By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – The two candidates running for the Democratic nomination in Illinois’ 18th Congressional district spent Thursday night discussing issues with members of the McLean County Democratic Party. One topic of discussion was how to improve the nation’s infrastructure.

Rob Mellon, a high school history teacher from Quincy and captain in the U.S. Army Reserve who ran against former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock in 2014, said raising the gas tax is one way to generate new revenue.

“If we didn’t have any other means or revenue that are coming into the highway fund, what if we said, within a year, the gas tax would go up a certain amount, but only as a mechanism to get (politicians) to work together?” Mellon said. “To say ‘Ok, you don’t like the gas tax? Well, how are you going to pay (for infrastructure)? Because we need it.”

Adam Lopez, a school board member in Springfield and Country Financial representative, says cooperation is the best way to find a solution, but more taxes aren’t on his agenda.

“If you select one of us here, hopefully me, we’ll work together out there in D.C. to create money and create jobs,” Lopez said. “That’s the biggest thing I want to drill on is jobs here in the 18th district.”

Another part of the night was spent talking about the minimum wage. Both Mellon and Lopez say it needs to be raised, but they differ on how.

Lopez said he wants to see a steady, consistent increase over time coupled with incentives to keep jobs in America.

“We have to give the incentives to corporations to create those jobs here,” Lopez said.

Mellon said he wants to see the minimum wage at $15 per hour.

“Places, like food service and others that pay a minimum wage, are getting subsidized because they don’t even pay a living wage,” Mellon said. “So someone who works 40 hours a week still qualifies for food stamps.”

The primary is July 7, and the winner of that primary will face the Republican primary winner on Sept. 10.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].