SPRINGFIELD - As Congress looks for some way to revive the struggling economy, the three candidates vying for retiring U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood's seat have sought to strike key differences among themselves on financial issues.

Republican Aaron Schock and Democrat Colleen Callahan differ on how best to handle it for Central Illinoisans who have a worried eye on their retirement accounts.

Schock, of Peoria, favors keeping President George Bush's tax cuts in place, saying they help create jobs. Schock also favors eliminating the estate tax.

"It only hinders economic growth," he said.

Callahan disagreed, saying Bush had only cut taxes for the most wealthy, and his policies need to be changed, given the current state of the economy.

"People got us into this, and different people need to get us out," the Kickapoo Democrat said. Callahan also supports retaining the estate tax.

Green Party candidate Sheldon Schafer of Peoria opposes Bush's tax cuts.

All three candidates are seeking the 18th Congressional District seat, which includes much of Central Illinois, including Logan County and parts of Macon, Tazewell and Woodford counties.

Current members of Congress in past weeks approved a $700 billion plan to bail out struggling lenders in hopes of stabilizing the economy.

Schafer stands out as the only candidate of the three who would have voted against the plan.

Callahan and Schock both say they would have supported it.

The two differ, though, on whether the government should again try to send checks to people to stimulate the economy. This year, the federal government mailed up to $600 per person to most taxpayers, hoping the influx of cash would stifle the economic downturn.

Callahan said that if the federal government has the money, it should try the idea again.

"It's a good jolt," she said.

Schock disagreed, saying the money would be better spent to give businesses incentives to expand and therefore hire people. He argued that the stimulus checks had no clear long-term benefits.

"I think you need to look no further than the current markets," he said.

Schafer said a better idea would be to spend the money building roads and other federal infrastructure, so people would get jobs in the process.

In addition to their views on issues, the three candidates would bring various financial backgrounds to Congress.

Schock, currently a state lawmaker, bought his first piece of property in high school and is involved in developing hotels.

Callahan grew up around agriculture and worked as farm industry broadcaster in Central Illinois for decades. She now owns a business with one employee doing communication consulting.

Schafer, a museum vice president in Peoria, also teaches astronomy part time at Bradley University. He said he doesn't necessarily have any professional financial experience.

But Schafer said he's not sure experience matters, given how the current Congress has handled the economy.

"You've got a Congress full of businessmen," Schafer said.

mike.riopell@lee.net|789-0865