have historically been left
out and left behind.

Should all drugs be legalized? Why or why not?

I do not support legalizing all drugs, but I do support legalizing marijuana and taxing it to create
much needed revenue for the state. Marijuana legalization can also promote reforms to our criminal
justice system and will help regulate and make marijuana use safer, which is already widely
available from illegal and unregulated sources.
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What reforms do you propose to improve policing?

As President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing notes, trust between law enforcement
agencies and the communities they protect and serve is essential in a democracy. Thats why we
need to work to increase accountability and cultural competency in our police force through rigorous
training and a renewed emphasis on community policing.

First, we need to develop bright-line policies for when and how use of force is acceptable and ensure
officers are trained and held accountable for obeying the practices theyve been taught. One way to
do that is by making these policies public. Second, we must restore our focus on community policing
through strategies and policies that underscore the value of community engagement. Finally, we
need to increase officer training on how to better identify and manage individuals with mental
health challenges. We should make cultural competency training mandatory both at the cadet level
and throughout the various stages of professional development.
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Jobs

How do you ensure the Illinois worker keeps up and thrives in todays economy?

We must take a comprehensive approach to ensuring working families have access to social and
economic opportunities in today's economy.

We have to raise wages across the board for everyone in the state, and the first step is growing our
economy. Increasing the minimum wage creates a level playing field across all industries, and
benefits everyone across our state. The minimum wage should be raised to $15 an hour.

We must also ensure our healthcare system is meeting the needs of working families. I will stand
with Illinois families to defend the progress weve made under the Affordable Care Act, and I will
fight to protect womens health care from federal efforts to diminish it. I have also proposed a public
option health insurance plan to allow Illinois families to get affordable health insurance coverage
through Illinois existing public medical assistance program at no cost to taxpayers.

We must also empower workers by investing in programs that give them opportunities to grow their
skills. We will invest in community colleges as hubs of economic growth, workforce training, and life-
long learning. We will bring back vocational training to our high schools and expand youth
apprenticeship programs to increase the pool of qualified workers by promoting partnerships
between high schools and trades unions and encouraging companies to establish multi-year
commitments for apprenticeship programs.

In addition, I'll work to ensure that our biggest job creators, small business owners and
entrepreneurs, have access to capital, training, and mentorship so that we can create jobs and bring
economic growth in communities that need it the most.
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Many businesses get around benefit requirements by reducing hours and maintaining inconsistent
schedules. Is there a way to protect workers regarding these issues?

I support implementing worker protections that would require employers to provide workers with
proper notice of changes in their schedules and pay them for any last-minute changes. Protections on
both the local and state levels will provide workers with the predictability and financial stability
they need to succeed.

Do you agree or disagree that the real solution to the undocumented worker situation is law
enforcement focused on American employers rather than workers? Explain.

Any solution needs to include increasing opportunities to immigrants, regardless of their citizenship
status. I will make Illinois a welcoming state where everyone is treated with dignity and provided
with an opportunity to achieve their human potential. Unlike Bruce Rauner, I refuse to be silent
while Donald Trump terrorizes our immigrant families. I will stand up against his bigoted policies
and racist rhetoric.

As governor, I will enhance funding for immigrant and refugee services, increase health care options
for undocumented adults, improve the U-Visa certification process for victims of violent crimes,
provide access to financial aid for undocumented students, oppose a federal registry program based
on race, religion, and country of origin, and I will work to improve pro-immigrant laws like the
Illinois Trust Act.

We also need federal legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship. In the meantime, I will take
statewide action by making Illinois a safe state for immigrants. I refuse to criminalize nonviolent
immigrants and their families, and I will protect DREAMers so they can remain in our state that
they call home.
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Education

Do you agree with Mayor Emanuels closing of 49 public schools in 2013? Explain.

Before school funding passed, it was widely known that Illinois had one of the least equitably funded
school systems in the country, and Chicago Public Schools were no exception. Closing neighborhood
schools can lead to a reduction in community-based services, and our most important concern should
be the welfare and safety of our children and families. Unfortunately, Bruce Rauners 736-day
budget crisis made this situation even more dire and thats why as governor, I will fully fund public
education and neighborhood schools. Any consideration of a school closure must involve all
stakeholders, especially parents and local community leaders.

We must do better when it comes to ensuring all of our children have access to quality learning
environments, and as governor that will be a top priority for me.

Do you believe that public schools are essential to a democracy and how do corporate run charter
schools fit into this view?

