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New Members of the General Assembly

Lawyers, teachers, businessmen and farmers predominate in the group of 45 new legislators elected in November. There are nine former businessmen or farmers, eleven attorneys and seven former teachers among the freshman lawmakers. Experienced state or local officials make up most of the remaining 45, but there is also an accountant, a local planner, a nurse, two former policemen and a tax assessor in the group. Nine of the newcomers are women — two senators and seven representatives — however, both women senators are former representatives. Most new members are conservative and experienced politicians.

New senators

1st District — Roger A. Keats (R., Wilmette). Keats moves over to the Senate after two consecutive terms in the Illinois House. A former teacher, he has also served in Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant and was the Republican campaign coordinator in Northern Illinois during 1972. In the House, Keats sponsored legislation to reform the school code, improve labor and management relations in the state, and give tax breaks to senior citizens. He is especially interested in improving the business climate and limiting the growth of government. 7th District — Leonard F. Becker (R., Cicero). Employed by Western Electric Company as an electrician for 35 years, he retired in 1976. Becker was the first president of Local 1859 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a post he held continuously from 1954 until his retirement. He attended Roosevelt University and is a World War II veteran. 10th District — Aldo A. DeAngelis(R., Olympia Fields). President of Vulcan Tube and Metals Company, he has been active in social and civic organizations. He says he is "concerned by the overregulation, private intrusion and fiscal irresponsibility in government" and he looks forward to reforming legislation on workmen's compensation, product liability and malpractice. He favors the concept of a constitutional limit on state taxes as proposed by Rep. Donald L. Totten (R., Hoffman Estates). "I think I can contribute to stem the growth of government and restore the confidence of people in the political system," he says.

Nth District — Walter Nega (D., Chicago). An administrative assistant to Congressman Dan Rostenkowski for 20 years, Nega was an administrator for the Illinois Department of Revenue prior to that. He graduated from DePaul University in 1940 and earned three purple hearts and a bronze star for his service in World War II. Nega says his two biggest aims in the legislature will be anti-crime legislation and providing tax breaks for elderly people living on fixed incomes. 17th District — Steven G. Nash (D., Chicago). Chairman of the Executive Committee of the 30th Ward regular Democratic party in Chicago, Nash was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention. He supports "tax relief for homeowners and especially for senior citizens on fixed incomes; strong anti-crime measures to protect our neighborhoods and our businesses; and the continued fight to eliminate redlining in insurance and mortgages." He supports property tax relief similar to that introduced by Rep. Ted Lechowicz (D., Chicago) last session which would limit taxes to present rates.

19th District — Edward A. Nedza (D., Chicago). A 31st Ward committeeman of the Chicago Democratic party since 1976, Nedza is currently a commissioner of the Chicago Aviation Department. Nedza was educated at the University of California, served with the U.S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific during World War II and has since worked in various engineering capacities for the city of Chicago.

22nd District — James A. McLendon (D., Chicago). Served six terms in the Illinois House. McLendon is an attorney and a former Master of Chancery of the Superior Court of Cook County. He is staff attorney for the Chicago Transit Authority, past president of the Cook County Bar and a member of the N. A. A.C.P. He holds an A.B. from Fisk University and a J.D. from Northwestern Law School.

28th District — Jeremiah E. Joyce (D., Chicago). Alderman of the 19th Ward in the Chicago City Council, he has also served as an assistant Cook County state's attorney for the criminal division. He is a former high school history teacher and was a Chicago policeman for six years. A graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, he has served on the faculty of St. Xavier College and of the John Marshall Law School. 31st District — Adeline J. Geo-Karis (R., Zion). After completing her third term in the Illinois House, she now goes to the Senate. Geo-Karis is a former municipal and legislative attorney and founded the law firm of Geo-Karis, Thompson and Clausen. She was the first chairman of the Illinois Energy Resources Commission. Geo-Karis holds a law degree from DePaul University and is a former assistant state's attorney in Lake County. She says her prime goal in the next Senate session will be to increase energy production in Illinois by developing coal resources and alternative energy supply. She says the big issue will be keeping jobs in the state.

