Crenshaw Bashes Capital Bill, Says No to Higher Taxes

State Senate hopeful Cedra Crenshaw said she would not vote for a tax increase and push a forensic audit of state spending if elected.

Crenshaw, a Republican candidate running against current state Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi, D-Joliet, in the 43rd District, said she believes a forensic audit would reveal millions of dollars in wasteful spending and highlight entire departments that could be "zeroed out."

Crenshaw spoke to a group of citizens at a town-hall style meeting at Ashbury's at Boughton Ridge Monday evening.

She said she would oppose any type of tax increase, which she says would make matters worse by driving people and businesses across state lines.

"Just raising taxes is not the solution," she said. "Increasing taxes by that magnitude will have a direct effect of decreasing my children's future opportunities and their standard of living. This is really about my kids and the future generations."

Crenshaw, who was nearly thrown off the ballot on a minute technicality by Democrats, also bashed the state's capital bill, which will eventually revamp the Weber Road and I-55 interchange but also contains loads of pork spending.

Crenshaw said she would push lawmakers to not fund the wasteful spending within the $31 billion project.

"This is in essence, Illinois' version of the stimulus and it's wildly massive," she said.