Challengers in the 5th

State house district runs from Near North and Loop to 64th Street

01/20/2010 10:00 PM

By MICAH MAIDENBERG
Editor

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For the first time in three election cycles, Representative Ken Dunkin is facing challengers in the Democratic Party primary for the 5th District, which cuts a narrow band from the Near North Side to 64th St.

Three contestants are running on the Democratic Party side — Dunkin, David Schroeder and Gwendolyn Wade.

The winner of the Feb. 2 vote is nearly assured of being elected this fall in heavily Democratic local precincts, sent to Springfield to grapple with state government’s staggering galaxy of problems, an estimated $13 billion budget deficit among them.

Dunkin says he will use his record in Springfield to come out on top.

“I’m running on my record on jobs, education and capital investment in this state,” he said.

To that end, Dunkin touted his support for a $31 billion capital bill the General Assembly passed and Governor Quinn signed into law last summer. These funds will pay for school improvements and transportation infrastructure, Dunkin said.

Some government bodies have voted to ban video poker, however, the method by which the capital bill bonds are funded, giving the program a slow beginning. “This is a five-year capital plan,” Dunkin said. “If you look at history, a number of capital projects have taken a little bit of time to jump start.”

He named road work on State Street from Congress to Roosevelt and between 47th to 79th, rehab of the Red Line Grand station and the work on the Wells Street Bridge over the Chicago River as specific projects he’s supported that are bringing jobs and economic activity back into the 5th.

Dunkin grew up in Cabrini-Green and has a background in social work.

Of the state’s fiscal crisis, he would support raising the income tax rate only “if it is required to keep needed services for our most vulnerable citizens,” like the disabled, mentally ill residents and seniors receiving in-home services.

Dunkin voted last year for an income tax hike Governor Quinn wanted.

Schroeder, a lawyer who lives in the South Loop, is making his first run for elected office after years of volunteering for other’s campaigns, from the late Mayor Harold Washington to Ald. Helen Schiller.

Schroeder said he decided to challenge for the 5th District seat after reading that Dunkin missed the vote to impeach Rod Blagojevich, the former governor now facing a range of corruption charges.

“My state representative, Mr. Dunkin, was the only member of the entire General Assembly who didn’t show up for that vote. He went on vacation. I was incensed by that,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder accuses Dunkin of being an unproductive legislator and failing to reach out to his constituents until a recent barrage of mailings, a charge Dunkin disputes.

Had he been in the House last spring, when lawmakers were trying to address the gaping budget deficit, Schroeder said he would have pushed for freezing spending until the recession ended, cutting middle managers hired by Blagojevich and then amending the state constitution to allow for a progressive income tax.

Dunkin was out of the county, on vacation with his family, for one of the Blagojevich impeachment votes, but the representative said he made another.

He accused Schroeder of “talking about issues that don’t matter. Rod Blagojevich is gone. He’s passé.”

Both candidates are lining up support from existing elected officials. High-profile endorsements abound, including Secretary of State Jesse White’s backing of Dunkin and Ald. Brendan Reilly’s lining up behind Schroeder.

Attempts to reach Drake for an interview proved unsuccessful.


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By Melissa from Downtown
Posted: 02/01/2010 8:18 AM

Ken Dunkin is "running on his record?" HAHAHA. Is that the same record that includes voting for a tax HIKE for us, and not paying his own taxes? Is that the same record that includes voting AGAINST a 15 minute paid break and access to fresh water for housekeeping employees in hotels? Is that the same record that includes voting against almost every crime fighting bill to come across his desk? Soft on crime. Hard on our pocket books. THAT'S Ken Dunkin's record. Vote the bum out tomorrow.