Constituents at Sandwich town hall session press Rep. Hultgren to tax the rich

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U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-14th District

Updated: October 3, 2011 1:47PM

SANDWICH — A number of his constituents sent a clear message to U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren on Wednesday night — go ahead and raise taxes.

“Stop coddling the mega-rich,” said David Edelman, an Oswego resident, quoting America’s wealthiest taxpayer, Warren Buffett. “Everyone understands we have a problem, and the solution is shared sacrifice.”

Edelman and about a hundred others crowded the chambers of the Sandwich City Council on Wednesday for an hour-long townhall-style forum with Hultgren, who spoke about his work in Congress so far and fielded constituents’ questions, almost all of which asked about the country’s weak economy, specifically tax policy and job creation.

Among the crowd were members of Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice, a Geneva-based action group in favor of living-wage policies, including H.R. 870, a job creation bill that would fund local infrastructure projects through a tax on Wall Street speculation.

But despite a discussion dominated by those in favor of a more progressive tax structure, Hultgren reaffirmed his campaign promises of lowered taxes and regulations — to spur economic growth — and a more simplified tax code.

“What I’ve said over and over again is that our tax system is broken. I think it’s ridiculous that General Electric pays no taxes,” he said. “Let’s make a flatter, fairer — let’s just clean up the tax code.”

Hultgren also reasserted his belief that Washington’s problems were caused by overspending, not a lack of revenue.

“This isn’t a partisan issue. Republicans have spent way too much, too,” he said. “We need real cuts now.”

A shouting match erupted briefly between both sides of the tax debate when the lone speaker in favor of continued tax cuts addressed Hultgren, who shushed the crowd repeatedly throughout the hour so people could be heard.

Bill Moore, of DeKalb, said he was worried that he might not have the chance to speak.

“I was looking up at the clock every so often. That filibuster line,”” Moore said, referring to another woman’s comment that Hultgren would be a skilled senator for his ability to filibuster with his protracted responses. “That was a great line.”

Though constituents quizzed Hultgren for about 40 minutes on his anti-taxation stance, in particular his decision to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge of lobbyist Grover Norquist that promises to vote against any bill that would raise taxes, those who spoke said they didn’t think their voices were heard.

“It just established for me that Randy Hultgren is fighting for the top 1 percent,” said Edelman. “The vast majority of Americans want a shared sacrifice, but right now we’re not being asked to contribute much of anything.”

Hultgren will be meeting again with constituents from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Geneva Public Works Facility, 1801 South St., and on Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Yorkville City Council Chambers, 800 Game Farm Road.