| Terry Link | |
|---|---|
| Illinois State Senator Terry Link | |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 30th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1997 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 20, 1947 Waukegan, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Susan McCall Link |
| Residence | Waukegan, Illinois |
| Profession | State Senator |
Terry Link is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 30th District since 1997. He is also the Chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party.[1] In the 2010 Illinois Democratic primary, he ran unsuccessfully for the office of Lieutenant Governor, losing to Scott Lee Cohen (who was subsequently replaced on the Democratic ticket by Sheila Simon).
Link was born in Waukegan, Illinois and has remained a lifelong resident of Lake County. He has four daughters and two grandchildren. He attended North Chicago High School before going on to Stout State University (now University of Wisconsin–Stout).[2]
Prior to entering the Senate, Link was a partner in Major Industrial Trucking, a Lake County industrial equipment business. Link also worked at Johnson Controls in the governmental affairs division. He his career in government began with the State Treasurer’s office and the Secretary of State’s office.[3]
In 2009, Sen. Link raised controversy by proposing a law that would allow the use of stationary cameras to issue tickets to vehicles exceeding the speed limit, a move some consider an intrusive attempt to increase revenue while eroding privacy, while others see it as a legitimate means to reduce speed-related accidents.[4]
Also in 2009, Link announced his decision to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, a position previously held by Pat Quinn. Quinn became Governor after the impeachment of then-Governor Rod Blagojevich, leaving the office of Lieutenant Governor temporarily vacant. The vacancy attracted a total of six Democratic hopefuls, including Link. Link came in sixth place out of the six candidates, with 12.2% of the vote.[5]
In 2010, after the death of State Senator Eddie Washington, who represented Illinois' 60th District (including North Chicago and Waukegan), Link, acting in his capacity as Chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party, appointed Rita Mayfield to fill the vacancy. This appointment came as a surprise to some local political observers.[6]
An independent write-in candidate for the Washington vacancy, North Chicago Alderman Valerie DeVost, has accused Link of abusing his position as a member of the Metra Board of Directors to cause her firing from the commuter rail system, as a form of political retribution for her candidacy against Link appointee Mayfield.[7] However, Link is not, in fact, a member of the Metra Board of Directors.[8]
Ironically, in the summer of 2010, Link called for all of the members of the Metra Board of Directors to resign.[9]