Candidate profile: Zachary Meyer
Name: Zachary Meyer
Age: 24
Hometown: Du Quoin
Occupation: Entrepreneur/Law
Position seeking: 115th State Representative
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Website or social media page: www.meyerforillinois.com
Why are you running and why should people vote for you? I am running for State Representative because I refuse to leave my daughter, nieces, their friends, their generation, with a failing state like my generation has been left with. A state where the lawmakers kick the can down the road, and pass the problems off to the next generation. I went to my daughter’s basketball game to find her school with a roof leaking all over the floor. This left him to question, if the gym is in this bad of shape, what shape are the classrooms in? If we do not invest in our future generations, we are preparing to fail! I will fight to address the issues we are currently facing while planning for the long-term impact of the bills that are proposed. As a state, we cannot pass bills for the present without considering their long-term impact.
What would your goals be, if elected? When I am elected, I will hit the ground running to address the reasons a mass number of people are fleeing Illinois. This starts with addressing the ever-rising property tax burden, fighting to lower fees, and making Illinois more business-friendly. I will ensure our Second Amendment is protected, and fight for the right to life. I will work with SIU administrators to address their needs to ensure they can increase enrollment, which will have a positive impact on the entire region. Additionally, I will fight to ensure the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds receives its fair share of funding, for the State Fair, maintenance, and to hold more events year around. This will increase tourism to the district and help businesses throughout the region.
What issues are most pressing for your constituency? The most pressing issues for my constituency are the high taxes, and fees that they are burdened with, the lack of well-paying jobs in the district, and the declining enrollment in SIU. I will fight to lower the high taxes and fees that Illinois residents are burdened with. I will immediately introduce a bill that caps the percentage property taxes can increase year over year, while fighting to lower property taxes to a rate that is comparable to the states surrounding Illinois. Additionally, I will fight to bring the fees in line with the national average. This will provide more money in the pockets of the hardworking men and women of Illinois. Illinois cannot continue to increase taxes to fund its spending problem. I will work with SIU administrators to ensure they are receiving everything they need from the state to increase enrollment. Increasing enrollment will have a huge impact on the entire region. It will increase property values, increase sales tax revenue, and provide businesses in the region access to highly educated individuals. It will also help attract new businesses to the region, due to the increase in population.
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 3:46 PM.