34th District — Lynn Morley Martin (R., Rockford). Having served a full term in the Illinois House during the 1977-78 session, she now moves to the Senate. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1960, she taught English and government in Rockford before joining the Winnebago County Board in 1972. In the House, Martin sponsored bills to aid crime victims, to mandate that the state pay for programs it requires of localities and to enforce state health regulations. 35th District — James (Jim) Gitz (D., Freeport) Gitz served as legislative liaison to the Illinois Capital Development Board from January 1975 to the spring of 1976. He was also a legislative consultant and aide to former Gov. Daniel Walker and a social service analyst for Scientific Analysis Corporation in California. He is a graduate of Bradley University, where he was student body president in 1970. He helped draft a bill in the last legislative session aimed at limiting foreign ownership of farmland. He believes in giving a tax break on inheritance of family farms and overhauling the road fund to improve the downstate road system. 44th District — John W. Maitland, Jr. (R. Bloomington). A farmer and businessman, Maitland is active in the McLean County Farm Bureau. He has served on the McLean County Regional Planning Commission and is active in many government and civic organizations. He says he is "very much anti-big government," and he hopes to reduce the high cost of the workmen's compensation and unemployment programs for Illinois businesses.

New representatives

1st District — John L. Birkinbine (R., Northfield) Public affairs director of the midwest division of the National Association of Manufacturers and a precinct captain for the Northfield Republican party, he was finance chairman for Sen. Roger A, Keats' 1976 House campaign. He is a fiscal conservative who favors a constitutional limitation on state taxes, based upon a percentage of personal income. He is a graduate of Colby College and Boston University and a Navy veteran.

1st District — Mary Jeanne (Dolly) Hallstrom (R., Evanston). A member of the Illinois Commis-sion on Children for 15 years, she chaired the State Advisory Council on Education of Handicapped Children for 13 years. She was instrumental in organizing the fund for perceptually handicapped children. She attended the St. Francis School of Nursing. Hallstrom is a Republican precinct captain, who is "fiscally pretty conservative, but concerned, too, about people in need." 10th District — Patrick S. Grossi(R., Glenwood) A practicing attorney and a member of the Illinois and American Bar associations, he is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and the Kent College of Law and is an Army veteran. Untill his election he was the city attorney for Chicago Heights. His main concern during the campaign was improving the share of spending and services given his district in return for taxes paid to the Regional Transportation Authority. 10th District — Robert J. Piel (R., Harvey) Formerly a commissioner of the city of Harvey Piel has seven years experience in municipal government and ten years experience in the banking business. He is a graduate of Arizona State University and the American Institute of Banking. Piel is also a precinct captain in Harvey. He says he will support "sunset" legislation and "broad, simple reforms that reduce taxes.... We have to get at the root of the problem by cutting spending." 12th District — John J. Cullerton (D., Chicago) A practicing attorney and former assistant pubic defender, Cullerton is a member of the Chicago and Illinois Bar associations. He is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and the Loyola University School of Law. He was a delegate to the 1976 Democratic National Convention. He is

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especially interested in reforming criminal law. 13th District — Jesse C. White, Jr. (D., Chicago). A former teacher and professional baseball player, White is a former representative. Actively involved in a number of voluntary school and community projects, he received the "most dedicated teacher of the year" award from the Citizen's School Committee in 1969 and was named "top citizen of the year" by the Chicago Crime Commission in 1973. For 20 years, White was a precinct worker for the 42nd Ward Democratic party in Chicago. His baseball career spanned seven years with the Chicago Cubs. Nth District — Alfred G. Ronan (D., Chicago). Most recently a management consultant, Ronan is a former college instructor. He is director of the 33rd Ward regular Democratic organization and a former assistant to Gov. Daniel Walker, a former deputy director of the Illinois Department of Mental Health, and a former assistant secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation — both under Gov. Walker.

