Payday loans and immigration hot topics at candidate forum

The Illinois People's Action and Latinos United for Change held a forum before the upcoming municipal and school board elections. (Photo by Michelle Mantel/WJBC)

As municipal elections are just around the corner, the Illinois People’s Action and Latinos United for Change held a forum for candidates seeking to hold or pick up a seat on the Bloomington City and Normal Town Councils. Two of the three District 87 school board members hoping to hold their seats, were also on site. The forum highlighted topics such as immigration, education, payday loans, and workers rights.

Ward 6 incumbent Karen Schmidt said she would support a city ordinance capping the payday interest loan rate to 36-percent, down from 400-percent. She said she empathizes with this issue.

“I know a woman who lives across the street who’s been trapped on this and it’s really a tragic situation, I think this is a quality of life issue and I understand why we want to take a stand on this,” said Schmidt.

Ward 6 candidate Jeff Ready said this type of legislation would defeat the purpose of a free market. He said the public would be better served by being educated about interest rates associated with emergency loans.

“Right now most of the disclosures are in tiny print that nobody can read and nobody does read,” said Ready.

Three of the five candidates running to keep or pick up at-large seats in Normal had similar opinions on capping pay day loan interest rates.

“I really do think that Illinois owes it to its citizens to pass a pay day loan-car title loan piece of legislation that limits interest rates at 36-percent,” said Newcomer Ron Ulmer.

Incumbents Sonja Reece and Chuck Scott agreed that legislation regarding pay day loan rates should be decided by state lawmakers.

“I agree that this is subject of statewide concern, and I would like to encourage and support that effort,” said Reece.

Scott added, “Illinois is one of only thirteen states that do not regulate pay day loans and I think it’s incumbent upon us and the residents of the state of Illinois to make sure we follow up with our state legislators.”

Touching on immigration reform, most of the candidates said the issue should be handled at the federal level. Bloomington Ward 4 Incumbent Judy Stearns said she doesn’t think an immigration ordinance would be necessary in Bloomington.

She said, “I am certainly an advocate for fairness and I think my record shows that, so I don’t see a need for enacting that type of legislation.”

Stearns’ opponent for the Ward 4 seat, Carol Koos says it’s a complicated issue.

“I have some very strong feelings about this, my mother’s family fled Mexico in 1918. I’m obviously very empathetic about people who immigrate to this country,” said Koos.

Meanwhile education was also the centerpiece of discussion. District 87 School Board Member Mike Harrison says he would support measures to find better methods to keep kids in school and end the zero tolerance mandate.

He said, “I’m very  supportive of any safety measure or any means that are going to help kids feel safer in schools.”

District 87 School Board Member Steve Perry added, “Anything that we could do to continue to move in the right direction, we’re all in favor of.”

Bloomington Ward 2 candidates Karen Green and incumbent David Sage, along with Ward 8 candidates Robert Fazzini, Eric Decossas, and Mary Kramp were not in attendance. Gary Ohler and Jeff Fritzen were the candidates missing from Normal.