About the Candidate
Name: Jason Decker
DOB: Jan. 31, 1981
Occupation: Self-employed handyman
Political Experience: None
Candidate Statement
My name is Jason Decker, candidate for Cook County Board for the 5th District which runs from Roseland to Ford Heights.
I'm a very blessed father and a lucky husband and my family are my biggest supporters. I'm a self-employed handyman and a community activist, so I've worked in and around thousands of homes and businesses in the Southland over the years, meeting many of my neighbors, making new friends and building relationships I know will last a lifetime.
Many don't realize it, but in all of Cook County, the 5th District is by far the most neglected and ignored. For proof of that, recently there was a study done regarding poverty, crime, unemployment, the number of resources a community has, and the cost of property taxes. With these criteria, they came up with a list of 25 of the worst places to live in Illinois, and not surprisingly nine of them are within the 5th District of Cook County. We are over taxed and we are underserved and while some of these issues may be local or on a state level, we definitely need a Cook County commissioner that will work for the people and their best interests. Now is not the time for political games and tactics, and it's definitely not the time for any more neglect.
In 2020, I started the Public Safety Initiative, which to date, has boarded up over 330 abandoned properties in the Southland that were left wide open, creating a very serious public safety hazard, and I also installed over 300 video doorbells, security cameras and exterior lights at no cost for my labor. These endeavors have reduced crime and have had a huge positive impact on public safety.
As a commissioner, I will make the position a 24-hour-a-day job, 7 days a week, keeping my feet on the ground, my hands on the issues and always being reachable on my cell phone at 708-913-8300. I will work hard every single day to improve our blighted and neglected district into the prosperous and desirable place that I know it can be. We have major highways and rails running through our district, along with plenty of room to grow, and the most amazing people, yet we're deprived of economic development due to high taxes and high crime. We need properties back on the tax rolls to help the burden, and we need to make sure our local elected officials have the access to tools they need to grow and build better communities.
Candidate Q&A
Why are you running?
To give the people an advocate on the county board. To improve the most blighted District in the county.
What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?
The office has been evasive and non responsive.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?
Blight, crime, abandoned properties.
What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive to your constituents?
Cell phone number public and weekly town hall meetings.
