Lake County Gazette

Illinois House candidate Dan Yost (R-Antioch) is tired of all the hot air from the state capital about how to address the state's runaway property taxes.

“Trading one tax for another isn’t tax relief,” Yost told the Lake County Gazette. “We’ve heard enough talk and read all about new taxes that could be proposed in place of property taxes, but until they get real about this in Springfield nothing will change.”

Now running against incumbent state Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) in the 61st District, Yost laments the failure of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's property tax relief task force that he believes was doomed from the outset.

Illinois state Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee)

“In order to really reform anything, first you have to understand and address why reform is needed,” Yost said. “Everything they’ve laid out, you’ve heard before with no action. I want to go to Springfield to engage in open and honest dialogue about the problems we face as a state and really work to solve them. If all we’re doing is just moving things around, that’s not really the answer.”

With regard to the task force, all the Republican lawmakers assigned to Pritzker’s 88-member committee refused to sign off on a draft report authored by the Democratic committee chair amid complaints it inadequately reflects their views and fails to propose any major changes to a system they argue is structurally flawed. Yost supports his party's stand and insists it should be a rallying cry in the fight for reforms across the board.

“There’s no question we have to have property tax reform," Yost said. "At the same time, we need to address spending, pension and budget reforms.”

For any of that to happen, Yost is convinced a leadership change has to occur in Springfield.

“I just don’t think the current leadership is up to the task,” the Antioch trustee said. “The good thing is they’ve demonstrated that to voters over and over. Until we get major change, we’ll continue to see our neighbors and employers leave the state while those of us still here will be burdened with even more as the cycle continues.”