Chambana Sun

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) is blasting Gov. J.B. Pritzker for false advertisement in his unrelenting push to advance the progressive tax proposal he’s been selling since his days as a candidate.

“The ad campaign he’s engaged in has completely ignored the impact this tax will have on small businesses and farmers across the state,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. “At times, this whole 'Vote yes' campaign has clearly been misleading and at other times downright dishonest. It’s certainly not informing voters of what they can expect.”

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.

“We’re doing our best to educate people about all the pitfalls associated with this tax,” Caulkins added. “The coronavirus has already been really hard on small businesses and the local economy and this would be more of the same. It’s like the governor has taken it upon himself to wreck small businesses in these small, rural counties. If this passes, it will just be a tremendous burden on the small business community.”