Illinois state Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) recently proved that he is willing to put his money where his mouth is.
“Lawmakers do not deserve a pay raise considering the fiscal condition of Illinois and the push for higher taxes on residents at all turns,” Chesney said in a press release. “I co-sponsored legislation to reject the pay raise, but that legislation was not called for a vote this year.”
Chesney recently announced that he plans to donate the $1,628 pay raise he and all other Springfield lawmakers were recently granted to local organizations representing the values of his constituents. Among the organizations known to be receiving charitable contributions from the donation are Voices of Stephenson County, an organization offering support in the treatment and prevention of domestic violence and sexual abuse; Tyler’s Justice Center for Children-Stockton, which strives to lessen the trauma felt by child victims of sexual abuse and serious physical abuse; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an organization advancing cures and preventive measures for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
Illinois state Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport)
“I debated returning this pay raise to the state coffers,” Chesney said. “However, when I personally oppose Illinois taxpayer dollars going to abortion services, including late-term, going to services for non-residents, and addressing urban issues at the expense of the rest of Illinois, I cannot abide this voluntary use of these dollars. Instead, I will be donating my legislative pay raise to area organizations that reflect Northwest Illinoisans' values.”
Still in his first-term, Chesney’s 89th District is located in the northwest corner of the state and includes all of Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties as well as parts of Ogle, Carroll, Winnebago and Whiteside counties.
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