you should control the destiny of your own property

Property rights are the foundation of what it means to be an American. Residents in McLean County can spend their entire lives striving toward the American dream of buying and owning their own home, just to find out that a slew of county regulations prevent them from doing as they wish on their own property.

For example, most people are unaware that it's actually illegal in McLean County to have an inoperable vehicle or car parts on your property (§ 350-22 in McLean County Code) - meaning car enthusiasts can be in violation of the law for simply working on a vehicle on their own property.

Such laws in the McLean County code are known as "nuisance" ordinances. It is my belief that the only person who should determine what a "nuisance" is on a person's property is the owner of that property. The government - McLean County or otherwise - should not have the power to determine what individuals can and cannot do on their own personal property, as long as those actions do not harm someone else or their property.

End county zoning regulations in unincorporated areas

In McLean County, the county is responsible for zoning any areas not incorporated by a local municipality. I would like to bring an end to the endless control of local government, and open up property to all types of buyers - whether residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural - to the unincorporated areas of our county. The purpose of a property should not be determined by the local government. It should be determined by the buy of that property and the local real estate market.

Zoning laws discourage business expansion and growth in the local economy. Furthermore, zoning laws have been used historically to discriminate against people based on race and socioeconomic status.

It's time for McLean County to become a leader in eliminating zoning laws. While it will take the help of other elected officials to accomplish, I can promise that at the very least, I will work with the elected Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and independents to limit the effect that zoning laws have on the growth of the local economy.