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Op-Ed: Illinois lawmakers' policies' abandon
small business owners
[The Center Square] MoniQue Hoffman
As a serial entrepreneur
on the south side of Chicago, I am very familiar with the constant
challenges that face small business owners in our state. It’s hard to
start your own business, but too often, I have witnessed politicians in
our state turn their backs on our small business community when we
needed their help the most. |
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 Inflation is higher than it’s been in decades, businesses can’t
fill open jobs, many COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, and the supply
chain bottleneck is leaving working families and businesses high and dry.
But instead of working to find practical solutions that help
alleviate these hurdles for local business owners, Illinois lawmakers in
Springfield have plowed ahead with a new climate change tax that will spike
energy prices across the state and shutter struggling businesses.
Additionally, state leaders refuse to restore mediated
arbitration, allowing trial attorneys to leverage massive settlements against
vulnerable small businesses that are forced to lay off workers or shut down
entirely. On top of that, Chicago property taxes are on track to become the most
expensive in the country.
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The national economic downturn has already
negatively impacted minority communities and small businesses worse
than anyone else. And now, Illinois’ legal loopholes combined with
tax hikes on job creators will only lead to a smaller workforce,
businesses shutting down, and families struggling to get by without
the goods and services they need.
The call to action is simple. When lawmakers return to Springfield
in January, they need to start listening to small business owners.
They need to invite us to their negotiating tables and let us
participate in discussions when legislation impacts us.
It’s getting much more difficult to sustain continued cost increases
while trying to keep workers employed and serving our local
communities. |
