Max Solomon, a Republican attorney, is running for Illinois Treasurer in the Nov. 3 general election. Naperville voters will see the race on their ballots.

Solomon, who immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 1992, said he is seeking the office "to reduce the heavy tax burden by bringing fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability to elective office." In his questionnaire responses to Naper Today, he said he would be the state's "whistleblower" in chief on fiscal irresponsibility.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Illinois Treasurer
  • Party: Republican
  • Education: Associate's in Political Science, South Suburban College; Bachelor's in Political Science, DePaul University; Master's in Theology, Valparaiso University; JD, Valparaiso University School of Law
  • Occupation: Attorney
  • Previous public service: Committeeman, Bremen Township Republican Party (former); Trustee, Grande Prairie Public Library (former)
  • Other experience: Adjunct professor of political science and law, South Suburban College
  • Endorsement: Madison County GOP

Experience and public service

Solomon was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and came to the United States in 1992 at age 21.

He said his path from immigrant to attorney and professor demonstrates the skills needed for the job. "I immigrated legally to the United States with only $40," Solomon said in his questionnaire response. "With God's grace, hard work, and education, I became a US citizen, an attorney, and an adjunct professor of political science and law."

Solomon previously served as a committeeman for the Bremen Township Republican Party and as a trustee of the Grande Prairie Public Library. He is listed as an attorney in Illinois' 38th District.

On the issues

State spending and fiscal management: Solomon said Illinois "does not have a revenue problem" but "has a spending problem." He said he would focus on fraud investigations and eliminating wasteful spending. He supports a balanced budget, tax cuts, a flat-rate income and business tax, and a property tax freeze.

Transparency: Solomon has proposed a real-time public dashboard so taxpayers can track every dollar the treasurer's office invests. He framed the role as a fiscal watchdog position.

Investment strategy: Solomon said he would direct state deposits to community banks and credit unions across all 102 Illinois counties, according to his campaign issues page. He said this would ensure rural and underserved communities have access to capital. He also said he would modernize the state's investment strategy through diversification.

Education savings: Solomon said he would strengthen the Bright Start and Bright Directions college savings programs to make higher education more attainable for Illinois families.

Ideology and contrast: Solomon calls himself a fiscal conservative. He described himself as a "Christian Conservative Republican" and said the critical difference between himself and his opponent is ideology. He supports smaller government, school choice, and what he described as an "Illinois/US citizens first" approach.