McHenry Times

Republican Dan Ugaste sums up his decision to re-enter the crazy world of Illinois politics by repeating the sage words of a philosopher he admires.

“Edmund Burke said 'the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,'" Ugaste told the McHenry Times. “Any campaign involves not just the candidate, but family, friends, volunteers, contributors and voters who take a leap of faith that their new candidate will actually do what they say. If all those folks are willing to take a chance on me for an office I am voluntarily seeking, no one is ever going to hear me complain about the responsibilities or the rough and tumble of the campaign trail. I am doing it because it needs to be done.”

The longtime Geneva attorney recently announced that he will run to replace the retiring Steve Andersson (R-Geneva) in the 65th District in 2018. Ugaste collected one-third of the vote in a three-way Republican primary campaign in 2014, placing a close second to Andersson.

Dan Ugaste

Ugaste said his understanding of what he needs to do became crystal clear after lawmakers passed a $36.1 billion state budget that hiked state personal incomes taxes by a record-setting 32 percent.

“Steve Andersson voting for a state tax increase he promised he would not vote for was the final straw,” Ugaste said. “And to add insult to the financial injury, there were no corresponding budget cuts and no pro-business reforms of state law.”

Ugaste said Illinois needs a single plan going forward.

“We cannot turn back the clock to undo the financial damage that has been done by Chicago Democrats cutting deals with state employee labor unions for unsustainable salary, benefits and pension payments,” he said. “But if we cut spending and stop raising taxes, over the long run those two actions, if adhered to, will allow us to recover quickly and return to our preeminent status in the Midwest.”