You’re more likely to lose a loved one to heart disease than to crime, drugs, or even cancer. Yet Springfield keeps ignoring the #1 killer in our state.

Joshua T. Atkinson believes real leaders don’t ignore the facts—they act on them. While politicians argue over headlines, Illinois families are losing parents, siblings, and neighbors to a disease we already know how to fight. The result: heartbreak, high taxes, and a healthcare system stretched thin.

This is not just a health issue—it’s a fiscal issue, a workforce issue, and a moral issue. It’s time for Springfield to face it head-on.

The Problem: Heart Disease is Killing Us—and Our Budget

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Illinois, claiming over 26,000 lives annually.

• Taxpayers shoulder up to $3.5 billion per year in related costs, from emergency care to long-term treatment.

• Much of this is preventable, but government keeps funding the problem instead of fixing it.

• The average Illinoisan consumes 50% more sodium than recommended—fueling high blood pressure, strokes, and heart failure.

Springfield can’t keep ignoring this silent killer while our taxes rise and families suffer.

Atkinson’s Plan: Cut Salt, Cut Risk, Cut Costs

1. Require Sodium Transparency in Restaurants and Stores

Purpose: Empower consumers to make healthier choices without punishing businesses.
Action: Require simple icons on menus and grocery shelves for items with excessive sodium (over 2,300 mg/serving).
Result: More informed decisions, healthier eating habits, and reduced disease—all without banning food or creating red tape.

2. Make Smart Public Purchasing Mandatory

Purpose: Lead by example in every tax-funded meal.
Action: Require state-funded institutions (schools, prisons, hospitals) to meet or fall below federal sodium targets, with a two-year transition period.
Result: Millions saved in Medicaid and hospital costs, healthier outcomes for vulnerable populations.

3. Launch the Illinois Heart Health Partnership (IHHP)

Purpose: Build public-private coalitions to support healthy living across small towns and rural communities.
Action: Fund community grants for cooking classes, label awareness, and diet change resources at libraries, schools, and grocery chains.
Result: Healthier families, fewer ER visits, and stronger connections across the district.

4. Incentivize Local Food Innovation

Purpose: Encourage Illinois producers and restaurants to reformulate meals for health.
Action: Offer small state tax credits for lower-sodium menu items or packaged goods that meet FDA reduction goals.
Result: Economic opportunity for local businesses and better options for consumers.

5. Track the Progress with Annual Public Reporting

Purpose: Keep the pressure on and the public informed.
Action: Require the Illinois Department of Public Health to publish a yearly Sodium Report Card by region.
Result: Voluntary community-driven improvement, benchmarking, and accountability.

The Fiscal Impact: A Win for Families and Taxpayers

If Illinois reduces average sodium intake by just 650 mg/day (meeting FDA targets), the projected savings are:

Total Healthcare Savings: $216 – $520 million impacting our statewide economy

Taxpayer Share (Medicaid, etc.): $54 – $182 million impacting Illinois taxpayers

Preventable Heart-Related Deaths: 1,000+ lives saved impacting Illinois families

Why It Works

This plan doesn’t rely on bans or bureaucrats—it uses transparency, smart policy, and incentives to fight a preventable disease that drains our budgets and breaks our families.

"Every heart attack we prevent means one less parent lost, one more child growing up with their grandparents. Illinois can save lives and money at the same time—we just need leadership that acts."
— Joshua T. Atkinson

Take Action

• Volunteer to help spread the word about real public health solutions

• Donate to support commonsense policies that lower costs and save lives

• Share the Plan and bring heart health to the center of our fiscal conversation

• Vote for Joshua T. Atkinson — the only candidate with the courage to confront the top killer in Illinois and win