MORTON, Ill. (WMBD) — One of many GOP gubernatorial candidates visited the town of Morton Monday afternoon.
State Senator Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) greeted supporters at 430 Scones. About 50 of Bailey’s supporters packed the sweet’s shop and signed petitions for Bailey to appear on the June primary ballot for the GOP Governor candidate.
Bailey said the Illinois government has left the people behind and believes that’s why he’s getting a good turnout for his campaign.
“We’ve got over 10,000 active volunteers in the state because people are tired of being left out of the process,” Bailey said. “They’re ready for the common-sense government to bring solutions to the table.”
Bailey also told WMBD Illinoisans are tired of being left in the dark when it comes to taxes and believes high taxes are driving people out of the state.
“We’ve been seeing that, and it started off being the taxes, then all of a sudden they (the Democrats) started destroying our schools, and now it’s public safety. When you put all three of those together you get a recipe for disaster, that’s the Illinois story. It’s why people are showing up and wanting something different,” he said.
Bailey, a former school board member in the North Clay CUSD #25, voted on many tax hikes during his tenure but said any tax hikes were explained to voters. He believes those hikes are not the reason people are leaving Illinois.
“It’s a much different scenario. Taxing bodies have the ability to levee a certain amount,” Bailey said. “100% of the time at the North Clay District we brought our community in, and we educated them. We told them this is what it’s going to cost per household, this is why we need the money, this is where it’s going to go, are you okay with that.”
“Many times it was $5 a household and I think one time the max was $19 a household, we had over 95% input buy-in every time,” Bailey said. “If government operated that way in the State of Illinois, our residents would feel a lot more comfortable.”
Bailey also addressed the newest GOP candidate, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin.
Irvin has received the backing of more than 60 Illinois Republicans, including House GOP leader Jim Durkin and former GOP Rep. John Shimkus (Collinsville).
“What I see out of the Irvin campaign is exactly what we’ve seen out of Illinois politics for the last 50 years,” Bailey said. “Let’s compromise everyone’s values and everyone’s money and let’s just keep destroying the State of Illinois. That’s what I see out of his campaign.”
The primary election is June 28.
