Lake County Gazette

Republican state House candidate Dan Yost is pushing for an all-encompassing approach to rebuilding the state in the aftermath of COVID-19.  

“We have got to start working together, engaging in constructive dialogue and being open to considering opposing ideas,” Yost, who is running against incumbent state Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) in the 61st District, told the Lake County Gazette. “This virus is impacting Democrats and Republicans alike. Our approach to public policy shouldn’t be limited to finger pointing and name calling. We should take advantage of the best and brightest on both sides of this debate so the people of Illinois can feel the benefit of a functional state government.”

With the state recently moving into Phase 4 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s five-part Restore Illinois plan, where businesses can operate with fewer restrictions and gatherings of up to 50 people and indoor serving at restaurants and bars are now allowed, Yost is urging lawmakers to proceed with caution.

“I think we need to continue to take steps to protect the most vulnerable among us and exercise reasonable caution as we continue to move forward,” he said. “That also means taking steps to protect families and their livelihoods by protecting small businesses.”

While Yost, an Antioch resident, is clear about expressing how his overall philosophy far differs from that of the governor, he is just as clear in allowing that he thinks everyone now needs to be working as one for the good of the state.

“I think we could achieve better results by listening to more opinions and making modifications to our policies that are more consistent and fair, especially to small business which has been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic and the governor’s approach,” he said. “I also believe that the failure of the legislature to act on this topic robs the citizens of Illinois of their right to representation.”

Overall, Yost said he is worried about the direction of the state and what it could come to mean going forward.

“We seem to be headed down a one-way street to insolvency,” he said. “The pandemic has exacerbated the issue. We need to introduce some fiscal discipline and be honest about the problems we face as a state and we need to take steps to stimulate the economy by abandoning the fair tax. Like everything else, fixing Illinois is going to require that the people we’ve elected come out of their corners and start working on behalf of us and not their own re-election.”