Springfield… “It’s disappointing that the Governor’s State of the State address was focused much more on the past than on plans for the future,” State Representative Kay Hatcher said today. Hatcher (R-Yorkville) said the address to a joint session of the General Assembly was long on what the governor considered past accomplishments, but short on details of his plans to solve our worsening financial crisis.

“The Governor devoted much of his address today to what he considers his accomplishments from the past year, and in good economic times, that might be just fine. But in my opinion, when you have an $11 billion deficit and $6 billion in unpaid bills, that is the state of the state, and that’s what we need to be focusing on,” Hatcher said.

Representative Hatcher noted that Governor Quinn did touch briefly on the need to work to create jobs. “While he offered no details, I was glad to hear the governor wants to focus on jobs. As a member of the bi-partisan job creation task force, that will be one of my primary goals this year,” Hatcher said.

She added, though, that Quinn also hinted that he will continue to push for tax increases. “On this issue, the governor and I strongly disagree. Families and businesses are struggling to hang on in these desperate economic times. Raising their taxes is the absolute worst thing we could do.”

Yorkville…Creating and protecting good jobs in our communities will be a key focus this spring for State Representative Kay Hatcher. Hatcher (R-Yorkville) has been tapped to serve on the newly created House Bipartisan Job Creation Task Force.

“There will be no real economic recovery without putting people back to work,” Hatcher said. “Unfortunately, Illinois has a reputation of being unfriendly to business, and we have suffered for it. Statewide, we lost 52,000 manufacturing jobs last year alone. We need to turn that around, and I know that working together with business leaders and workers from our local communities, we can do that.”

Hatcher said the task force will in the coming months hold hearings throughout the state, hearing concerns and ideas from business, labor, community leaders and others to put together a long-term strategy to create and protect good jobs and to rebuild our economy. Hatcher said she will push to host a local hearing here in the Fox Valley.

“According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, unemployment in Kendall and Kane Counties is topping 10% and in LaSalle County it’s more than 13%. Passage last year of our first statewide capital construction plan in more than a decade will help create new jobs, but it’s only a first step,” Hatcher said. “I talk with workers and business owners in our communities every day, and I know they have good ideas on how we can help our local businesses grow and how we can attract new and better jobs to Illinois. This new task force will help us put those good ideas to work.

Yorkville…State Representative Kay Hatcher this week helped introduce new legislation that would help restore crucial dollars for Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for students without raising taxes. Hatcher’s legislation, House Bill 4622, instead offers a tax amnesty period for those delinquent in state income or sales taxes to “pay up” without having to pay a penalty.

“History shows that tax amnesty works. The last time it was offered by the state in 2003, almost 280 million dollars in delinquent tax bills were settled,” said Rep. Hatcher (R-Yorkville). “Nearly 140,000 college students here in the Fox Valley and across the state get financial help through the MAP grant program. This is a funding option we need to explore for them.”

According to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) the amnesty program Representative Hatcher and several of her House Republican colleagues are proposing for individuals and corporations that didn’t pay their taxes on time between June 20, 2002 and January 15, 2010 could bring in up to $104.9 million in revenue owed. All of the tax amnesty proceeds would be deposited into the Monetary Award Program fund. Continue reading »

Yorkville…State Representative Kay Hatcher today is calling for a full investigation by the Illinois Attorney General into questionable and potentially illegal practices by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

“I believe we were all shocked and appalled by the undercover video showing ACORN representatives on several different occasions allegedly counseling individuals about how to run an underage prostitution ring,” Hatcher said. “This is an organization that has received taxpayer funding. Any allegation that that funding is being misused in any way either at the state or federal level needs to be instantly and thoroughly investigated.”

In an open letter to Governor Quinn, Rep. Hatcher and several of her House Republican colleagues state: “If such alleged acts have been perpetrated, then families across Illinois have been defrauded of much needed state resources and services in today’s troubled economy. We cannot, and will not, condone such egregious behaviors in our state.

We urge all state resources and contracts with ACORN be immediately suspended until a thorough investigation and its finding by the Illinois Attorney General is reported to the General Assembly.” Continue reading »

Prohibits the Election of Candidates with Felony Criminal Convictions

Springfield…A new law spearheaded by State Representative Kay Hatcher will bar residents with felony convictions from seeking election to local park district boards. Hatcher (R-Yorkville) guided the new standards through the General Assembly this spring. They were recently signed into law by Governor Quinn.

“Illinois law already prohibited anyone with a felony conviction from running for a local municipal office, but for some reason, park district commissioners were overlooked,” Hatcher said. “Tens of thousands of children visit our parks each year and park district commissioners have access to those children. Now, the commissioners will be subject to the same criminal background restrictions placed on everyone else who holds a local public office.”

