Stephen Colbert would be proud of Mr. McMillin’s recent article (“Greens planting problems in elections”). He asserts that Tom Abram(Green) and Naomi Jakobsson(Dem) – candidates for State Rep. District 103-are essentially running on the same “progressive” platform. Mr. Abram consistently supports passing House Bill 750 which is a major overhaul in both the state tax structure and education funding. House Bill 750 – in effect – lowers property taxes while raising the state income tax for the top 40% wage earners by a modest 2% and leaving income tax stable for the rest of Illinois. The bill creates $2.4 billion to level the playing field for grade and high school funding (Illinois is currently last in education funding fairness). The bill also sends $300+ million to the underfunded University of Illinois. Jakobsson does not support this overhaul in education funding. She also touts her new 1.8% funding increase for the University. Last year’s inflation was 3.2%, almost double this touted increase. In 2005, there was no increase in University funding under representative Jakobsson.

Mr. Abram supports a single payer universal healthcare system to make heath care affordable and ubiquitous for the people of Illinois. The Democratic candidate does not support this same system.

Abram also supports an incentive program to urge utilities to invest in renewable energy, which would aid the United states politically, as well as environmentally. The Democratic candidate is relying on the forces of the “monopoly-market” (AmerinIP is C-U’s only electric company) to solve our energy problems.

Clearly, Mr. Abram (Green) and Ms. Jakobsson (Dem) do not have the same platforms. No matter, apparently Jack McMillin is not a big fan of the facts. He believes what his gut tells him, he doesn’t need the facts to tell him what is and isn’t true. Mr. McMillin, Mr. Colbert would be proud.

Kevin Uskali

Senior in Engineering