GLEN CARBON - When Glen Carbon’s Dwight Kay saw Democratic 15-year incumbent State Rep. Jay Hoffman’s name come up on a list of the top six major Blagojevich fundraisers during Tony Rezko’s federal trial earlier this year, it confirmed what Kay and others in the district had been discussing for months — 2008 is the year Hoffman may be vulnerable.

Since first elected in 1992, Hoffman has abandoned his blue collar, conservative-leaning constituency and has morphed into a Blagojevich Chicago-lite liberal. Blagojevich and Hoffman’s close friendship go back to the early 90s, when the two freshman House members from opposite ends of the state were room- and office-mates in Springfield. Through the years, Hoffman has raised almost $800,000 for the governor.

Now Hoffman is the governor’s point man in the Illinois House, and often conveys the governor’s viewpoint in legislative floor debate. He wedges solidly between Blagojevich’s arch enemy House Speaker Mike Madigan and a governor with historically-low approval ratings. Many wonder just how proned Madigan would be to sending in forces to help a weakened Hoffman.

Fresh off two victorious southern Illinois regional campaigns serving as finance committee chairman for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier in 2004 and volunteering for Circuit Court Judge Steve McGlynn in 2006, Hoffman’s Republican challenger Dwight Kay, 61, knows how to win political campaigns.

“We were excited to have a part in starting reform in the state’s judicial branch,” Kay said. “With Hoffman’s connections to the governor and questions of ethics surrounding the incumbent, it was clear he had to be challenged in the 112th District.”

Kay began talking to the people of the district, and their responses encouraged him even more to take a run at Hoffman’s seat.

“Government in Illinois is broken, it doesn’t work anymore,” Kay said. “The folks in the district tell me government used to be good, then it became bad, and now there’s no government at all. That just shows you the lack of hope people in the 112th District have right now. They’re ready for something different.”

Not only have voters in the Metro-East district lost hope, they’ve focused blame on Governor Blagojevich.

A recent poll by Ask Illinois indicated 65% in the 112th District wants the Illinois House form a committee to investigate impeachment proceedings against Governor Blagojevich. An overwhelming 56% polled said they want Blagojevich out of office.

Pretty stunning poll numbers from a district who is represented by the Governor’s best friend, Kay said.

“After walking door-to-door throughout the 112th district, it’s no surprise to hear how unhappy
people are with this Governor,” said Kay. “I hear it every day. The leadership in Springfield–including the Governor– has broken our trust. The corrupt leadership has led to high property
taxes; high utility bills, massive state pension debt, and is ultimately the sole reason why a
capital bill will not pass in the legislature, simply because nobody trusts Governor Blagojevich
except my opponent.”

Hoffman’s years as a politician and his part-time affiliation with one of Madison County’s most lucrative trial attorney firms has taken him out of the circles of his Metro-East voters, attached him to Chicago politicians and provided a stark contrast to Kay’s local, private sector work experience.

Over the past 35 years, Kay’s worked his way up from loading dockman to senior vice-president of Cassens Trucking, one of Glen Carbon’s larger area employers. Kay says Blagojevich’s economic policies have made it harder and harder to keep small businesses in the state. Trucking fees and fuel taxes have made it tougher for area employers like Cassens Trucking to make ends meet.

“The Democrats’ policies are driving trucking businesses to bordering states and out of Illinois,” Kay said. “When businesses move, we lose jobs and the state loses revenue. The answer is not to raise taxes on the businesses that stay here. We need to be able to re-invest in new equipment. We need the funds collected to go where they’re supposed to go. Good roads make our business more profitable.”

But it all comes back to the basic question of ethics, Kay said.

“When questions arise about whether a business has to pay-to-play, it affects getting reputable new businesses to come to the state,” Kay said. “No one can trust the governor now, and when Jay Hoffman is listed as one of the Governor’s kitchen cabinet, it’s not a good thing.”

Last week, Kay became the first GOP candidate to call for impeachment proceedings to begin in the Illinois House by launching Impeachthegov.com, a petition website calling for a bi-partisan commission to look into allegations and whether they would constitute the serious nature that could lead to the governor’s impeachment.

Calling for the investigation is not making a judgement, Kay said, it is to find the truth about what’s been going on in the Blagojevich administration. Unasked and unanswered questions about the governor and Hoffman’s dealings could be costing Illinoisans billions each year.

“A corruption tax costs everyone,” he said.

So what exactly would Kay do to change the budget situation?

“We’d need to investigate the current system of doling out state contracts, ask ourselves why we’re in debt as a state,” Kay said. “ We’d check for redundancies and reset priorities. That’s what we do in the private sector when financial difficulties come up.”