The new law (PA 96-0458) bars anyone convicted of a felony crime in the United States from serving as a park district commissioner in Illinois. Representative Hatcher said the change was suggested by the Illinois Park District Association. The legislation also bars anyone owing taxes or any other debt to the park district from serving as a park district commissioner. Continue reading »

Yorkville… State Representative Kay Hatcher says “Everyone is invited!” to an open house at her district office in Yorkville on Friday, September 18th. Rep. Hatcher is partnering with the Illinois Farm Bureau on the event, which will feature food, fun and conversation. Representatives of the Illinois Department of Transportation will be on hand with the latest transportation improvement maps, and the Illinois Library Association will help Representative Hatcher recognize young members of her “Foxy Readers” Summer Reading Club.

“I am honored that the Illinois Farm Bureau is partnering with me on my first District Office Open House to underscore the importance of our agricultural heritage here in the Fox Valley. Please mark your calendar and come join us for food and conversation, and to help me honor our local young readers who met the challenge to keep reading over their summer vacation,” Rep. Hatcher said.

Representative Hatcher’s Open House will run from 3:30 to 6:30pm on Friday, September 18th at her district office in Yorkville, located at 608 E. Veterans Parkway (behind the Blackstone Restaurant). Continue reading »

Safeguard Suggested by Local Commuter

Yorkville…A new law sponsored by State Representative Kay Hatcher will help ensure passenger safety on commuter trains. Hatcher’s legislation signed by the governor requires METRA to develop written protocols to deal with medical emergencies on their trains.

“Thousands of commuters ride these trains every day. With that many people, it’s inevitable that an emergency will arise; someone will become ill or need some type of help and METRA crews need to know exactly what to do – quickly,” Hatcher said.

Hatcher noted that while Metra does have an emergency plan, there are no procedures in writing for employees to follow. House Bill 2296 requires that the Metra Board develop written protocols to respond to medical and sanitation emergencies and other safety hazards. The measure was suggested by a Metra commuter in Representative Hatcher’s district. Continue reading »

State Representative Kay Hatcher has announced the opening of a second convenient office for 50th District residents.

The office will open Wednesday, August 5, in the Batavia City Hall at 100 North Island Avenue. District Director Tracy McDonnell will be available each Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. to aid constituents and coordinate one-on-one meetings with Hatcher.

“I’m pleased we are able to increase our District accessibility,” noted Hatcher. “The Fox Valley is a diverse region, and we’re constantly searching for new ways to connect with our residents. An important part of that initiative is to offer extended evening hours to make access easier for those with traditional work schedules.”

The 50th District includes twenty-one townships, fifteen villages and five cities. The Kane County portion includes Sugar Grove, Big Rock, Blackberry, Kaneville, Virgil and Campton townships, plus parts of Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery. The District serves almost all of Kendall County, excluding the northeastern portion of Oswego. Northville, Mission and Miller townships in LaSalle County are also part of the 50th District.

For more information or to schedule appointments residents are encouraged to call 630-553-3223.

Yorkville… State Representative Kay Hatcher is teaming up with the Kane County Department of Employment and Education (KCDEE) to get teens and young adults in Kendall County signed-up to take advantage of summer job opportunities in our area. Hatcher (R-Yorkville) is hosting an open house on Monday, June 29th to allow local youth to meet with a KCDEE representative and fill out applications for a variety of summer jobs.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for young people in Kendall County to get connected with a good summer job that will not only provide a pay check, but will also provide them work skills and valuable experience that will help them in school and in their future work endeavors,” Hatcher said.

The summer jobs open house will run from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on June 29th at Representative Hatcher’s district office, 608 E. Veterans Parkway in Yorkville.

The Kane County Department of Employment and Education has received federal stimulus dollars to implement a Summer Youth Employment Program within the communities that they serve – Kane, Kendall and DeKalb Counties. Hatcher said while the Department has received many applications from Kane and DeKalb Counties, few Kendall County youth have applied. Continue reading »

Yorkville… Chairwoman Jeanne Harms, Nancy Aschauer, Connie Emery, Paula Mueller and Lyle Rolf of State Representative Kay Hatcher’s Scholarship Committee are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s General Assembly Scholarship. Eight students from throughout the 50th district were chosen to receive a full-year’s tuition waiver for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Selections were based on a detailed set of criteria which included academic achievement, community involvement and financial need. “The quality of the applicants was amazing; the recipients are arguably some of the brightest and most brilliant individuals in the district,” Harms said.

The 2009 General Assembly Scholarship recipients are as follows: Continue reading »