Peru's Jason Haskell announces bid for 76th District state rep seat

A Peru Republican is entering the 76th District primary for a chance to compete for the seat held by state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, in the 2020 election.

Jason Haskell, a Peru resident who works as a project manager for a construction company, plans to vie for the Republican nomination against Travis Breeden, R-Utica, who announced his plans in August to run.

Illinois is sinking in pension debt, Haskell said in a news release, and he said taxpayers are on the hook. He supports moving newly-hired state workers to a defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k)/403(b), saying it will put a cap on unfunded pension liabilities.

Haskell also believes the state needs to freeze public-sector hiring until the state workforce shrinks by 11.5%.

"Shrinking the payroll by 11.5% saves taxpayers at least $839 million in payroll cost, allowing Illinois to start working down the size of the unfunded pension liability," Haskell said in a news release.

Haskell also said he wants to repeal the income tax increase that went into effect on July 1, 2017, enact term limits, eliminate pensions for elected officials and balance the budget.

"We need to balance the budget. Our elected officials need to get back to the basics of economics," Haskell said in a news release. "For too long, Springfield has passed budgets that, at the end of the year, do not balance out. When that happens we are left either not paying our bills, borrowing more money; increasing our states liabilities, or forced to raise taxes."

Haskell first entered the political scene in 2017, when he intended a 16th Congressional District run against Congressman Adam Kinzinger. However, Haskell later decided not to enter the race.

In December 2017, Haskell told The Times he had collected enough signatures for his election petition but decided against throwing his hat into the ring to instead focus on his family, because he had a third child on the way. He also said he didn't want to further divide the anti-Kinzinger vote.

"I had learned a lot from my experience campaigning for federal office, and best of all, I was able to meet so many amazing people along the way," Haskell said in a news release. "Now, two years later, I am ready to take my fight to Springfield."

For more information, visit votejasonhaskell.com. For general inquiries, email info@votejasonhaskell.com.