Former Yorkville Mayor Enters 50th District State Representative Race

Former Yorkville Mayor Valerie Burd has announced that she is running for the 50th District State House of Representatives seat currently occupied by Rep. Kay Hatcher, R-Yorkville.

Rep. Hatcher, who has served in the State House since 2009, recently announced that she will not seek another term.  In making her own announcement, Burd lauded Hatcher for “doing a great job,” and added that she hated to see her go.

A Yorkville alderman from 1998- 2007, Burd served a four year term as Yorkville’s mayor, but was defeated in the 2011 mayoral election.  She holds degrees in journalism and political science from Northern Illinois University, and was a former news reporter and managing editor of two suburban weekly newspapers before entering the marketing field.  She is currently the president of her own corporation, Positive Media Solutions, Inc., which does community guides, maps, advertising and photography for Chambers of Commerce and businesses.

Although a registered Republican, Burd will be running as a Democrat.

“The state Democratic Party called me and asked me to run and I agreed,” she said.  “I am a moderate, pro-Choice candidate who votes and supports individuals, not parties, and that apparently appealed to them.”

On her Facebook page, Burd said she decided to run because, “I love our country, our Constitution and the political process.

“I hear so many people saying negative things about politicians – wanting to kick them all out of office.  But when we look back in our history and see the leaders who have stepped forward when we needed them most to solve our problems, we have to feel that God has blessed us many times.  There are many good people, Democrats and Republicans, working to solve the problems we are facing.  We need to support these people, not the ones who are trying to tear us part.”

Burd added that although times are hard right now, Americans should be proud to live in a country where “we the people can actually change what is going on if we do the research ourselves, get the facts (not political propaganda paid for by wealthy interest groups) and get involved.”

“Every vote does count,” she concluded.