South Central Reporter

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) is warning Democrats that control doesn’t necessarily mean unity.

“The Democrats have the votes to pass just about any legislation they want, but this does not necessarily mean everything will be smooth sailing,” Wilhour told the South Central Reporter. “There are many issues in Springfield that often become more regional issues than partisan ones. The progressive income tax, I think, is one of those issues. Already, some Democrats from downstate are expressing opposition to the idea of a progressive income tax because they know it is not something their constituents want.”

Wilhour, who defeated his Democratic opponent, David Seiler, in November with 71 percent of the vote in the 107th District, said that as much as he can, he is going to Springfield, where Democrats overwhelmingly hold the majority, with an open mind.

J.B. Pritzker

“This is the government we have and what we have to work with,” he said. “I think there are some fundamental differences between Democrats and Republicans on key policy issues, but where we can work together we should, and where we can't, rest assured I will stand firm in my opposition. I won my election because I made it clear that I was going to fight for the reforms our state needs. If we continue going in the direction we are headed, Illinois will be bankrupt.”

Wilhour said the only way he sees new Gov. J.B. Pritzker being able to make good on all the quality-of-life promises he made is by putting forth policy that results in a steady stream of job creation.

“We (the state of Illinois) lost 45,000 people last year,” he said. “That is 45,000 fewer taxpayers to pay for Illinois's 7,000 units of government. Our quality of life will only get better if we attract more people than we lose and grow our economy. From what I have seen, J.B. Pritzker is dead set on raising taxes, which is not the way to create jobs. Raising taxes is only going to cause more people to leave Illinois.”

Wilhour argues recent history tells us as much.

“We have tried raising taxes many times in the past,” he said. “If raising taxes were a magic bullet, why isn't the quality of life already improved? The legislature raised the income tax 32 percent. Our taxes keep going up and our quality of life is stagnate or, for some people, it is much, much worse. If J.B. Pritzker wants to change direction in Illinois, maybe he should consider doing something different than what has already been done.”