Mascoutah Attorney To Run For State Representative

Kevin Dawson

By Pamela Rensing
mascherald@heraldpubs.com

MASCOUTAH – Local attorney Kevin Dawson has announced his candidacy for Illinois House of Representatives District 114.
Dawson, 42, is the managing partner of Binsbacher, Dawson & Henke, LLC in Mascoutah. He has been licensed to practice law in Illinois and Missouri since 2005.

He was born and raised in Mascoutah. He and his wife Christina have two children, Ceretta and Dutch, who both attend Mascoutah schools.
He is a 1998 graduate of Mascoutah High School, a 2002 graduate of McKendree College, and a 2004 graduate from Southern Illinois University Law School in 2004.

From 2016 to present, Dawson has served on the St. Clair County Board for the District including Mascoutah and the surrounding area.
“I first ran for County Board to be a positive part of the governmental process and to be a voice for the people I represent,” Dawson said. “I want to continue in the Illinois’ primary legislative body, doing what I have done on the County Board: bringing a much-needed common sense conservative approach to legislation, helping people and solving problems, in an effort to bring about substantial change to the state of Illinois.

“I am running for State Representative because simply put, the current system is not working for us. Being a taxpayer and a small business owner, I know firsthand the difficulties that government imposes upon the citizens of Illinois,” Dawson stated.

“Government is not working for us fiscally. I believe perpetual increases in taxes is regressive and ultimately stifles personal and professional progress. We are seeing that now with the mass exodus of residents leaving the state of Illinois to escape these burdens. When people leave, the tax base suffers. When the tax base suffers, schools suffer. When schools suffer, crime increases, causing further reduction in the tax base as people move to find safer housing. It is a cycle that needs to be broken before it is too late.

“Government is not working for us as parents. The state of Illinois wants to erode traditional family values and co-parent our children, allowing minors to receive abortions without parental consent.

“Government is not working for our public safety. The latest crime reform bill in the state of Illinois takes the handcuffs off of the criminals and puts them on the police. We need more good public servants that will work to change the direction of this state. We can do better but, the time is now.”

According to Dawson, this is not a new issue, particularly in the 114th District. “The fact of the matter is that our current representative is being paid by our tax dollars and continuously we hear about constituents’ phone calls being ignored by her office(s).” The current State Representative is LaToya Greenwood of East St. Louis.

“I have spoken with neighboring representatives about this and their offices are trying to accommodate constituents in our District but they need help. They, just like we, need a representative in the 114th District that will address those concerns.

“A public servant needs to be accessible to the people they are elected to represent. The answer may not be the desired answer for the constituent or the answer may not be immediately available but, the representative cannot provide answers if they refuse to listen to the questions.”

The restructuring of the Legislative District map as well as other governmental factors has been an on-going, disruptive issue in southern Illinois.

“We are all accustomed to allegations of gerrymandering to benefit the party of majority. The unfortunate result of this particular year’s debacle over the Legislative District Map is that, due to other factors and all at the same time: maps were being redrawn and court challenges ensued, creating uncertainty for voters; the date of the Primary Election was pushed back to June 28th, creating confusion for voters; efforts were made to move or consolidate polling places all over Illinois, creating further confusion in the voting process. All of this political subterfuge further mystifies the electorate in this year’s election.”

Dawson has shown his caring and compassion for this area by volunteering at several charities and events, and becoming a member of local organizations. They include:
-Mascoutah Main Street
-Leu Civic Center
-Mascoutah Athletic Commission
-Mascoutah Chamber of Commerce
-Mascoutah Khoury League
-Former member of the Mascoutah Volunteer Fire Dept.
-Mascoutah Noon Lions
-Mascoutah Moose Lodge
-Mascoutah Improvement Association
-Team Mascoutah athletic organization
-Mascoutah Evening Lions
-Mascoutah School District’s parent/teacher task force
-Commissioner on Mascoutah Police Commission
-Mascoutah’s City Manager search committee
-Mascoutah Senior Center Meals on Wheels program

Dawson welcomes questions or thoughts on different issues. He can be contacted at (618) 401-4924. Make your voice heard on election day June 28th.