17th District — John F. Leon(D., Chicago). Leon served seven terms in the Illinois House from 1959 to 1967 and from 1969 to 1977 in three different districts. Leon was also elected as delegate to the 1970 state Constitutional Convention. A precinct committeeman in Chicago for over 35 years, he has been president, secretary and treasurer of the 36th Ward regular Democratic party but is now a member of the 35th Ward organization. Leon was formerly engaged in the general insurance business. He is a vice chairman of the American Cancer Society.

19th District — Louis F. Capuzi (D., Chicago). Capuzi has formerly served 10 terms in the Illinois House, from 1955 to 1965 and 1967 to 1977. He is a graduate of the Northwestern Institute of Foot Surgery and Chiropody and served 27 months in Europe with the U.S. Army during World War II, receiving the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He is a member of the local V.F.W., American Legion and AMVETS. When he last served in the House, during the 79th General Assembly, he sponsored bills to aid veterans, regulate nursing homes and improve police and fireman's pension systems. 21st District — Langdon W. Patrick (D., Chicago). Patrick served two terms in the Illinois House, from 1973 to 1976. A lifelong citizen of Chicago, Patrick graduated from Lewis Institute and is a World War II veteran. A former deputy clerk and deputy bailiff in Cook County government, he was maintenance superintendent of the Chicago Skyway from 1967 to 1970. He served on the Chicago Board of Health from 1970 to 1972. 22nd District — Larry S. Bullock (D., Chicago). As a commissioner on the Illinois Hospital Board, he did some lobbying for health interests in the legislature. He was named Man of the Year by the Cook County Young Democrats in 1977. A graduate of Catawba College (North Carolina) and Roosevelt University, he also has experience as a national health lecturer. 22nd District — Quentin J. Goodwin (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney, Goodwin served 15 years with the Civil Service Commission in Chicago. He is on the advisory board of the Chicago Housing Authority, and is a member of the Near South Side Community Organization, the N.A.A.C.P., the Urban League and the Y.M.C.A. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

24th District — Carol Moseley Braun (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Braun is founder and past president of the University of Chicago Black Law Students Association. "I hope to improve the quality of life for myself and for others," she says. She is recipient of the Attorney General's Special Achievement Award.

24th District — Barbara Flynn Currie (D., Chicago). A former political science instructor at DePaul University, Currie is an independent Democrat "concerned with electoral reform and a variety of social, quality-of-life" issues. She is a former vice president of the Chicago League of Women Voters and presently a member of the Independent Voters of Illinois and the American Civil Liberties Union. She is also on the Harriet M. Harris (Woodlawn) YMCA Advisory Board and the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference. Until recently Currie worked at the National Opinion Research Center, studying neighborhood problem solving by working class women in Chicago. Currie favors the Equal Rights Amendment, merit selection of judges and "other process reform." 26th District — Ethel Skyles Alexander (D., Chicago). Appeals supervisor clerk for the Circuit Court of Cook County for the past 29 years, in 1972 she was appointed chief supervisor of appeals cases. A precinct captain in the 20th Ward Democratic organization for over 20 years, she has attended Loop Jr. College and received training in administrative services from IBM corporation.

28th District — James F. Keane(D., Chicago). A teacher for more than a decade in Chicago public high schools, Keane holds a master's degree in philosophy from Roosevelt University, a bachelor's from Loyola and is working toward a Ph.D. in public administration from Nova University (Florida). He is a former president of the American Federation of Teachers local 700 in Chicago and a former assistant professor of political science and a director of the institute of research at Chicago State University. For the past three years he has been an assistant to Senate President Thomas C. Hynes(D., Chicago). He has expertise in legislative administration and appropriations and hopes to "cut through the red tape for my constituents in their dealings with state agencies." 30th District — Miriam Balanoff (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney with over !5 years experience in general law in the Chicago community, she is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a member of the Chicago Council of Lawyers and of the South Suburban Bar Association. Much of her practice has centered around union problems and real estate issues. Balanoff has long been active in local political campaigns. She lists her goals in the legislature as four-fold — "making sure that utilities don't overcharge consumers, providing safety in the workplace, preventing the loss of industries and removing the sales tax from food and medicine."

