Kane County Reporter

Republican candidate Dan Ugaste sees an obvious reason behind Illinois’ declining population.

“It’s taxes, taxes, taxes,” Ugaste told the Kane County Reporter. “Nothing good has come from that, We’ve lost more people because of it and there has been no improvements in the business climate or the feeling of people wanting to come to this state and raise a family.”

Ugaste’s comments come on the heels of the one-year anniversary of state lawmakers overriding a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner to enact a record-setting 32 percent permanent income tax hike, which sharply increased the state’s personal and corporate income tax rates.

The state’s annual jobs growth has dipped by 34 percent since the tax hike was instituted at a time when jobs growth across the rest of the country remains steady, according to the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI).

“Speaker (Mike) Madigan made this promise that services would be better and more reforms were coming when he pushed this thing through,” Ugaste said. “He never seems to follow through on anything and this situation has been no different.”

Ugaste, who is running against Democrat Richard Johnson to replace retiring Rep. Steve Andersson (R-Geneva) in the 65th District, believes there is an obvious solution.

“After fighting to get the tax repealed, we need to be finding ways to reduce spending and becoming more efficient as a state,” he said. “We need to be looking for every way we can find to help taxpayers make this a place they want to be and can afford to stay.”