Orland Fire District Board President Announces Run for 11th Congressional District

James Hickey, board president of the , has officially announced his candidacy for the 11th Congressional District, accompanied by a list of “common sense” ideas for strengthening the economy.

In next spring’s primary election, Hickey will challenge Bill Foster, a Democrat who currently represents the 14th Congressional District, as well as a . The newly redrawn 11th Congressional District extends as far north as Aurora and south to Joliet, including all but a tiny portion of Woodridge.

All of the village except for the Internationale Estates subdivision is located in the 11th Congressional District. Internationale Estates is located in the 3rd Congressional District.

In a written announcement, Hickey said Chicago’s western suburbs “deserve a more imaginative and aggressive representative in Congress.”

"We don't need another career politician in Washington, D.C., who tells us what we want to hear," he continued. "We need someone who is willing to bring real change not to our community but in terms of how we are represented. My commitment is to bring new ideas to help bring change that will strengthen our economy, support our seniors and youth, bring tax relief, provide more jobs and support education."

Foremost, Hickey said he wants to eliminate interest on student loans and established free wireless Internet access across the country.

According to his website, he would ask Congress to suspend bank/home foreclosures, cap interest rate charges on credit cards, lock petroleum rates like electricity and natural gas, and provide more housing for homeless people by converting old warehouses. Additionally, he wants to lower the corporate income tax by half, give tax breaks to corporations who hire new workers, and suspend taxes for corporations that open within food deserts.

Also in the written announcement, Hickey criticized President Barack Obama for not going far enough in his recent jobs plan, Congressman Joe Walsh for his “extremist” politics, and Gov. Pat Quinn for letting Chicago politics narrow his focus.

"Why should this state always be driven by the needs and interests of the City of Chicago, Chicago's poor management of its resources and services, Chicago's wasteful spending and bloated budgets, and Chicago's corruption? The priority needs to come back to the taxpayers in the suburban communities who are often ignored," he said.

His seat on the Orland Fire board does not end until 2015, but the next congressional election is fall 2012.

The candidate held a fundraiser at , the results of which had not been posted on either the Illinois State Board of Elections or Federal Election Commission website as of Wednesday.

Formerly in the mortgage and real estate business, Hickey is currently the director of business development for Peace Village, a retirement community in Palos Park.

As Orland Fire Protection District board president, Hickey has cut and consolidated fire district staff, , and asked three of the district’s fire commissioners to resign, .