Kay says he will continue knocking on doors until November 4, with hopes of visiting a majority of the district’s voters.

“So many of the people in the 112th District are suffering with gas prices as they are. One woman fears she’ll lose her job soon because she can only afford to drive to work four days a week.

“When she said that, it really hit home how much people are suffering now, waiting for gas prices to go back down. They need relief now, for them it’s crucial,” Kay said.

The 112th, which includes Collinsville and Glen Carbon, has been open to visits from their legislative candidate for the most part. Most tell Kay they’ve never met anyone who represents them at the state or national Capitol. When they ask him his opinion on issues faces voters, he responds with conservative positions on both social and fiscal topics. He’s been endorsed by the United Republican Fund as one of their eight candidates in the 2008 election.

“Dwight Kay’s race will be a surprise to everyone,” URF President Steve Rauschenberger said. “When you have an incumbent seen as a home district traitor like Jay Hoffman is, it doesn’t matter how long he’s been in the State House, he’s in trouble. Match that with a well-qualified, inspiring reform candidate like Dwight Kay, and you’ve got the potential for an exciting campaign in the fall. The URF sees Kay as a serious potential pickup for the Republicans this year.”

Kay, married, with a college age daughter and son, says the enthusiasm behind his campaign has energized him through the hot summer months of walking and meeting voters.

“I’m in this to give back to my community,” Kay said. “But not only that, I’m in it for people like those I talk to in the 112th District to take back their government and make it good again. This is the year we can begin to turn things around.”

As we approach the Independence Day holiday weekend, we are reminded of the rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence granted to all Americans: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  But let us not forget Thomas Jefferson’s next two thoughts, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.”

These phrases came to my mind as I was reading about the latest grudge match perpetrated by Governor Blagojevich.  He’s taking the General Assembly to the brink of governmental shutdown with new special sessions on a state budget that is not balanced.  Never mind that he has the power to make the cuts himself.

Meanwhile, our pension system is woefully underfunded, legislators can’t find money to live up to our basic needs for building roads and schools, and all of this occurs in the wake of a federal investigation that has already jailed some of our Governor’s closest advisors.

How did our state government end up at the brink of disaster?  And isn’t it the “Right of the People” to alter or abolish the corruption within it?

It’s time for the people of Illinois to declare independence from Governor Rod Blagojevich and the mess he’s created in our state.  The people deserve better than his tax increase proposals, the pay-to-play corruption of his administration, and his poorly-executed programs we can’t afford.

Jefferson wrote, “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government.”

I declare independence from Rod Blagojevich.  I challenge Jay Hoffman to do the same.

Sincerely,

Dwight Kay
Candidate for State Representative - 112^th District

Today, I would like to join the bipartisan call for the start of formal impeachment investigations on Governor Blagojevich in the Illinois House of Representatives.

While we should not prejudge the Governor, the facts are clear that the unethical - possibly criminal - activity that has transpired in Springfield and Chicago in the past five years continues to fleece taxpayers and paralyze state government.

It is obvious that Governor Blagojevich is the key obstacle causing this state governmental gridlock, and state representative Jay Hoffman is continuing to enable the Governor and his dysfunctional administration.

The voters of the 112th District deserve to know, before November, the full extent of the Representative Jay Hoffman’s fundraising activities and governmental advocacy on behalf of Governor Blagojevich and his administration.

Ali Ata’s account, under oath, in the federal corruption trial of Blagojevich associate Tony Rezko was clear about connection between Blagojevich, Hoffman and corruption in Illinois government. As the Chicago Tribune detailed Hoffman’s involvement in the testimony, Hoffman is part of Governor Blagojevich’s “kitchen cabinet brain trust.” According to US Department of Justice evidence, Hoffman is also one of five key campaign fundraising “bundlers” for Blagojevich.

It’s time for Governor Blagojevich and his floor leader, advisor, and best friend Jay Hoffman to come clean on these issues prior to the November election and an investigation by the Illinois House will uniquely serve that purpose.

Let’s be clear: Any and all governmental leaders who engaged in criminal activities will - and should - be prosecuted under the full extent of the law in federal court. However, the voters deserve an investigation into the actions of Governor Blagojevich and all of his advocates and leaders as it applies to the administration of this state. The important work of the state cannot move forward until these issues are resolved.

May 30, 2008…State Representative candidate Dwight Kay is calling on his opponent to reimburse the state for expenses incurred for the printing and mailing of his recent campaign advertisement.

