State Representative Chad Hays says the hair still stands on the back of his neck each time he enters the beautiful Illinois State Capitol. But he realized it was time to spend more time with his family. On WDAN Radio’s Newmakers program Wednesday morning Hays discussed what was behind his recent announcement that he will not seek re-election. ‘’Over the last couple of years – you know – I’m simply not wired for nothing to happen. And it’s really an odd dynamic. For most who are able to be elected, who are able to be one of the 177 members of the Illinois General Assembly you generally get there a lot of different pathways – but generally you’re a doer,’’ said Hays. ‘’And that’s how people come to trust that you’re going to get the job done – it’s because you have a portfolio of being active and being somebody who gets the job done. When you get there…and literally, nothing happens for 30 months…that grates on anybody who fancies himself a high performer.’’
Hays added it has been a privilege serving in the Illinois General Assembly. ‘’But you miss a lot of family time. You miss a lot of events with your kids. Your wife – for months on-end, becomes kind of a single, you know, is home a lot. So, those kinds of things, and certainly I’m not waiting for the first tear to be shed over a legislature that has been largely dysfunctional. But, you know, the truth is not everybody involved is independently wealthy. So when a dynamic happens that you’re not paid for ten months, those kinds of things are very real as well,’’ added Hays.
And the Catlin Republican says he very much looks forward ‘’to working with really wonderful people here in my home area’’ to do a lot of the things that have defined his adult life. But first he plans to finish out his current term in Springfield. Hays is a former Catlin Mayor who helped lead the effort when a new sports complex was built in the community.
{***Note: You can listen to the entire Newsmakers interview with Representative Hays by going to the homepage of VermilionCountyFirst.com and going to the podcast section.]
(This story posted on VermilionCountyFirfst.com by Bill Pickett on July 12, 2017.)
