Lake County Gazette

Ken Idstein wants to wipe away all the pain he sees lawmakers in Springfield having inflicted on small-business owners across the state.

“When I’m elected, I will help small businesses grow in Illinois by lowering the income tax and property tax burdens, bringing workers’ compensation costs back in line with our neighboring states, and reducing unnecessary and onerous regulations,” Idstein told Lake County Gazette. “Too often, we see politicians picking winners and losers and passing policies that hurt mom and pop stores, while enriching and protecting the powerful unions and trial lawyers.”

Idstein, who is running against Rep. Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake) in the 62nd District, insists he’s had enough. With the first week of May marking National Small Business Appreciation Week, Idstein felt obligated to speak out on behalf of small-business owners all across the state.

Grayslake Republican Ken Idstein, running for the 62nd District Illinois State House

“We need to hold our elected officials accountable," he said. "Sam (Yingling) claims to support small businesses but receives a failing grade from the National Federation of Independent Business. Sam Yingling claims to be working for our families, but every day more and more families are looking to move to other states to pursue their dreams. The bottom line is that after five-plus years in office, my opponent’s results speak for themselves: businesses closing, families leaving and college students fleeing.”

Small Business Appreciation Week organizers say one of the primary aims of the event is to highlight the need to have legislators and policies work for that community as opposed to making it more difficult for small businesses to survive.

“I am running because politicians are more concerned with the big businesses, unions and trial lawyers who can afford lobbyists and large campaign donations instead of the local, community businesses who work hard and deliver valuable services for our families,” Idstein said. “I love our community. I love shopping in the local community, taking my kids to town. It is this that helps make our communities home.”

Idstein said chief among his goals is rejuvenating the 62nd District and providing innovative solutions for solving its problems.

“That means reducing property taxes on small businesses to free them to hire more employees, ensuring a hassle-free process for people pursuing their dreams of starting a new business and empowering the family-owned businesses through a government that is working for them instead of against them,” he said.