Galesburg Reporter

State Rep. Norine Hammond (R-93rd) said the Illinois state government should focus on job creation instead of raising taxes on small businesses. “It’s the same disappointment year after year after year,”  she said of Gov. Pritzker’s budget address.

“The last thing the governor should be doing is taking away job creation incentives,” she said. ”After a year of business closures, job losses, IDES failures and the tragic deaths of our veterans in the state’s care, we heard nothing today about how the governor’s budget works for the people of Illinois.”

“Illinois has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs since the start of this pandemic, due in large part to the governor’s rule-by-executive-order,” she pointed out. ”Gov. Pritzker shut down our economy, forcing many small businesses to lay off employees or close for good.”

Hammond warned that the governor’s plan to increase taxes to nearly $1 billion will result in more job losses. In addition, she criticized Pritzker for putting on hold the implementation of the Blue Collar Jobs Act. 

“The governor is going back on his word, proving once again that he cannot be trusted,” she said. “Today, Gov. Pritzker broke his promise to Illinois working families.”

The proposal was “an attempt to dress up a budget to impress the bond houses,” Hammond said.