Rockford Sun

GOP state House hopeful Kathie Hansen knows all too well how she thinks small business owners across Illinois are now feeling.

“I was once a small business owner; I know we’re the ones that always get hit the hardest whenever Springfield is ready to levy another one of its taxes,” Hansen told the Rockford Sun. “It’s never easy being a small business owner in Illinois.”

Hansen worries things may be on the verge of getting even tougher if Gov. J.B. Pritzker gets his way with his progressive tax proposal. 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.

“They’ve practically made everything fair game; that’s how bad the governor wants this tax,” added Hansen, who is running against incumbent state Rep. Maurice West Jr. (D-Rockford) in the 67th District. “You read the language in the bill that’s set to appear on the ballot and you see they’ve taken all the protective measures out of the verbiage. It’s like the taxes never end and once they start coming they’re always forever.”

Hansen argues the only way to change the tone of things is by changing the leadership in Springfield.

“Democrats don’t know how to spend on only need things,” she added. “Nothing’s coming out of their pockets, so they’re really not that concerned about how much it’s hurting people. It’s like the governor has no affinity for small business and he’s doing everything in his power to harm them.”