31st District — Virginia E. Fiester-Frederick(R., Lake Forest). She served two terms as the first woman alderman ever elected to the city council of Lake Forest. Fiester-Frederick was appointed to the coordinating committee of the International Women's Year in 1976 and to the Illinois International Women's Year Task Force. A member of the board of the World Without War Council and active in the United Nations Association, she was a delegate to the World Food Conference in Rome in 1974. A moderate, fiscally conservative Republican, she is "very interested in any legislation that would advance Illinois' position in the exporting world." A University of Iowa graduate, she was married to Dr. Kenneth Frederick shortly after her election to the House. 34th District — John W. Hallock, Jr. (R., Rockford). A Rockford attorney, Hallock has been legal counsel and parliamentarian to the Illinois Senate Republicans. He was a law clerk in the office of then-U.S. Atty. James R. Thompson and in the office of Illinois Atty. Gen. William J. Scott. He attended Notre Dame University Law School in London and graduated from Loyola University in Chicago. He says the major issues in his district are "that we restore a healthy business climate to Illinois, spend more money on highway 51, increase the amount of the state's share of education spending, make state spending more efficient, not increase taxes and provide property tax reform."

35th District — Nord L. Swanstrom(R., Pecaton-ica). A lifelong resident of Pecatonica, Swanstrom is a former Illinois State Police employee. Deputy circuit court clerk for Winnebago County, he is a Republican precinct committeeman and has been active in the campaigns of former President Gerald R. Ford, Congressman John B. Anderson and Gov. James R. Thompson. He attended Rock Valley Junior College, is active in church work and is a member of the John Ericcson Republican Club, Scottish Rite and Masonic Lodge. 36th District — Timothy A. Bell (R., Moline). Prior to his election he taught school at Moline High School for the past eight years. Before that Bell was a sales representative for National Biscuit Company (NABISCO). He has a B. A. in Business and Social Studies from West New Mexico University and an M. A. in guidance and counseling from that same university. He is president of the Moline Group Home Organization, a child welfare group. He hopes to better the job market in the state through legislation. 44th District — Gordon L. Ropp (R., Normal). State agriculture director from 1970 to 1972, he now operates a 500-acre dairy farm near Normal and is vice chairman of the McLean County Central Committee. He is a member of the McLean County Easter Seal Board, the University of Illinois Dairy Advisory Committee and the Illinois State University Agribusiness Curriculum Advisory Committee.

45th District — John C. Ackerman(R., Morton). A member of the Tazewell County Board, he is a former president of the Morton Park District, attended the University of Illinois and is an Army veteran. "I believe our roads need to be our prime consideration," Ackerman says of state spending. He would also like to "tighten up the administration of our welfare and social programs and put a curb on the hiring of new personnel." 46th District — Fred J. Schraeder (D., Peoria). Former representative for three terms from 1965 to 1967 and 1973 to 1977, Schraeder has been a precinct committeeman for 20 years and county chairman in Peoria County for 10 years. While in the legislature he was a member of the Commission to Visit and Examine State Institutions and the Illinois Fiscal and Economic Commission, and he served on the Motor Vehicles, Revenue and Agriculture committees. An Army veteran, Schraeder is past president of the Illinois Brewery Workers Council.

