Endorsement: Hatcher over Bernard in 50th House District

Incumbent State Rep. Kay Hatcher has been a member of the General Assembly since 2009 and she has one thing on her mind: “Bring (the state) back from the brink of disaster.” We couldn’t agree more. Hatcher, a Yorkville Republican, wants to eliminate the income tax increase, address pension reform and assess state programs for their effectiveness. She says legislators should have been in Springfield all summer working on the pension mess. She also advocates a three-fifths vote on everything that comes through the legislature “to stop the nonsense.” Her opponent, Andrew Bernard, 24, is a businessman from Batavia who is Democratic chairman of Geneva Township as well as a precinct committeeman. He advocates creating more jobs by “fixing the state’s regressive tax structure.” Like Hatcher, he doesn’t believe pension obligations should be shifted to school districts. He would also tackle job creation and welfare reform. While his ideas are generally good, his political career is just getting started. The state needs more legislators like Hatcher, who thinks before she speaks, thinks for herself, has the experience, energy and wherewithal the job needs, and is intent in working in a bipartisan way. “(Voters) didn’t send us to Springfield to be weenies,” she says. Hatcher is endorsed.