Illinois District 30 needs Keith Gray

Do most readers of the Lake County Daily Herald really know what their own representatives in the Illinois General Assembly have been up to in Springfield doing the people's business? Do they realize that Illinois ranks first in public corruption and near the top as the most anti-business state? It was reported in the Business section of the Daily Herald on Friday, July 18, that the state's unemployment rate in June had jumped to 6.8 percent. The national average was 5.5 percent. In Lake County there are a number of qualified Republicans who have stepped forward in the public square to challenge the status quo. One such challenger, Keith Gray, Mettawa resident and family man, is contesting Terry Link for his Illinois Senate District 30 seat. Keith Gray knows how to make things work as a successful businessman, vice president of Roundout School District 72 Board of Education and a member of the Village of Mettawa Zoning Board of Appeals. Gray would bring accountability to state government.

Now to Terry Link's record. It is one of voting consistently with his party's leadership. During Link's time in office Illinois has sunk to 43rd in the nation in job growth, 40th in personal income and 46th in Gross Domestic Product growth. Recently Link has deservedly come under fire for sinking a bi-partisan effort to create an industry-friendly harbor in Waukegan and for his objection to a "predatory" towing law here in Lake County even though the law is now in effect in most of the Chicago metropolitan area.

An economic train wreck looms ahead for Illinois given an accumulated $40 billion dollars worth of debt and concern over a possible downgrade of the state's bond rating from Moody's Investor Service. Voters in November must say "no" to one-party rule. The election of Keith Gray would offer District 30 voters positive change in Springfield. Terry Link has not served his constituents well.

Nancy J. Thorner

Lake Bluff IL