SE Illinois News

State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) hopes voters banding to reject Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive tax plan is only a start in their taking a stand against what he sees as all his crippling policies.

“I think as people continue to educate and activate we have a chance of rescuing and saving this state,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “But it never ends with the governor; he’s already on to trying to close more regents of the state and more of our Ma and Pop stores. He seems intent on shutting down and destroying our economy.”

When it comes to the progressive tax Pritzker has long championed as a plan that would only mean higher rates for the state’s richest residents, Bailey is elated to see voters arrive at their own decisions.

“There was no way this tax would have done what it was being advertised to do, like only hitting a certain segment of the population,” he said. “It was only a matter of time before everyone would have been paying even more in taxes.”

Bailey said he isn’t surprised to see the governor now lashing out, threatening everything from across-the-board tax hikes to “painful” budget cuts, after having pumped more than $50 million of his own money into a campaign to turn the proposal that required 60% of the overall vote into law that fell short.  

“Anytime the governor doesn’t get his way, this is what we get, more temper tantrums and more bullying tactics,” Bailey added.

As far as any talk of cuts goes, Bailey said he sees no signs of the governor being serious on that front.

“Cuts are the only way to go, but I really don’t see him following through on any of that,” he said. “Democrats want to continue spending and the governor has great hope for a federal bailout that won’t be good for Illinois.”