49th District — Gary Hannig(D., Mount Olive). A certified public accountant trained in taxes and finance, Hannig says he will "lead the fight for property tax reform." He is a graduate of the University of Illinois and is active in local civic and social organizations. Hannig says, "My expertise in business will help formulate and pass a package

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especially interested in reforming criminal law. 13th District — Jesse C. White, Jr. (D., Chicago). A former teacher and professional baseball player, White is a former representative. Actively involved in a number of voluntary school and community projects, he received the "most dedicated teacher of the year" award from the Citizen's School Committee in 1969 and was named "top citizen of the year" by the Chicago Crime Commission in 1973. For 20 years, White was a precinct worker for the 42nd Ward Democratic party in Chicago. His baseball career spanned seven years with the Chicago Cubs. Nth District — Alfred G. Ronan (D., Chicago). Most recently a management consultant, Ronan is a former college instructor. He is director of the 33rd Ward regular Democratic organization and a former assistant to Gov. Daniel Walker, a former deputy director of the Illinois Department of Mental Health, and a former assistant secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation — both under Gov. Walker.

17th District — John F. Leon(D., Chicago). Leon served seven terms in the Illinois House from 1959 to 1967 and from 1969 to 1977 in three different districts. Leon was also elected as delegate to the 1970 state Constitutional Convention. A precinct committeeman in Chicago for over 35 years, he has been president, secretary and treasurer of the 36th Ward regular Democratic party but is now a member of the 35th Ward organization. Leon was formerly engaged in the general insurance business. He is a vice chairman of the American Cancer Society.

19th District — Louis F. Capuzi (D., Chicago). Capuzi has formerly served 10 terms in the Illinois House, from 1955 to 1965 and 1967 to 1977. He is a graduate of the Northwestern Institute of Foot Surgery and Chiropody and served 27 months in Europe with the U.S. Army during World War II, receiving the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He is a member of the local V.F.W., American Legion and AM VETS. When he last served in the House, during the 79th General Assembly, he sponsored bills to aid veterans, regulate nursing homes and improve police and fireman's pension systems. 21st District — Langdon W. Patrick (D., Chicago). Patrick served two terms in the Illinois House, from 1973 to 1976. A lifelong citizen of Chicago, Patrick graduated from Lewis Institute and is a World War II veteran. A former deputy clerk and deputy bailiff in Cook County government, he was maintenance superintendent of the Chicago Skyway from 1967 to 1970. He served on the Chicago Board of Health from 1970 to 1972. 22nd District — Larry S. Bullock (D., Chicago). As a commissioner on the Illinois Hospital Board, he did some lobbying for health interests in the legislature. He was named Man of the Year by the Cook County Young Democrats in 1977. A graduate of Catawba College (North Carolina) and Roosevelt University, he also has experience as a national health lecturer. 22nd District — Quentin J. Goodwin (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney, Goodwin served 15 years with the Civil Service Commission in Chicago. He is on the advisory board of the Chicago Housing Authority, and is a member of the Near South Side Community Organization, the N.A.A.C.P., the Urban League and the Y.M.C.A. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

24th District — Carol Moseley Braun (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Braun is founder and past president of the University of Chicago Black Law Students Association. "I hope to improve the quality of life for myself and for others," she says. She is recipient of the Attorney General's Special Achievement Award.

24th District — Barbara Flynn Currie (D., Chicago). A former political science instructor at DePaul University, Currie is an independent Democrat "concerned with electoral reform and a variety of social, quality-of-life" issues. She is a former vice president of the Chicago League of Women Voters and presently a member of the Independent Voters of Illinois and the American Civil Liberties Union. She is also on the Harriet M. Harris (Woodlawn) YMCA Advisory Board and the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference. Until recently Currie worked at the National Opinion Research Center, studying neighborhood problem solving by working class women in Chicago. Currie favors the Equal Rights Amendment, merit selection of judges and "other process reform."

26th District — Ethel Skyles Alexander (D., Chicago). Appeals supervisor clerk for the Circuit Court of Cook County for the past 29 years, in 1972 she was appointed chief supervisor of appeals cases. A precinct captain in the 20th Ward Democratic organization for over 20 years, she has attended Loop Jr. College and received training in administrative services from IBM corporation.

