Justin D. Kaechele: 2022 candidate for Lake County Board District 6

Bio

Party: Republican

Office sought: Lake County Board District 6

City: Grayslake

Age: 42

Occupation: Senior Solutions consultant, Providertech

Previous offices held: n/a

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

A: I'm passionate about serving my community, and I want the Lake County government to stop serving partisan interests and start serving the residents again. Ultimately, I want a Lake County government to put safe communities, affordable living, a healthy environment, and helping small businesses at the top of their agenda.

The issue that motivates me is the institution of the gas tax, which was passed last year during a pandemic. Though well over 90% of the residents didn't want this tax, the Lake County Board passed it anyway. It seems the county board has a mentality that they simply know better than the people they serve, and this culture is evident in every meeting.

I also have deep concerns about the rising crime in Lake County, and I fear the cash bail reform within the Safe - T Act will only accelerate the crime rates. I believe we need a well-funded and well-supported sheriff's department, as well as additional training to keep our deputies and communities safe.

Q: If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

A: I will bring my unique business experience to the Lake County Board. My career is within the small business health care technology sector. In small business, you must make well-thought-out and data-driven decisions, or else you can risk going out of business. I want to bring the same urgency for smart decisions that I bring to work every day. I also want to leverage my work experience to be a strong voice for small businesses in

the county.

Beyond advocating for small businesses, I want to make it a priority to leave more money in people's pockets in any way I can. The Chicago Tribune reports that demand on food pantries has increased by 30%. Anything government can do to relieve the pressure of rising food, energy, and gas prices should be a priority. For all these reasons, I want to repeal the county gas tax.

Also, very few people I talk with know who their county board member is. I want to make it a priority to be known, familiar, and more present in the community.

Q: Given the recent history of flat tax levies, do you think the county/forest preserve have done good jobs of budgeting or do you see specific area that can be improved?

A: The tax levies have been flat, but the county added a completely new tax, the gas tax. The gas tax is a regressive tax that impacts lower-income families and residents on fixed incomes the most. Overall, the institution of the gas tax last year offsets most, if not all of the benefits from the flat tax levies.

And even though the board kept a relatively flat levy from 2018 to 2022, the current board increased spending from $512 million to over $600 million. Keeping a flat levy is great for politicians who want to look good, but not capping spending to match the flat levies, they essentially kicked the can down the road for the next board to deal with.

Q: Would you support putting a referendum on the ballot for voters to decide if they wish to issue new bonds to preserve open spaces, restore habitats, create more trails and upgrade forest preserves?

A: Although I am generally in favor of referendums, the referendums that could add additional tax liability to the residents during this inflation season, I would have to consider on a case-by-case basis. I believe that during this inflation period, it could be an irresponsible thing to support. However, depending on the enthusiasm behind the measure and the peoples' wishes, I could support it and I will keep an open mind. I am also concerned with the county's capital or capacity to maintain additional forest preserve lands. Maintaining forest preserves is not cheap, as it costs $9k per mile to maintain forest preserve trails. I will take all that into account when I make these decisions.

Q: What is the single most important issue facing your district and how should the county address it?

A: I've been going door-to-door and talking with a lot of residents, and the issues I find they are most concerned with are the rising prices of food, energy, and gas, as well as serious concerns about public safety. The rising cost of living is especially hurting lower-income families who are struggling to maintain a basic standard of living and I fear it could get worse for them.

I am also hearing concerns about the rising crime rates. Here in Grayslake, we had a carjacking on a Sunday morning in front of St. Gilberts Church, on a major road, in the middle of the day. It happened to a lady who was coming out of church, and she was held at gunpoint before the perpetrator drove off with her car. Crime is up across the county, and I fear things will only get worse if we don't put people into office who are serious about addressing it.

Q: Lake County officials want public feedback on how to spend portions of some $135 million in leftover federal pandemic funding. What are your thoughts on how the money ought to be spent?

A: The latest appropriation allocated 35 million to additional public services and rental assistance for community members that are still suffering from the effects of the pandemic, leaving I believe roughly 45 million left over. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I've been convinced that the best way to use Federal dollars is to isolate and protect the populations most vulnerable to severe illness and death while allowing the community at little risk of severe effects to continue in an open economy. I believe this would have saved many businesses from going under.

Moving forward, I believe the remaining funds should go toward the rise in mental health services, drug overdose prevention, and domestic violence services. I also believe there are still a lot of small businesses that are barely hanging on as a consequence of the lockdown policies that could use the funds as well.