The morning after Dawn Abernathy earned a return to the Mundelein Village Board, all she wanted to talk about was what she had been saying during the campaign.
“We need to get a balanced budget done, and we only have until May 1 to do it,” Abernathy told the Lake County Gazette. “That’s the first order of business: getting a budget finished that cuts overall spending and maintains the same level of services for residents.”
Dawn Abernathy of Mundelein, Republican challenger for the Illinois State House District 59 seat.
Abernathy finished second to fellow incumbent Raymond Semple, with 17.2 percent of the more than 13,000 votes cast, suggesting that many residents share her stance on fiscal policy.
She said she will be more vocal in her fight for property tax reform, arguing that residents can receive the same services at a lower price.
“We do that by cutting all the frivolous spending and putting money where it belongs,” Abernathy said.
Abernathy’s re-election also ensures that she will continue playing a critical role in the downtown redevelopment project she helped get off the ground.
She believes the development could be a major tourist attraction for the region.
Abernathy also said she won’t allow anything to distract her from battling for the things she believes are most important to her constituents.
The ongoing state budget crisis was a major part of her campaign, and she vowed to ensure Mundelein residents receive the revenue they are entitled to from Springfield.
Abernathy also has pledged to make sure the town's residents keep more of their money by not facing higher tax bills.
She has previously offered alternatives to raising property taxes, including cutting the town's purchases and personnel costs. The board ultimately voted to increase property tax revenue in 2018 from $11.8 million to approximately $12.6 million.
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