THE ISSUES
Fair taxes &
AFFORDABLE LIVING
Illinois families have been hit hard by the effects of the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. They have had to tighten their belts and budget wisely… which is exactly what Springfield needs to continue doing — bringing stability to our state finances. Decades of government dysfunction, waste, corruption, and fiscal instability must give way to fairer taxing and smarter spending for the kind of life we deserve to live here.
Pointless political squabbling has gotten in the way of sensible finances. Count on Maria Peterson to make sure that the taxes that pay for what we need — infrastructure, education, healthcare, and public safety — are levied responsibly and fairly… closing loopholes wherever possible, collecting overlooked funds… and spent honestly to invest in our state and our futures, without the drain that waste and corruption have had on finances.
A Path To Fairer Taxing, Spending, and Financial Stability:
- Reduce the flow of funds paid out on interest debt for overdue bills.
- Continue to responsibly consolidate pension obligations.
- Close corporate tax loopholes.
- Reduce pointless political pork projects and enact ethics rules with teeth to keep graft and waste from taking a bite out of the budget.
- Consolidate and bring more efficiency to the jumble of taxing bodies and the complicated ways they add to our tax bills.
- Protect seniors from the burden of retirement tax.
WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE
& REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Illinois remains a pro-choice state, despite the assault on women’s rights and privacy by lifelong anti-abortion, forced-birth crusaders like my opponent. I will not stand by while they keep chipping away at every woman’s right to decide when or how many or even whether to have children… and who oppose abortions even in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening pregnancy, setting their sights on a total abortion ban here.
Forcing women to give birth is just plain wrong. Reproductive health decisions should be between women and their doctors only. Women here — as well as in surrounding states who depend on Illinois as a haven — need to feel safe from meddling politicians and ideological extremists who would make them second-class citizens and potential criminals. Count on Maria Peterson to not only keep Illinois a pro-choice state but to strengthen laws protecting women’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy.
Ensuring Legal Protection of Women’s Health, Safety and Privacy
- Oppose any legislation restricting access to women's reproductive healthcare.
- Strengthen privacy laws protecting doctors and patients from out-of-state snooping.
- Expand guarantees of women's reproductive rights through State Constitution protection.
- Protect other reproductive health choices, including contraception, from attack.
GUN VIOLENCE, CRIME
& Public Safety
People here are outraged by mass shootings like the nearby July 4th Highland Park tragedy, and by the easy access dangerous people have to dangerous weapons — battlefield weapons and untraceable guns that kill our cops and our kids. Loved ones grieve, while lawmakers cash checks from the NRA and block sensible gun safety laws, offering up phony talk about being tough on crime.
Being tough on crime means standing up to gun lobbies, not doing their business. It means showing up to vote for the laws our communities want to regulate gun sales and prevent tragedy. It means fixing the loopholes that let criminals who can afford it pay their way out of jail. And it means giving the police that risk their lives to protect us everything they need to be effective at upholding the law and respected in and responsive to the communities they serve. Count on Maria Peterson to fight back against gun groups and work to make people in Illinois safer from crime and violence.
Putting the Law to Work to Make Our Communities Safer
- Stronger background checks on gun sales and longer waiting periods for purchases.
- Ban large capacity magazines and get battlefield weapons off our streets.
- Restrict bulk firearms purchases.
- Advance better safe-storage laws.
- Tougher “zero tolerance” penalties and prosecution for violence against police.
- Give local authority more flexibility to regulate firearms.
- Give communities what they need to address the mental health roots of violence as well as enforcing “Red Flag” laws aimed at preventing tragedy.
- Address the threat of untraceable weapons and “ghost guns” with tougher laws and enforcement.
- Improve the effectiveness of police by ensuring they are more trusted by the communities they risk their lives to serve.
- Close loopholes that let criminals who can afford it pay their way out of jail and fill jails with lower level offenders who can’t.
Small Business
For 25 years I operated FitCore, Inc., a one-woman corrective exercise training facility. Like many, I closed the doors to my business in 2021 because of the Pandemic. While I was the only one “employed”, there are many businesses that closed or are just making ends meet. My plans for small businesses are:
- Work with small businesses and local banks to ensure small businesses build a safety net for that “just in case” moment.
- Work with community colleges and labor organizations to train unemployed workers to ensure we have a workforce pool that is growing and ready to work.
- Create financial incentives for small businesses to incorporate new technology that reduces greenhouse gas pollution.
- Encourage our young people to start small farms, and grow and sell food locally.
The Environment
These pictures demonstrate a mass reduction of air pollution during the pandemic. It proves that we can reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
As a strong voice representing our district, I will:
- Work hard to bring home infrastructure funds to improve the availability of electric charging stations, bike lanes and electric public transportation.
- Work hard to ensure that metrics and deadlines are met under the new Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). One factor amongst many, is that utility companies’ profits are contingent on making sure the electric grid is more affordable, cleaner, and more equitable. No one should live in fear that their utilities are turned off while utility companies are making huge profits.
- Encourage our young people to farm on our fertile Illinois soil. Growing and selling produce within our district does so much good; and, once land is developed there is 0% chance of it ever returning to forest or farm.
education
As the mother of a deaf son, and now grandmother, I understand how important it is to receive quality and available educational services. My plans for education in Illinois are:
- To ensure there are milestones met in funding The New Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act. Without guidelines and rules, milestones cannot be met, and our children’s education will suffer.
- Simplify and make services for disabled students easily accessible.
- Work with high schools, community colleges, and labor organizations to increase trade and vocational training (including solar, battery, and wind power), as well as entrepreneurial training.
Health care
I am the daughter of a 90-year-old dad, and the mother of a son who suffers from PTSD. Healthcare should include the WHOLE body. Mental health illness is treated separately and often with a stigma. I believe mental health is brain health, and when the brain is healthy, the body is healthy and vice versa. My plans for healthcare are:
- Work with insurance companies to treat mental health illness as a brain illness, just as heart disease is a heart illness.
- While community hospitals are building facilities in nearby villages, crisis care services and community mental health centers also need to be closer to home. These facilities can help prevent suicides and overdoses, and offer immediate treatment and counseling.
Accessibility, Responsibility, Transparency & Community
As your State Senator I pledge to you:
- I will have evening office hours as well as a mobile office. You work hard and are busy raising your family – I will come out to you.
- It is my responsibility to hear you and be your voice, your advocate in Springfield.
- I will keep you up to date with the latest events happening in Springfield and in the district. Since I do not have a partisan agenda, I have nothing to hide.
- I will work with your community, and alongside you to make our community stronger.