Newly Sworn-in Barickman Vows to Vote Against Tax Hike

Jason Barickman says the message is clear: "I just don't know how you look the voters in the face unless you substantially decrease the spending,"

Barickman was sworn in Monday morning as a State Representative to Illinois' 105th House District. He took the oath of office at the Livingston County Courthouse from Circuit Judge Jennifer Bauknecht with his his wife, Kristin, by his side. Barickman will be sworn in again Wednesday in Springfield for full two-year term. He replaces Shane Cultra, who was appointed Sunday to the State Senate.

Barickman said he is ready to get his feet wet right away, and vote against Democrats' proposed income tax increase of nearly 75-percent.

"Our government in Springfield has continued to spend too much money, and failed to address any of those serious reforms that they talked about," he said. "There's rumors of maybe some reforms to worker's compensation, but it appears to be nothing more than window dressing. We still have a pension system that's dramatically underfunded, and continuing to obligate the state to huge sums of money for the next 10, 20, 50 years."

Barickman hopes that the re-drawing of legislative districts will allow him to run for another term in 2012. A Livingston County native, the 35-year old is a founding partner of the Champaign law firm Bartell, Barickman and Powell. He lives in Champaign, and has served as Champaign County's GOP Chair since 2006.