Candidates for Governor in Illinois Discuss Fiscal Crisis, Aging at Home

AARP asked candidates for Illinois governor how they would incentivize aging citizens to stay in Illinois, balance the budget to provide for important services, protect retirement income, and make sure the state provides quality home- and community-based services that allow seniors to age at home.

QUESTION 1: Americans aged 50 and older contribute more than $7 trillion to the US economy and in Illinois that amounts to more than $358.8 billion.  What will you do to ensure that older consumers will want to remain in Illinois and to foster their continued economic contributions to the state’s economy?

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QUESTION 2:  What is your long term comprehensive plan to address Illinois’ fiscal crisis?  In particular, how will you balance the need for revenue for important services while safeguarding the financial security of Illinoisans 50 and older?    

QUESTION 3:  Illinoisans 50 and older have worked hard and saved smartly to ensure that they have enough money to live with dignity in retirement and recognize that they have a limited ability to rejoin the workforce.  For these reasons, people are very concerned or outright oppose any legislative efforts to tax retirement income in our state. Please tell us your position on the taxation of retirement income in Illinois?

QUESTION 4:  The majority of Illinois' residents want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.  One way to ensure that they don’t have to move is to redirect spending away from costly nursing home care and into home and community-based services (HCBS).  There are new and existing federal financial incentives and strategies to improve access to services to help seniors remain at home (HCBS), including consumer-directed decision making, home health and personal care, helping people better navigate the system and understand their care options, addressing racial disparities in access and quality of care, and expanding and improving the quality of the direct care workforce.  How will you expand current Community Care Program services and supports that allow more seniors to live independently in their homes and communities?