Laura Curtis | Contributed photo
Laura Curtis | Contributed photo
Republican state House candidate Laura Curtis wonders how much longer Illinois will be Illinois if Gov. J.B. Pritzker gets his way with his long sought after progressive tax.
“It will decimate small businesses and open the flood gates to even more outmigration,” Curtis told the Kane County Reporter. “The truth is it would have the opposite effect of what the governor claims he is trying to achieve, especially coming after COVID-19.”
A new Illinois Policy Institute analysis projects that small businesses across the state soon could be forced to pay as much as a 50.3% marginal income tax rate should the tax appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot in the form of a referendum question garner the support it needs for passage. Ignoring growing warnings from many that the tax stands to handcuff small business owners even more, the governor continues to push his signature proposal as one that will only mean higher tax rates for the state’s most affluent residents.
At around 60% of net job creation, small business owners currently rank as the state’s biggest job creators. But those numbers could soon be on the decline, with researchers finding an increase in the top marginal tax rate could mean a slide in the hiring practices of entrepreneurs and slumping earnings for workers.
“In these times, we need to be jumping hurdles to make sure we stay out of the way of small business owners, not putting out more roadblocks that they have to clear just to have a chance,” added Curtis, who is running against Democrat Maria Hirschauer in the 49th District. "Democrats always think more money will fix everything. All you have to do is think about 2011 and 2017, when we had those huge increases and nothing happened. This time around wouldn’t be any different.”
Curtis argues it’s just another example of how much the two parties differ when it comes to fighting for what’s truly in the best interest of voters.
“One party wants to change the Constitution to take more dollars away from people while the other party wants to change the Constitution to be able to enact pension reform to truly deal with all the debt and spending,” she said.
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