Election 2020: Illinois House of Representatives – 80th District
Pictured are the candidates for the Illinois House of Representatives’ 80th District seat, incumbent Anthony DeLuca (left) and Clayton Cleveland. PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. To help voters learn a little more about the candidates in state and national races that affect them most, Richard Free Press sent out candidate profiles to those running. The profiles have been edited slightly for spelling and grammar.
This article focuses on the race for the 80th District seat of the Illinois House of Representatives.
The candidates on the ballot are incumbent Anthony DeLuca (D—Chicago Heights) and challenger Clayton Cleveland (L—Mokena).
Previous political or relevant experience
DeLuca: Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2009; Chairman of the House Cities & Villages Committee
Cleveland: Career in finance in a variety of fields including agriculture, real estate, trading and insurance
Biography
DeLuca:
“DeLuca is a reformer. He supports term limits and fair redistricting to make state government more accountable to those it serves. DeLuca also sponsored legislation to stop politicians from announcing taxpayer funded projects within 60 days of an election for personal political gain. He has voted repeatedly to cut his own pay.
“DeLuca is a businessman. With nearly 25 years of experience operating a third-generation family-owned business in Chicago Heights, DeLuca understands the challenges businesses face. DeLuca is working to eliminate excessive regulation that makes it more difficult to do business in Illinois.
“DeLuca worked to improve local schools for eight years, 1995-2003, as a member and president of the Bloom Township High School District 206 Board of Education. While on the school board, DeLuca was instrumental in reactivating and expanding the industrial education program and believes in a quality education for all. As mayor of Chicago Heights, 2003-2009, DeLuca cut wasteful spending, reduced payroll, balanced the City budget, and improved public safety in Chicago Heights. DeLuca engineered a policy that sold unused city-owned property to private entities to get them back on the tax rolls. The goal was to attract business and new jobs. It worked. In fact, at a time when the unemployment rate in many area communities was rising, it was declining in the Chicago Heights, thanks in part to this initiative. DeLuca also established Ghana, West Africa, as Chicago Heights fourth sister city.
“DeLuca has been active in the community for many years as a coach and director for Chicago Heights Small Fry basketball and as a supporter of the Chicago Heights Drama Group.
“DeLuca has been a recipient of the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Leaders Under 40, the Cook County Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture Award, the Best Legislative Voting Record by the Independent Voters of Illinois, the Highest Voting Record Supporting the Agriculture Community from Will County Farm Bureau, the Public Official of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) and the Illinois Association of Park Districts Outstanding Legislative Leadership Award.
“DeLuca is a graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School and Elmhurst College. He and his wife are the parents of three children.
Cleveland:
“My wife, Jessica, and I were born and raised in the south suburbs and are currently working on building a home and family. We both graduated high school from Providence Catholic in New Lenox. I attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where I played football and earned my master’s in finance.
“Both of us enjoy traveling, gardening and outdoor activities including camping, kayaking and hiking. We have also recently started a small organic farm.
“During the past nine years, I have coached high school football and started a nonprofit organization to help expand educational opportunities and college scholarships.”
Why are you running for office?
DeLuca:
“Rep. DeLuca seeks another term in office to address the biggest issues facing the 80th District and our region. To freeze and/or reduce property taxes, have safe neighborhoods, reform state government, and to create a business climate where private sector job growth will flourish providing much needed employment opportunities for families and additional revenues for units of government.”
Cleveland:
“While my wife and I were discussing our future, we both recognized that living in Illinois is a poor financial decision, but our family and friends are here. We wanted to stay in Illinois, but the decisions and policies implemented by our politicians have put Illinoisans at a significant financial disadvantage when compared to nearly every other state in the U.S.
“The choice came down to standing up to the Illinois politicians and doing something about it or moving to another state.
“I decided to take a stand and fight.
“The political class in Illinois has made it unaffordable for many people to live here and for many businesses to exist. I am running to help protect the people and their livelihoods from the politicians that are driving more and more people away every year.”
What are two of the biggest issues facing the 80th District and how do you plan to address them?
DeLuca:
“Rep. DeLuca will continue to work to freeze and reduce property taxes; impose term limits and redistricting reform for legislators; increase the municipal share of the Local Government Distributive Fund back to 10%; maintain or increase funding for safety-net programs benefiting seniors, the developmentally disabled and low income; and to support and pass legislation to create a more business-friendly environment in Illinois.”
Cleveland:
“The biggest issue facing the district is taxes – and, more specifically, property taxes. Illinois has the second-highest property taxes in the nation, and our district has some of the highest taxes in the state. To fight the ever-increasing property taxes, I would propose a longevity freeze. The freeze would apply when the homeowner has owned and lived in the home for 10 years. The taxing level of the property would remain constant or decrease from that point forward. The longevity freeze would make it much more affordable for families and for retirees over the long term.
“The past decade has been very economically unkind to the district. The majority of towns in the district have seen a drop in population primarily driven by lack of economic activity. The job of a representative should be to actively solicit and advocate for new business development. I will reduce barriers and use tax resources, as well as relying on assistance from community volunteer organizations to help small businesses create long-term job opportunities in the district.”
From a statewide perspective, what do you see as your biggest policy goal to get accomplished during your term if you are elected to office this November?
DeLuca:
[Editor’s Note: Please see previous answer, as it was meant to answer both questions.]
Cleveland:
“From a statewide perspective, my biggest goals would be to reach a compromise on property tax reform and ethics reform. Many politicians have used these as talking points but continue to favor tax increases and fall in line with the powers that be for personal gain. I am running to represent the best interests of the people, not to advance an agenda that doesn’t benefit my fellow constituents.”
What is a reason someone should vote for you, even if he or she is not aligned with your listed political party?
DeLuca:
“Rep. DeLuca has earned your vote through his dedication and hard work to improve the community, always choosing people over politics; and showing courage when fighting for needed reforms. He is proud to have provided high-quality professional constituent services, and he has consistently voted in a manner reflective of the will of the people in his district.”
Cleveland:
“I will fight to reduce the tax burden and the barriers that the governments are putting on the lives of our citizens. I will actively advocate for businesses to come to the district and to spur innovation. I will stand up to the corruption that is costing the state half a billion dollars a year. And, mostly, I will promote individual freedom and liberty.
“The current two-party system has polarized America into what we see on the news today. No politician is perfect, and nobody will likely agree with any candidate 100% of the time. But, unfortunately, politics have turned us into a right-or-wrong, love-or-hate nation. In Republican circles, conservatives are shamed if they don’t fall in line with the furthest right; and in Democratic circles, liberals are shamed if they do not share all of the opinions of the furthest left. This has led us to extreme polarization that has torn families and communities apart, while benefiting only very few well connected individuals. Chances are nobody will align with my beliefs 100%, and that’s okay. Being able to have open discussions will bridge the gap between the far-right and far-left to develop policies that actually work for the typical Illinoisan.”