VIDEO: Mathias, Sente Meet at Buffalo Grove Forum

The two candidates for the redrawn 59th House District met last week at a candidates forum at the 's monthly lunch meeting, where they spoke about their backgrounds and answered questions from audience members.

The attached video shows the opening remarks of Buffalo Grove resident Sid Mathias (R-53rd) and Vernon Hills resident Carol Sente.

"My years of service to our community were not a policitcal plan, but rather a plan of service," said Mathias, who served as a Buffalo Grove trustee and village president before entering the legislature 14 years ago. "We need legislators who will shine a light on what is happening in Springfield."

Sente, a small business owner who was appointed to replace Kathy Ryg in 2009, said she also takes a "citizen legislator" approach to her service.

"To me, if you want to be a good state rep, it's a very challenging position, as I've found out over the past two-and-a-half years. It's like being a small business owner in this economy. So what inspires me every day to work hard is a strong desire to create change in Illinois government and reform the broken systems that we find we have here."

The candidates addressed questions from the audience, which included their stances on slot machines at race tracks, pension reform and a statewide ban on using mobile devices in cars.

Check back on Patch for further coverage from this forum.