Morgan Coghill Shares Priorities In 10th District Candidate Questionnaire

Voters will see several races on the ballot in the upcoming election, including the contest for Illinois’ 10th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Patch sent questionnaires to candidates seeking the position to learn more about their priorities and positions on issues affecting residents.

• Editor's note: Patch.com publishes candidate responses verbatim and does not edit or add to the below information.

Below are the responses submitted by Morgan Coghill.

Name: Morgan Coghill

Position: Congress, IL-10th

Party affiliation: Democratic

Family: Daughter, 13, son, 9

Education: MA, Russian Language and Literature

Work experience: 21 years in sales

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am an unbought progressive populist. I do not take money from AIPAC or insurance or pharma companies. I am entirely grassroots. This means I can represent the district with fidelity.

Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or.board)?

Taxpayer dollars should be directed to programs that help the neediest among us. There is no good reason to be giving tax breaks to multi billionaires. We can have medicare for all, universal pre-K, and a living wage

Do you think Illinois’s SAFE-T Act/no cash bail has been effective? Do you support the repeal of the SAFE-T Act? Why or why not, and do you think wealthier defendants should have an easier route to release?

It should be the standard. The difference between rich and poor in prison is that poor folks get stuck there because they can't pay to get out. This is unconstitutional and must be ended.

Do you believe an inequity exists between funding for wealthy and poor schools? If so, what would you do to address the disparity?

A 2% wealth tax will allow us to start bringing schools up to their wealthier peers. If we can phase out property taxes as the majority of the formula, we can have better performing schools for all income levels.

What would you do to help constituents struggling with the ever-increasing cost of living, housing and health care?

Drop the tariffs on building materials, push to loosen zoning rules for residential properties, offer first time home buyers a much larger tax credit. For health care, Medicare for All where the system can negotiate drug prices.

If you support tax cuts in Illinois, what spending should be eliminated to offset those cuts? Please be specific.

N/a, I am running for federal office.

Do you support the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement in the Chicago area and beyond? Why or why not?If not, what changes do you think should be made?

Hello No. ICE needs to be abolished immediately and any legitimate functions to be outsourced to other agencies.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I grew up poor, I have lived these struggles that we all experience. I am bilingual, and have lived abroad. I am the father of 2 kids, and it is for them that I am doing this. I believe in a future for all of us.