Rockford Sun

It seems these days fewer and fewer of my friends have good things to say about our state. I have friends and family who chose to leave due to Illinois’ oppressive business climate and high taxes. Many of them tell me I too should make the move.

Leaving Illinois is something I had never before considered. I love our state. I love the mix of small towns and medium-sized cities, the cultural contributions coming from Chicago, and I even love the weather. We have some of the best and brightest people in the world living right here in Illinois, but now so many of them are leaving.

We can’t sit idly by as our state lawmakers take actions that harm working families and family-owned businesses. In just the past two years, Springfield politicians have raised labor and energy costs, hiked taxes on small employers, and done nothing to tame out-of-control workers’ compensation costs. Illinois is worth fighting for, and we must do what it takes to turn our state around.

Teresa Beach-Shelow | Provided

With a shrinking tax base, state lawmakers must learn to live within their means, cut spending and reduce burdensome regulations that cost jobs. As a small business owner, when times are tough, I cut spending. It’s not easy, but sometimes it’s necessary.

The last thing we can afford to do is throw our hands up and deem the situation hopeless. Now more than ever we need to vet our political leaders and demand solutions that go beyond empty platitudes.

What will our leaders do to lower costs on working families and small businesses? What will they do to stem the tide of outward migration.

Illinois is worth fighting for, but we need our leaders to fight for us.

Teresa Beach-Shelow is the owner of Superior Joining Technologies Inc.