LETTER: A call for votes for Walker

Letter to the Editor
Suburban Journal
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Equal Pay Act, which requires women and men be paid the same for the same work, is the law in Illinois. However, it was not supported by our State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld. Only six of the 59 state senators in Illinois voted either present, against or refused to vote. Senator Luechtefeld was one of those six because he just refused to vote. The other 53 state senators, from both parties, voted for the bill including our State Rep. Dan Reitz.

Sen. Luechtefeld failed to vote on two other important bills; this year's nursing home reform bill that was supported by AARP, the attorney general and others to help make nursing homes safer (only 13 of 59 senators failed to vote for it); and Dan Reitz's electric rate relief bill which passed in 2007 in response to Ameren's sky-rocketing electric rates that had really hurt people and businesses across Southern Illinois.

I find the fact that he didn't cast a vote especially alarming. If taxpayers are paying the salary and benefits of our elected officials, don't we deserve to have our officials cast important votes when they should, even if we might not agree with their votes?

The state Senate could use a new direction. I know Jeremy Walker, a young area lawyer, family man and first-time candidate for state Senate, would best provide that new direction and cast important votes when essential.

Melissa Evans, Columbia