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Running a business has never been easy, but it’s never been as hard as it is right now. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic shut Illinois businesses down for months, taking the revenue with it. When things reopened, some problems were solved, only to be replaced by new ones.
As we continue getting our businesses up and running, we’re facing reopening expenses, as well as COVID-19-related costs. Additionally, we’re in a recession. People are spending less, so businesses are making less. Unfortunately, Illinois lawmakers haven’t made it any easier.
Springfield politicians leveled a new mandate on business owners that raises the minimum hourly wage incrementally each year leading up to $15 in 2025. On top of this added cost, they placed a Constitutional amendment on the ballot Nov. 3 that would allow for a progressive tax that would raise our taxes, leading to strained businesses and higher costs for business owners.
I am concerned lawmakers may not realize the damage these changes can cause, particularly in a global pandemic and an economic recession. Illinois business owners are doing everything they can to keep their employees on the payroll and avoid permanent closures, but there’s only so much we can take. I urge Illinoisans to reject the progressive tax this November.
Aaron Wiegel
President & CEO of Wiegel Tool Works in Wood Dale
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