I believe a quality public education system that improves the well-being of every child and prepares
them for the jobs of tomorrow is essential to our state and our future. I oppose diverting public
education funds for private schools and I oppose school vouchers. I believe we need a moratorium on
charter school expansion. As governor, I will work to construct a stronger birth-to-five system of
early childhood education and universal preschool because every child deserves to enter
kindergarten prepared for success. I will increase K-12 funding across the board as Bruce Rauner
has failed to help children in every school thrive. Finally, we will revive our community colleges and
public universities by providing them with adequate resources and making college affordable for all
Illinois students.

Are kids over tested? Explain.

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A web of standardized tests is administered by our public schools and are required or mandated by
the federal government, the state of Illinois, and local school districts. These tests are used to
determine what schools and students are low-performing, but can be scored in arbitrary ways that
unfairly cast children and communities in negative light. Overtesting takes away from success in the
classroom and diminishes a teachers ability to teach. A new law enacted in 2016 increases
transparency in school testing and gives parents information about what tests are being given, and
what the results will be used for. That's an important tool for parents who are making decisions
about their children's education.
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Government Integrity

What is your opinion of privatization of government services?

I oppose the expansion of privatization of state services. I believe in keeping the public in public
service.

Do conflicts of interests exist in state government, where do they exist and what are the impacts of
conflicts of interest?

Conflicts of interest exist in state government, and the key to solving them is increasing
accountability and transparency. As governor, I will work to reform our government by having an
accountable and transparent administration that makes good faith efforts to reduce conflicts of
interest before it can arise.

What would you do to address corruption in Illinois?

First, I will reduce double dipping and conflicts of interest through increasing financial disclosure of
client lists and payments for legislators. Second, I will expand voter access through leveraging
federal dollars to modernize and secure our state voter file against Russian infiltration. Independent
oversight and campaign finance reform will be important tools to fight undue influence and
corruption in state government.

Do you agree with the practice of the Illinois Speaker making campaign contributions to several
state representatives? Explain.
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I support campaign finance reform with robust contribution limits and believe we must overturn
Citizens United at the federal level.

Do you believe that electronic tabulation of election results provides the public observability
necessary in a democratic election? Explain.

Given the 2016 election, it is clear that we need to implement measures that ensure our voting
systems are secure. As governor, I will work with experts to find and implement solutions that best
improve and protect our voting systems.
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JB Pritzkers Attachment to the PDA Questionnaire

Charter schools moratorium: I support a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools. As

governor, one of my top priorities will be ensuring that all kids in Illinois get a great education,
from birth through college. That starts with fully funding public education.

Marijuana legalization: I support legalizing marijuana and taxing marijuana, which will generate
more revenue for the state, reduce incarceration rates, and increase public safety.

Progressive income tax: This is a central issue in my campaign and will be a top priority when
Im governor. We need a progressive income tax to ensure those who make more pay more so
we can pay for our states priorities and protect the middle class and those striving to get there.

Permanent ban on fracking in Illinois: I oppose fracking and we should work to offset the
potential jobs impact to protect working families.

Elected school board in Chicago: I support an elected school board in Chicago.

Term limits for state legislators, Chicago mayor, Illinois Speaker of the House, and Governor:
As Governor, I would sign a bill limiting the terms of legislative leaders. I do not favor overall
term limits, but instead want independent legislative maps drawn so districts will be more
competitive.

State run single payer health care: Healthcare is a human right. I favor universal healthcare and
support a federal single payer healthcare plan. I will use every tool necessary at the state level
to ensure the people of this state have access to quality and affordable care, which is why I
have proposed a plan to lead the nation in expanding access to affordable healthcare. My plan,
IllinoisCares, is a public health insurance option that would allow every Illinois resident
affordable insurance.

Free college tuition for Illinois residents to state universities: Fully funding education means
fully funding our colleges and universities. Everyone in Illinois who wants to go to college
should have that opportunity and should not be burdened with debt for the rest of their lives.
This means we need to expand access to MAP grants for low-income students and families.

HB40: I have been fighting for womens health care for over two decades and I have been an
unwavering supporter of HB 40 since day one. On September 7, 2017, HB 40 co-sponsors
Senator Heather Steans and Representative Sara Feigenholtz helped me deliver 4,000 postcards
signed by Illinoisans who support the bill to Governor Rauners office. Both are supporters and
endorsers of my campaign. Ill be a governor who champions womens healthcare and womens
rights and resists Donald Trump every day in Springfield.
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$15 minimum wage: I support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Increasing the
minimum wage creates a level playing field across all industries, and benefits everyone,
especially our hardworking families, across our state.

Financial transaction tax: If a financial transaction tax were to be implemented, it would be

important to pass it at the national level.

State bank: As governor, I will fight for policies that encourage economic development.