Metro East Sun

Michael Babcock is back.

The insurance firm owner wants to unseat Rep. Daniel Beiser (D-Alton), whom he lost to in the last election in their race for the 111th District.

Promising to reduce taxes, provide proper school funding and create economic growth for my jobs, the Republican Babcock told the Metro East Sun his goal is to give back to taxpayers what he believes the government has unlawfully stolen.

“We are constantly raising people's tax rate to make up for the lack of economic growth that always brings in more taxes,” Babcock said, pointing that Illinois has the highest property tax rates in the nation. “We are moving to some of the highest retail tax rates. We must fight against those who constantly want to raise our rates rather than grow our work force, thereby increasing our jobs.”

Babcock says school funding in Illinois has been flawed for years.

“For far too long we have taken from our schools the funding they need to educate our children," he said. "We have not funded them properly, and then we hold our children hostage. This is wrong, and it needs to be corrected.”

But Babcock says his biggest focus will be on employment.

“My number one priority would be to bring back jobs, jobs and more jobs," he said. "For the last 30 years, we have seen the Alton-Wood River-Granite City area lose over 25,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs. Some say that technology has replaced those jobs, and in some ways, they are correct; however, I would tell you it is the lack of innovation from our politicians that has stifled the growth of the jobs market in our area."

Babcock says he would argue that Illinois has the best jobs infrastructure in the nation.

“We have the highway, railway, waterway and the airway," he said. "We are in the middle of the country, and there is business all around us, but we are not creating high-paying jobs. We might ask ourselves why we are not creating jobs, and my opinion is because of the lack of good, honest government.”

Babcock said if elected, he will keep his his promises.

“I have come to realize that politicians can influence the direction of the future of this nation or small local communities in a positive way," he said. "It takes a strong leader to move the direction of your local government in a way that produces lower taxes there by allowing the people to spend their money in the way that best suits their family."