Ammons Launches Candidacy for Illinois House

Another candidate is running for the seat held by Democratic State Representative Naomi Jakobsson of Urbana, who is not seeking another term.

Urbana City Council member Carol Ammons, a Democrat, formally announced her candidacy Tuesday, the same day as the rollout of the health insurance exchanges.

Ammons admitted even with expanded health coverage, there will still be gaps in service, like in mental health, that are brought on by limited state funding.

“Raising money for all of those needed programs is going to have to require some real switch as you all know," she said. "We need the progressive income tax. Everybody don’t agree with that, but in order for us to create more revenue it has to be created somehow and that’s the only place that you can create new revenue in the state. Certainly you can make cuts in other areas, but that’s something that has to come.”

Ammons said she supports same-sex marriage, and she said any solution to the state’s pension crisis should not come at the risk of reducing benefits for current retirees.

Meanwhile, Champaign Democrat Michael Richards is also circulating petitions to join the race, and Urbana Republican Kristin Williamson announced her candidacy last week.