Amanda Howland for Illinois District 51

Amanda Howland News

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Area Republicans fear an Obama ballot

State Rep. Ed Sullivan is "already walking neighborhoods and greeting potential voters door-to-door, about three months earlier than he did in previous campaigns. He's even sent out his first campaign flier." When Rep. Sullivan is forced to get out and meet his constituents, that means one thing. He will not coast through another election simply by being a member of the Republican Party. Not in 2008. Amanda Howland is working hard in 2008 for your vote. And will work hard for you as your Representative. Your generous and timely support is crucial -- because this is our year!
www.dailyherald.com :: 5/19/2008

Voters want results, not rhetoric

State Rep. Ed Sullivan's Feb. 15 comments about RTA funding and criticism of Amanda Howland should give voters reason for pause. If you sit on the Mass Transportation Committee, Rep. Sullivan, those of us that rely on RTA services certainly hope you have an understanding of the legislation more than "fairly well" as you mentioned. Regardless the source of revenue funding, the fiscal mishandling of the RTA systems has languished under both Republican and Democratic administrations, including your tenure in that 25-year taxation period you mentioned. You're a part of the problem -- not the solution. The funding deficits are not so much about taxation sources as they are about owning up to the poor fiscal management of the RTA budget by both parties and doing something constructive about it. Short term band aid fixes from either party are not the answers. Politician rhetoric aimed at exploiting the public's social conscious in an election year to divert the real issues at hand is insulting. For those that rely on the services of the RTA systems for travel to and from jobs which pay for the food and drugs you tax -- rich, poor, elderly or otherwise, ever increasing fares and threats of reduced services can be as important as food and medicine to sustain our livelihoods. What exactly have you done to make the situation better rather than exploit it for re-election purpose? Voters want change and results not political rhetoric, Rep. Sullivan.
www.dailyherald.com :: 2/21/2008

Blame someone else

This is in response to the Jan. 30 letter by state Rep. Ed Sullivan, Jr. regarding the recent passage of the Mass Transit Reform and Funding Bill. His letter contains a major inaccuracy and it appears as if he wants to have his cake and eat it, too. Sullivan is wrong when he states that this tax, unlike others, will now apply to food and medicine. In reality, the RTA sales tax has applied to food and medicine, as well as general sales, for 25 years. Either Sullivan is deliberately misleading our local taxpayers or does not have a clear understanding of the bill. The Mass Transit Reform Funding Bill did not change what products the new sales tax applies to. What is even more surprising is that while Sullivan complains about the tax increase and where the funds potentially will be used, he wasted no time contacting the county boards and all of our other state officials letting them know how excited he is about the opportunities made possible by this new revenue source. He commended the Lake County Board for their previous attempts to secure additional revenue for road improvements by seeking voter approval for a sales tax increase. Rep. Sullivan is more than willing to spend the additional dollars as long as he can blame someone else for increasing taxes. Everyone in Lake County acknowledges that we have a major infrastructure and transportation problem and the passage of the Mass Transit Bill will help remedy this. It is unfortunate that our representative had an opportunity to support legislation that would ultimately help our district, yet chose to vote against it for disingenuous reasons.
Amanda Howland
www.suburbanchicagonews.com :: 2/7/2008

Incumbent has more money than opponent in House 51 race

Much of Sullivan's support came from political action committees representing gambling, pharmaceutical, insurance and energy interests, among other groups. Donations included:
• $250 from the Casino Queen in downstate East St. Louis.
• $1,000 from the Associated Beer Distributors' Springfield-based political committee.
• $500 from Penn National Gaming, a Pennsylvania firm that owns casinos and racetracks including the Empress Joliet and Hollywood Aurora.
• $1,000 from the Nicor Gas political committee.
• $250 from the Illinois Energy Association.
Howland said the corporate support shows Sullivan is not in touch with voters. "His support is not coming from the constituency," she said.
www.dailyherald.com :: 1/26/2008

© 2008, Amanda Howland for Illinois State Representative
Paid for by Friends for Howland. A copy of our report is or will be on file with the State Board of Elections.