28th District — James F. Keane (D., Chicago). A teacher for more than a decade in Chicago public high schools, Keane holds a master's degree in philosophy from Roosevelt University, a bachelor's from Loyola and is working toward a Ph.D. in public administration from Nova University (Florida). He is a former president of the American Federation of Teachers local 700 in Chicago and a former assistant professor of political science and a director of the institute of research at Chicago State University. For the past three years he has been an assistant to Senate President Thomas C. Hynes(D., Chicago). He has expertise in legislative administration and appropriations and hopes to "cut through the red tape for my constituents in their dealings with state agencies."

30th District — Miriam Balanoff (D., Chicago). A practicing attorney with over 15 years experience in general law in the Chicago community, she is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a member of the Chicago Council of Lawyers and of the South Suburban Bar Association. Much of her practice has centered around union problems and real estate issues. Balanoff has long been active in local political campaigns. She lists her goals in the legislature as four-fold — "making sure that utilities don't overcharge consumers, providing safety in the workplace, preventing the loss of industries and removing the sales tax from food and medicine."

31st District — Virginia E. Fiester-Frederick(R., Lake Forest). She served two terms as the first woman alderman ever elected to the city council of Lake Forest. Fiester-Frederick was appointed to the coordinating committee of the International Women's Year in 1976 and to the Illinois International Women's Year Task Force. A member of the board of the World Without War Council and active in the United Nations Association, she was a delegate to the World Food Conference in Rome in 1974. A moderate, fiscally conservative Republican, she is "very interested in any legislation that would advance Illinois' position in the exporting world." A University of Iowa graduate, she was married to Dr. Kenneth Frederick shortly after her election to the House. 34th District — John W. Hallock, Jr. (R., Rockford). A Rockford attorney, Hallock has been legal counsel and parliamentarian to the Illinois Senate Republicans. He was a law clerk in the office of then-U.S. Atty. James R. Thompson and in the office of Illinois Atty. Gen. William J. Scott. He attended Notre Dame University Law School in London and graduated from Loyola University in Chicago. He says the major issues in his district are "that we restore a healthy business climate to Illinois, spend more money on highway 51, increase the amount of the state's share of education spending, make state spending more efficient, not increase taxes and provide property tax reform."

35th District — Nord L. Swanstrom(R., Pecatonica). A lifelong resident of Pecatonica, S wanstrom is a former Illinois State Police employee. Deputy circuit court clerk for Winnebago County, he is a Republican precinct committeeman and has been active in the campaigns of former President Gerald R. Ford, Congressman John B. Anderson and Gov. James R. Thompson. He attended Rock Valley Junior College, is active in church work and is a member of the John Ericcson Republican Club, Scottish Rite and Masonic Lodge. 36th District — Timothy A. Bell (R., Moline). Prior to his election he taught school at Moline High School for the past eight years. Before that Bell was a sales representative for National Biscuit Company (NABISCO). He has a B. A. in Business and Social Studies from West New Mexico University and an M.A. in guidance and counseling from that same university. He is president of the Moline Group Home Organization, a child welfare group. He hopes to better the job market in the state through legislation. 44th District — Gordon L. Ropp (R., Normal). State agriculture director from 1970 to 1972, he now operates a 500-acre dairy farm near Normal and is vice chairman of the McLean County Central Committee. He is a member of the McLean County Easter Seal Board, the University of Illinois Dairy Advisory Committee and the Illinois State University Agribusiness Curriculum Advisory Committee.

45th District — John C. Ackerman (R., Morton). A member of the Tazewell County Board, he is a former president of the Morton Park District, attended the University of Illinois and is an Army veteran. "I believe our roads need to be our prime consideration," Ackerman says of state spending. He would also like to "tighten up the administration of our welfare and social programs and put a curb on the hiring of new personnel." 46th District — Fred J. Schraeder (D., Peoria). Former representative for three terms from 1965 to 1967 and 1973 to 1977, Schraeder has been a precinct committeeman for 20 years and county chairman in Peoria County for 10 years. While in the legislature he was a member of the Commission to Visit and Examine State Institutions and the Illinois Fiscal and Economic Commission, and he served on the Motor Vehicles, Revenue and Agriculture committees. An Army veteran, Schraeder is past president of the Illinois Brewery Workers Council.

