NW Illinois News

The Whiteside County Republican Party is looking forward to a rebuilding year in 2017, with changes in government both nationally and locally.

Locally, the party is proud of Tony McCombie’s state House win in District 71, which represents parts of Carroll, Henry, Rock Island and Whiteside counties.

The party also picked up another seat on the county board.

Although the Congressional race was lost, the party is proud of the campaign U.S. House District 17 candidate Patrick Harlan ran.

With President-elect Donald Trump winning the White House, the party is interested to see what lies ahead both locally and nationally.

“It will be somewhat of a rebuilding term,” Kurt Glazier, chairman of the Whiteside County Republican Party, told Rock Island Today. “No one quite knows what to expect from President-elect Trump and his Cabinet.”

Glazier is looking forward to the Cabinet Trump is nominating so far and hopes the federal government will be run more like a business.

With changes happening nationally, Glazier is hopeful these changes will have a positive impact on Illinois, especially Whiteside County.

Glazier said that in the past, there have been unnecessary bills passed, including a recent dust-control measure.

“We live in a rural farming community; it’s hard to control dust,” Glazier said.

A large concern for Glazier in 2017 is jobs for residents in Whiteside County.

“The county has lost about 20,000 manufacturing jobs over the last 20 to 25 years,” Glazier said.

The party will be looking for legislation locally and nationally that can help create more jobs for the residents of Whiteside County, who are especially interested in good-paying professional jobs.

Along with the loss of jobs in the area, there has been a surge in residents using social service agencies. The party will look to support any legislation that keeps those agencies running and able to accommodate these programs.

Whiteside County also has experienced a slump in the housing market, which the party is hoping can be addressed with legislation. Illinois has experienced budget issues recently, with struggles to pass a new budget in the legislature. Glazier is hopeful that new lawmakers will step in and begin resolving budget issues, as well as avoiding any potential unnecessary budget cuts.

“I want the representatives working together, rather than against one another party-wise,” Glazier said.

With that, Glazier would support legislation that places tax burdens on businesses, not just on the public.

In the spring 2017 election, many positions will open up in county townships. The party will be watching these races, but will not choose any candidates because they are nonpartisan races.

“We don’t know what the parties of the candidates are in the races,” Glazier said.

In one set of races to watch, the city of Sterling will be holding an election for at-large City Council seats.