MADISON/ST. CLAIR COUNTIES – Republican Jay Keeven was joined by his family, supporters, and local elected officials on Monday morning to announce his campaign for the 112th House District.
In his announcement, Keeven said, “I’ve watched what happens in Springfield and I know we need better representation at the Capitol, we simply must do better. The concerns of my neighbors and our citizens here in Madison and St. Clair Counties will be the focus of my campaign. We need an accountable government, we need safe communities, and most of all we need to lower the cost of living.”
Keeven began his career in law enforcement. He served 27 years as an Illinois State Trooper and over eight years as the Chief of Police in Edwardsville. He currently serves as the city administrator for Troy.
Keeven spoke about how his experience as a law enforcement officer and in local government will guide his work in the legislature, “As the city administrator of Troy and police chief in Edwardsville, I saw what good and accountable government looks like. Taxpayers and citizens get better results from their government when they can knock on the mayor’s door or speak to their local officials at the grocery store. There is true accountability at the local level. That’s the kind of accountability we need in Springfield.”
“As a lifetime law enforcement officer, I know safe communities are the result of a high level of trust and accountability between the public and law enforcement. The anti-police and pro-crime agenda in Springfield is eroding that trust and letting criminals off the hook. Police officers call this new system, under the so-called SAFE-T Act, “catch and release” and I can tell you it is disheartening when those who commit crimes are back on the street before arrest paperwork is completed by the police officer. That makes families throughout the state less safe.”
He also highlighted that high taxes and the cost of living are particularly on voters’ minds this time of year, “Ironically, today is Tax Day. Illinoisans know that the cost of living is out of control and it’s even higher in Illinois due to our high taxes. We must focus on fiscal responsibility. Anyone running a household knows you cannot spend more than you earn for very long before you will go bankrupt. However, our state officials have not yet learned that lesson. Instead, they propose tax hikes to bail out their overspending. We have to get our deficit under control, without balancing the budget on the backs of the Illinois families. If elected, I will work with anyone willing to work with me to balance our budgets, lower our deficit and bring down the cost of living for families in Illinois.”
Keeven explained why the communities of the Metro East are so special to him, “I have called the Metro-East home my entire life. My wife Shelly and I raised our family in Highland and Edwardsville. We raised them on the values of community, service, and giving back. And, we are now blessed to have 2 beautiful grandchildren close by in Highland and Breese. When I see what I pay in taxes to the State of Illinois and what we as taxpayers receive in return, I’m concerned, not just for me but for my children and grandchildren – and you should be too. I’m here to do something about it.”
The 112th District includes portions of Madison and St. Clair counties.