This week, voters in the 112th District are receiving in their mailboxes a campaign brochure sent out by Jay Hoffman at taxpayers’ expense.  The brochure tout’s local transportation projects that were funded by the state’s taxpayers. The brochure was mailed out to more than 35,000 residents and cost taxpayers an estimated $14,000.

“When families are sacrificing to pay for gas and food, shouldn’t Mr. Hoffman be concerned about frivolously spending taxpayer dollars?” said Kay.  “The state can’t afford this kind of wasteful spending.  At a time when the state can’t afford to get promised monies to local school districts, or pay healthcare providers in a timely manner, why is political self-promotion a priority?  Why couldn’t this $14,000 been saved to fund the teachers’ pensions, or just gone to pay down some of the state’s debt?”

Kay says “end of session” mailers are unfortunately typical of the legislature in Springfield.  Kay suggests that brochures touting elected officials’ legislative records should be paid for by the campaigns, and not the taxpayers.

“This is exactly the kind of issue that should be addressed in the type of far-reaching ethics reform legislation that should be considered in Springfield,” said Kay.

Kay said that his opponent should have exercised better judgment about how to pay for this type of mailing, especially since Hoffman has used his connections to Governor Blagojevich to amass a campaign warchest of more than $1 million for this November’s election.

“The state is broke, I urge Jay Hoffman to pay for his own political advertising, not make the taxpayers foot the bill.  Jay should reimburse the state for all expenses incurred.  Taxpayers have paid more than enough for the wasteful government spending in Springfield.”

Last week the Illinois House approved over two dozen budget bills spending more than $50 billion in taxpayer dollars.  The $50 billion dollar spending spree was crafted behind closed doors by Democratic leadership in Springfield.  The massive spending of taxpayer dollars was made public just a few hours, and in some instances just minutes before the massive spending was approved.

Illinois budget expert and former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger thinks the recent budget approach is bad public policy which is why he joined Republican candidate for State Representative Dwight Kay in calling for more sunshine on the state budget process.

Kay and Rauschenberger are supporting a legislative initiative that would require a 3 day review period before the General Assembly can vote on the state budget.  The legislation would also require that all appropriation bills be posted on the Illinois General Assembly website 3 days prior to a vote.

“These backroom deals have accomplished nothing more than wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars,” said Kay.  “Illinois’ debt is over $106 billion and counting.  The state is broke, yet politicians in Springfield continue to spend money the state doesn’t have.  The legislature makes a decision to pass a multi-billion dollar budget quicker then most citizens decide which car to buy.”

According to Rauschenberger, the change would allow greater scrutiny of the budget by the public and media, but also lawmakers themselves.

“What you saw happen last Thursday was Republican lawmakers being presented with thousands of pages of spending bills moments before the vote,” said former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger.  “There is no time to even add up the total cost of the Democrat proposals, let alone see if there is wasteful or duplicative spending.  Quite simply, the system is broken.”

According to Dwight Kay, the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.  “In the business world a budget would not be approved without careful consideration and reviewing the facts at hand.  Allowing the public to give input on how their tax dollars are spent would deter wasteful spending by Springfield politicians.  We need to shed some light on the budget process.”

Rauschenberger said the need for such legislation has never been greater, citing last year’s unbalanced budget that is projected to be over $2 billion out-of-balance and the recently passed House Democrat budget that is estimated at $3 billion out-of-balance.

“Greater transparency will yield greater results for the taxpayers of Illinois. All we are asking for is legislators to take their time and do the job right and allow for public input,” said Rauschenberger.

May 20, 2008…The Illinois House voted against legislation to immediately suspend the Illinois gas tax. With gas prices rising and expected to be near $5 per gallon this summer, Republican legislative candidate Dwight Kay is disappointed the leadership in Springfield voted against gas tax relief. According to Kay, suspending the sales tax on gasoline purchases would provide immediate relief to consumers by reducing the cost per gallon.

“The rising cost of gasoline affects us all,” said Dwight Kay, candidate for State Representative for the 112th District. “The rising cost of gas has forced people to choose between filling up their car and stocking their fridge. The cost of gas is also forcing people to modify their vacation plans. Saving a family $20 to $35 dollars per month makes a big difference in their budget. Illinois families need gas tax relief and they need it now,” said Kay.

Kay supports a House Republican initiative (House Bill 6318) that would suspend the state portion of the gas sales tax immediately through September 15th.

On April 9th, House Republicans attempted to call the initiative for a vote, but Democrats used a parliamentary procedure to block the vote. Again, on May 20th, the Democrat controlled house voted against HB 6318 from being heard on the House floor. Representative Jay Hoffman voted with the Democrat majority on both dates to block the vote to reduce the sales tax on gasoline.