Metro East Sun

State Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) isn't doing a good job in Springfield for his constituents, a St. Clair County-based business entrepreneur who wants to replace Belt said.

"Sen. Belt is a prime example why people want changes in Springfield," Wavey Lester II told the Metro East Sun. "People are sick and tired of politicians saying all the right things to get elected, but once in office, they do little to nothing for them. Being a senator is more than a position to hold and a paycheck … or two paychecks in Sen. Belt’s case.  I’d bet money very few people living in 57th outside of the Centreville area have ever seen Sen. Belt or know who he is." 

Belt, a lifelong Metro East resident and graduate of Lincoln Senior High School in East St. Louis, has represented the state Senate's 57th district since he was sworn in on Jan. 9, 2019, in place of long-time Sen. James Clayborne Jr., who did not seek re-election. Belt's term is up early next year.

"Voters can hold Sen. Belt accountable by not re-electing him to serve a second term," Lester said. "Even better, they can vote for me in 2022 to replace him in 2023!  In the meantime, they can pick up the phone and/or send him emails demanding action, representation and accountability until he leaves office."

The 57th District includes all or parts of Freeburg, Belleville, East St. Louis, O'Fallon, Madison, Fairview Heights, Shiloh and Scott Air Force Base.

Lester is a "serial entrepreneur, business and family man" and founder and CEO of Vision Ventures, a business marketing and consulting firm based in Millstadt, according to information on Vision Ventures and his LinkedIn online pages. Lester also is CEO and founding CVO of Vissance, a direct sales and product distribution business in Belleville.

Belt is a superintendent at the Commonfields of Cahokia Public Water and Sewage District, making $58,000 a year, but it's not at all clear what Belt does for the district, according to a Belleville News-Democrat news story published in March.

Commonfields is being sued over sewage and floodwater backups in Centerville.

Alorton Mayor Jo Ann Reed, who is also Commonfields' cashier, clerk and board secretary, told the Belleville News-Democrat that Belt is heavily involved in the public water and sewage district’s day-to-day operations.

"He comes to work often," Reed said in the Belleville News-Democrat article. "When he’s not in Springfield, he’s at work. He comes to work all the time. Chris is a good worker."

"That's more than his constituents get," Lester told the Metro East Sun.

"I live in Sen. Belt's district and I feel totally ignored by him," Lester said. "Since he has been Senator, I have not heard from him or received anything from him."

Lester said he hasn't received from Belt an email, postcard or an invite to any event but the senator did turn up for a tour of Althoff Catholic High School, where Lester's daughter is a student.

"He supports legislation that will hurt and negatively impact private and Catholic schools in Illinois," Lester said. "That is a perfect example of ignoring your constituents and representing their needs and desires, but it's getting closer to election time and photo opts are important."

Lester isn't the only one casting shade on Belt.  “Sen. Belt continues to demonstrate how out of touch he is with the people in his district and that he has no interest in hearing what they have to say," the Illinois Opportunity Project said in a press release issued last month.

Belt isn't doing the job he was elected to do, Lester said.

"When you become an elected official, your community is EVERYONE that lives in your respective district, whether they are Democrat, Republican, independent, male, female, black, white, etc." Lester said. "So, no, I don’t feel he represents the community he was elected to serve."