49th District — Gary Hannig (D., Mount Olive). A certified public accountant trained in taxes and finance, Hannig says he will "lead the fight for property tax reform." He is a graduate of the University of Illinois and is active in local civic and social organizations. Hannig says, "My expertise in business will help formulate and pass a package of tax credits to businesses so that Illinois business climate will once again be favorable tc new and established businesses." 50th District — Josephine K. Oblinger (R., Springfield). Gov. James R. Thompson's appointee as director of the Illinois Department on Aging, Oblinger has 16 years experience with township, county and state government. A graduate of the University of Illinois and the University of Detroit Law School, Oblinger is president of the Planning Consortium for Services to Children in Illinois. She is most interested in land use legislation. "Renovate the cities instead of spreading out," she says. "We farmers are expected to grow more and more food to feed more and more people, and yet more land is retired."

51st District — Webber Borchers (R., Decatur). Borchers served four terms in the Illinois legislature, from 1969 to 1977. He was a founder of the Young Republican Club of the State of Illinois. A farm owner in Macon County, he is a graduate of the University of Illinois and veteran of World War II, decorated 10 times for service in the 3rd Army in Europe. Borchers lost his seat in 1975 after being convicted in an improper trial of theft and official misconduct. His conviction was thrown out last fall by the Illinois Supreme Court. He is a former member of the Macon County Board of Supervisors and the Macon County Regional Planning Commission. 51st District — B. T. "Tim" Donovan (D., Decatur). A farmer, he has been a member of the Macon County Board since 1970. He has been active in the Federal Land Bank Association, the Macon County Agricultural Extension Council and the LaPlace Co-op Grain Company. 54th District — Glen L. Bower (R., Effingham). Formerly state's attorney for Effingham County, Bower is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and the Kent College of Law. When elected he was chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Effingham Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in 1975. Bowers is most interested in legislation to improve the business climate, control taxes, fund schools, prevent welfare fraud and ensure ethics in government.

54th District — Clyde W. Robbins (R., Fairfield). A farmer for the past 31 years, Robbins is chairman of the Wayne County Republican Committee and has been a precinct committeeman for 16 years. He believes the state "must make a change in its workmen's compensation and unemployment laws." In Fairfield he has served on the school board, the mental health board and the Wayne County Public Aid Committee. 55th District — Michael Slape (D., Pocahontas). Democratic county chairman of Bond County, Slape has been legislative aide to House Majority Whip Don E.Brummett(D.,Vandalia)for the last three years. He is also a former tax assessor for Burgess Township, a graduate of Greenville College and an Army veteran. "I feel that a person with my mainly conservative outlook is in tune with the people of the 55th District," he says. He is active in the Jaycees, Masons and American Legion.

55th District — Frank C. Watson (R., Greenville). A township supervisor and a member of the Greenville Zoning Board of Appeals for five years, Watson ranks education and roads as the priority items for spending in fiscal 1980. He was county coordinator for Gov. Thompson's 1976 election campaign. "The economic outlook for this state has to make a reversal in workmen's compensation, EPA restrictions, unemployment compensation and sales tax exemptions on industry coming into the state and industry expanding in the state," Watson says.

56th District — Sam W. Wolf (D., Granite City). Former Rep. Wolf operates a real estate and insurance business in Granite City. He served in the House from 1975 to 1977. He is past president of the Granite City Real Estate Board and of the Granite City Kiwanis Club. He has also been secretary-treasurer of the Madison County Democratic Central Committee and was a delegate to the Democratic National Mid-Term Conference in 1974. Born and educated in Venice, 111., Wolf is a veteran of World War II. 59th District — James F.Rea(D., Christopher). A community developer for 15 years, he holds degrees in agriculture and community develoment. He is a former member of the city council, school board and library board in Christopher. "I understand the area, its problems and am knowledgeable of local, state and federal resources," Rea says.

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