McHenry Times

As voters prepare to cast their votes in Tuesday's primary, GOP candidate Allen Skillicorn in House District 66 wants voters to remember one important thing: “The race on March 15th is about substance; talk versus action. Vote Skillicorn,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

One of his main campaign points has been taxes. Skillicorn has dug his heels in on the issue, promising taxpayers that he will “never wave the flag of surrender to higher taxes.” The District 66 House candidate solidified his stance on taxes by signing the Tax Accountability Taxpayer Protection Pledge on July 10, promising to “support economic freedom by working to decrease the overall tax burden of taxpayers.”

Skillicorn has been endorsed by Tax Accountability, the Political Action arm of Taxpayers United of America (TUA), Liberty Principles PAC, the Chicago Tribune, Pro-Life Victory PAC and Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen.

Lauzen, who is running for re-election as Kane County Board chairman, was the state senator for Illinois’ 25th District for 20 years. Skillicorn posted Lauzen’s endorsement on his website.

“I had the privilege to serve in Springfield as a reformer," Lauzen said in the endorsement. "I stood up for what was right during my term. Illinois needs a new crop of conservative reformers to turnaround Illinois. I’m 100 percent convinced that Allen Skillicorn is the conservative reformer that Illinois needs right now. Allen’s going to win and he’s going to make us proud!”

Last week, Skillicorn’s former Republican rival Paul Serwatka withdrew from the race and endorsed Skillicorn to fill the seat being vacated by retiring state Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake).

“Thank you for your support Paul!” Skillicorn wrote on his Facebook page. “Together we can take on and overcome the two other status quo candidates and help right Illinois' fiscal mess.”

Skillicorn is facing West Dundee Village Trustee Dan Wilbrandt and McHenry County Board member Carolyn Schofield of Crystal Lake in the primary.

So far, Skillicorn’s chances in the primary look favorable. In a January poll by Compass Consulting, 24 percent of voters favored Skillicorn - 15 points ahead of the next candidate.

Skillicorn grew up in Crystal Lake and Algonquin and graduated from Dundee Crown High School. He resides in East Dundee with his family and is the marketing director for a local electronics manufacturer and serves as vice chair for the Kane County Republican Party.

Skillicorn was elected as trustee for East Dundee in 2011 where his worked to keep property taxes from rising ultimately dropped village property taxes per home.

Aside from lower taxes, Skillicorn strongly believes in greater government accountability. The Republican candidate recently condemned the behavior of Democrat leadership in the House earlier this month after an effort by House Republicans to prevent a four-week recess was dismissed.

"Illinois has been operating without a budget for nine months," Skillicorn wrote in another Facebook post. "Speaker (Michael) Madigan's plan - take a monthlong vacation. Remember that on Tuesday, March 15th, primary Election Day! Instead of focusing on passing a budget, Democrats led by Mike Madigan decide to take a five-week vacation instead."

Skillicorn believes term limits for elected officials would greatly reduce corruption in government.

“Yes, I support term limits,” Skillicorn said in a Chicago Tribune questionnaire. “After eight years, it is time to move on from the Illinois House,” Skillicorn said. “Limiting a politician's span of service helps them focus on what they were sent by the people to do. Endless re-election campaigns and the accumulation of power by too many for too long have led Illinois to its current state of dysfunction.”

Illinois legislators have been battling a financial disaster which has left the state without a budget for almost 10 months. Blame has been cast on a number of political leaders, but Skillicorn believes Gov. Bruce Rauner has placed tremendous effort into trying to rescue the state.

“Gov. Bruce Rauner is a courageous businessman trying to save the failing state of Illinois,” Skillicorn told the Chicago Tribune. “Although I'm not wealthy, I made modest contributions to Rauner's 2014 campaign, put up yard signs and much more. With my efforts East Dundee was the first municipality in the state to support his Turnaround Agenda. I'm running to help Gov. Rauner in the state House.”

In contrast, Skillicorn said House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other Democrats are responsible for state’s crisis.

“How many families have to flee Illinois before they embrace basic reforms to make Illinois competitive?" Skillicorn asked. "How many innocent peoples' lives must be destroyed for the narrow, partisan gain of the Illinois Democratic Party? For so many reasons, I'm also running because what Chicago Democrats are doing to our state is wrong.”