Kankakee Times

Responding to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s annual budget address, state Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) said the governor’s plan to “close loopholes”  is actually a $900 million tax increase on small businesses.

“Local and small businesses simply cannot take any more,” she said in a statement. “How can we help them keep their doors open, let alone recruit new businesses to our state, if the governor can’t even balance the books?”

Closing tax loopholes, which effectively raises taxes, as businesses are trying to get back on their feet from the COVID-19 pandemic “will only cause more job losses for Illinois families at a time when we’re already hurting,” the legislator said.

Instead, the state should focus on retaining residents and businesses in Illiinois, “instead of encouraging them to flee our state,” Haas said.

“Gov. Pritzker must be held accountable to not balancing the budget on the backs of the middle class,” she said.