Articles written by Andrew Chesney
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From The Desk Down State
No one likes paying taxes. And in Illinois, we pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. The headlines proclaiming Illinois has one of the worst overall tax burdens in the United States...
From The Desk Down State
Many say the only constant in life is change. We see this as businesses continually adapt to remain competitive and profitable, and schools respond to economic trends to produce graduates that can...
From The Desk Down State
A primary responsibility of state government is to protect those who otherwise cannot protect or take care of themselves. Sadly, in too many cases, the State of Illinois is failing these most...
From The Desk Down State
We all have an internal compass that guides our decisions and our behavior. And for those who seek public office, their ethical standards should be beyond reproach. Most people enter politics for the...
From The Desk Down State
Friday, February 10 marked the 2023 bill filing deadline in Springfield, and at the end of the day there were 2,442 Senate Bills and 2,000 House Bills filed. Almost all are bills of substance seeking...
State Rep's Report
I hope this finds you and your family well and wish for you the best of the holiday season. As we approach the year’s end, I want to take a moment to thank you for the privilege of representing...
State Rep's Report
I hope this update finds you enjoying the holiday season with family and friends. The Illinois House and Senate recently convened in Springfield for the second week of Veto Session, concluding Decembe...
State Rep's Report
The holidays are a time to reflect and express appreciation to the people who enrich our lives with the gift of their friendship and service to others in our community. This year, I am exceptionally...
State Rep's Report
Keeping people safe is one of the basic responsibilities of government. Tragically, under a new law set to go into effect on January 1 here in Illinois, criminals including violent offenders will...
State Rep's Report
August 27 marks the anniversary of the historic debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held in Freeport in 1858. Douglas, a Democrat and a powerful U.S. Senator, was challenged by...
State Rep's Report
Ever wonder who to contact when you have a question or concern relating to government? Before picking up the phone or sitting down in front of the computer to send an e-mail to your elected...
State Rep's Report
Every year in Illinois, thousands of families lose a loved one to the preventable tragedy of opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse. Unused or unwanted medicine needs to be disposed of properly...
State Rep's Report
As your State Representative, I take my responsibility to fight for the best quality of life for our senior citizens here in Northwest Illinois seriously. Our state owes a great deal of gratitude to...
State Rep's Report
Illinois Democrats passed a new state budget on April 9 full of election-year gimmicks and self-congratulations. With the federal spigot set to stop flowing, Illinois has to get serious about getting...
State Rep's Report
Public trust in Illinois state government is at an all-time low following the recent indictment of former House Speaker Mike Madigan on 22 counts of federal racketeering charges that detail how he...
State Rep's Report
Last January, Illinois Democrats passed the Safe-T Act during the final hours of the lame-duck session of the last General Assembly, in one of the final acts of Speaker Michael Madigan. Since that...
State Rep's Report
As the science shifts on masking and mask mandates, Governor JB Pritzker is stubbornly and sadly sticking to his voracious appetite for unchecked power at all costs. Late last week, Sangamon County...
State Rep's Report
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ), a hate crime is a “crime motivated by bias against race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or...
State Rep's Report
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board published an editorial about a month ago titled, “The Fleeing Young of Illinois”. It’s worth a read and a hard look in the mirror for all Illinoisans,...
State Rep's Report
As we usher in 2022, many Illinoisans turn our thoughts to accomplishments and challenges of the past year and look forward to the hope delivered by a new year. Like many, the end of the year found...
State Rep's Report
I love the Christmas season and the goodness it brings out in people throughout the world. As we celebrate the most glorious gift given us by God, I am always impressed at the benevolence and...
State Rep's Report
The second week of Veto Session was marred with partisan rancor over issues which the Democrats swung the pendulum, again, too far to the left due to overzealousness to their progressive ideals over...
The State Rep's Report
To say the Democrats “have taken Illinois families for granted in the past” is the understatement of the year. But now, they have openly declared war on families. Taxpayer funding of abortion was...
State Rep's Report
It seems that politicians often forget that the money they are spending comes from you, the hardworking families of Illinois. The process by which legislators negotiate how to spend finite taxpayer...
State Rep's Report
Purveyors of puppy mill pets have come unhinged. They are in full “freak-out” mode, furious about Illinois’ new policy focus favoring rescue pets. Many in our region may have seen their...
