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Name: Kyle Killacky
Age: 23
Political party: Democratic
Town where you currently reside: Homer Glen
Marital status: Not Married
Significant other: none
Children: none
Office sought: Will County Board, District 7
Occupation (employer): Student
Education: Lockport High School, currently at Joliet Junior College
Elected offices held: none
Website: none
Facebook: Facebook.com/KyleKillackyCountyBoard
Twitter: @KyleKillacky
Email: KyleKillacky@yahoo.com
Phone (for possible constituents to call): 708-263-8955
1) Why are you running for the elected office you’re seeking?
I am running because I believe I can make a difference. Right now, our politics are so divisive and ugly. It is turning off the voters. Both sides demonize the other, and that is not how any government should work. Yes, we have many different views, but I am sure we can find common ground. In the words of Maya Angelou, "We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike." I want a Will County the works for everyone, no matter what party you are in, no matter what religion, race, gender or who you love. We could build that together. A county board member should represent everyone. That's the kind of county board member I'll be, and that is why I am running
2) What skills, qualities or experience do you have that separate you from your opponents?
I think I would bring a more youthful, modern take on how the county works. I think I can bring fresh, new and exciting ideas to the county. I think having people that bring fresh ideas to the table is very vital in leading the county into the future. If we keep electing the same people with the same ideas, then the county isn't moving forward.
3) What are the greatest challenges facing Will County and your specific district in the coming years?
First, property taxes are indeed high in my district. Homer Glen has some of the highest property taxes in the area. We need to make sure that we cut all the useless fat in local government. Second, Will County is growing; it is one of the fastest growing counties in the state and the country. With that, we need to focus on an infrastructure that could handle that uptick in the population.
Lastly, the greatest challenge that is facing Will County and my district is the heroin epidemic. Currently, 59 Will County residents have died of an overdose, seven of those deaths were in towns my district covers. The death toll is expected to climb as the year progresses. In 2017, we lost 85 people, which made it the deadliest year in Will County. This is an issue every leader in our community should be talking about, and it should be considered the greatest challenge facing our community today.
4) If elected, what will be your top three priorities?
1. Jobs - Like I said earlier, Will County is growing, and with that growth we need jobs. People think that putting up warehouses is the solution; it is not. Warehouses are, in my view, a band-aid and are not a long-term solution. They are fine now, but they will not last. Automation is sadly the future, and we need to prepare for that future. Plus, from what I heard from people who have worked in those warehouses, they do not have great working conditions. We need jobs that treat workers like human beings and that pay their workers a living wage. On the board, I will work to get those jobs into the county.
2. To get well-paying jobs in Will County, we must continue to invest in our infrastructure. The county is doing a good job, but we need and I will do more to fix our crumbling roads.
3. The biggest priority I have on my list is battling the heroin epidemic. It seems it is getting worse, and our county needs to do more. County officials must invest more in our county health department. Right now, our health department is underfunded, and, at a time when we have a health epidemic raging in the county, our health department should not be underfunded. It was insane to think that in 2016 there were people on the board that wanted to defund the health department. We also need to make sure the sheriff's office has enough resources to continue its hard-fought battle in lowering the death toll. The sheriff's office has been successful, but it needs more help from the board. These things are vital in combating this disease. As I said, this is the most important issue facing the county.