Mike Fricilone | Contributed photo
Mike Fricilone | Contributed photo
Republican Congressional candidate Mike Friclione has secured the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune in his run against Democrat Marie Newman in the 3rd District.
In touting the longtime Will County Board member as a “common sense” legislator in the mold of former standard-bearer Rep. Dan Lipinski, the Tribune promotes Fricilone as the kind of fiscal and social conservative the district is in desperate need of. Fricilone is hoping the nod stands to hammer home all the ways he differs from his rival.
“My opponent wants to start over from scratch with the Constitution,” he told the Will County Gazette. “One of the biggest issues we differ on is people don’t want to defund the police. Public safety is one of our big issues and I’m fully behind our law enforcement. There’s a reason why I’m endorsed by basically every (fraternal order of police) around. It’s a very important issue and while we think we need some changes, including better mental health care services for people, there’s no way we should be defunding police.”
Fricilone argues he’s going to Washington, D.C. with just one goal in mind.
“My focus is on getting there and representing the views of the people of the district and not being too concerned with what’s happening in Washington,” he said. “The real job of a public servant is to represent the views of the people they’re supposed to be serving. That’s my goal in taking on this job.”
Fricilone recently raised his voice in what he’s convinced was the interest of the people by slamming the progressive tax proposal now being pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. It's set to appear on next month’s ballot.
“This fair tax he’s pushing is in no way what he says it is and yet he’s asking us to change the state constitution so he can be able to force it on us,” he said. “Besides being a blank check for Springfield, it would allow them to tax retirement income and raise tax rates anytime they see fit. By using the word ‘fair,’ it’s making people believe this will only hit the rich and that can’t be further from the truth.”
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