Fisher Overstreet - Jefferson County Board

08/19/2026

We are seeing these types of headlines far too often.

The State of Illinois continues to reduce the amount of revenue returned to local governments through the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF). All the while, increasing taxes of their own and expanding the budget.

Despite the state putting us in a tough position, local governments still need to do everything we can to hold the line and vote NO on any tax levy increases. Property owners are hurting and being taxed out of their homes. Too many people and businesses are fleeing the area due to sky high property taxes.

State decisions absolutely impact local budgets. Don't let anyone tell you differently. However, local governments need to do our part and give taxpayers some relief.

I will once again be voicing my opposition for any tax levy increases this fall when the County Board votes on next year's levies.

07/28/2026

For months, we have heard the concerns of residents over the possibility of a data center coming to Jefferson County. The overwhelming majority does not want them here. These centers are very new and there are many questions left unanswered. The environmental impact, effect on local water, and constant buzzing sound seem to be among the biggest red flags.

That is why I presented a Resolution at tonight's meeting stating that we are opposed to the construction of data centers at this time. The motion passed. With the current environmental concerns and overall uncertainties, I will be a NO vote to any data center projects that come to the County Board.

It is important to note that no permits have been filed with the courthouse. If a proposal is ever submitted, I will continue to evaluate all available information carefully. However, based on what I know today and what I have heard from our residents, I currently cannot support bringing data centers to Jefferson County. As always, I welcome conversations and appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts with us.

07/22/2026

Property owners in Jefferson County will soon be getting their bills in the mail. I remain committed to rejecting any increases to the county's portion of your tax bill. It's unfair that many people feel like they are being taxed out of their homes. I will continue to discuss with my fellow board members on how we can sufficiently fund our levies without raising taxes on our citizens. It's my hope that other local government entities do the same.

07/21/2026

Wells Bypass is ready! Thanks to Brandon Simmons and the whole department for another job well done!

The Wells Bypass Bridge Project is complete and the road is now open.

06/16/2026

It was a packed house for the Jefferson County Republicans Lincoln Day Dinner. Fun evening with lots of money raised to support our conservative candidates.

06/02/2026

Property taxes continue to be a huge issue in Illinois. Many people are told that rising property taxes are the fault of local governments because that is who sets the tax levies. That is only partly true. Let's get into the details.

It is true that we as a county board determine our own levies. The same applies for city councils, school boards, and other local government entities. Jefferson County and the City of Mt. Vernon did not increase levies last year, so props to us/them.

What often gets overlooked is the role that the State of Illinois plays in local government finances. As Springfield continues to grow the state budget and create new (and often ridiculous) taxes, the share of state revenues returned to local governments through the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) has actually been reduced over the last couple of years.

When local governments receive less funding from the state, we are left with fewer options to pay for our road maintenance, public safety, and other critical services. If the local government doesn't have enough money to cover the costs, that pressure falls back on local taxpayers. Jefferson County, in my opinion, is in a good enough spot to where we can continue to not raise our levies for the next few years and be okay. Other entities, such as some of our smaller villages and road townships, are not so fortunate.

Governor Pritzker loves to point fingers. He is very good at it. When he's not blaming all of our problems on the federal government, he enjoys telling folks that the state has nothing to do with property taxes, and passing that blame down to local governments. But that is simply not the truth. State decisions impact local budgets. If the state keeps more revenue in Springfield while sending a smaller share back to communities, local governments are forced to make difficult choices.

Are property taxes are a local issue? Yes. But do the funding policies in Springfield play a part in the equation? Also, yes. Taxpayers deserve the full picture.

05/29/2026

I was honored to introduce U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy at his fundraiser in Mt. Vernon last night. Don is a good Christian man with a common sense approach to government that will help working families. I'm proud to support him.

05/14/2026

Jefferson County has received over $200,000 in funds from the state since 2022 to fund opioid remediation and abatement programs. It's a unique opportunity for our county to financially support programs that combat the ongoing opioid crisis.

I was happy to personally drop off a check to Mt. Vernon Fire, who applied for financial assistance to fund their Comprehensive Community CPR and Life Saving Skills program. This program, like many others put on by MVFD, positively impacts all Jefferson County residents.

Seven organizations went through our official application process, and all seven were awarded funds in some capacity. Special thanks to County Board Chairman Cliff Lindemann and Opioid Committee Chairman James Malone for helping get this done.

05/07/2026

As rumors begin to swirl regarding a data center coming to Jefferson County, I want to clear the air on a few things as a County Board member.

1. Understand that myself, along with most if not all of my fellow County Board members, are not for these data centers. I believe it would be a very bad thing for the county and it's residents, as well as the environment.

2. I've seen some try to make this a political issue against the Republicans on the County Board, or just the Jefferson County Board in general. Again, most of us don't want it, and there haven't been any permits filed with the county yet, so these social media posts are the first we're hearing about it, too. There are no hush hush games being played.

3. The problem we run into is that the Illinois government is not a fan of local control. The supermajority party, which happens to be the Democrats, has decided this is the route they want the state to take for energy. I believe they are even offering big time tax incentives for either the companies or the landowners. The Illinois Democrats also want to call all the shots instead of letting local governments decide what is best for their area. If the county board doesn't approve solar farm projects that check all the boxes that the state requires, we could be sued. I'm afraid the same thing will happen with the data centers, however I'm doing my best to research and explore avenues of ways that we can get this stopped.

I'm trying not to get too partisan with this subject, because here on the Jefferson County Board, both parties get along well, which I am proud of. But those are the facts about what the state government is doing and they are important to the whole part of the story.

I encourage everyone to stay engaged with local government, as well as contacting Governor Pritzker. Let him know we want local control and are opposed to these data centers in our county!

04/21/2026

Congratulations to Detective Captain Jeremy Wilton on receiving this year's Jack Overstreet Service Above Self Award! Captain Wilton has been a tremendous asset to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office over the last 15 years. We're thankful for his service to this community.