South West Illinois News

Dr. Paul Jacobs doesn't like what he sees in Illinois' state budget.

“There are taxes all through it,” Jacobs told SW Illinois News.

Jacobs is running to unseat Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) in the 115th District, which includes all of Jefferson County and parts of Jackson, Perry, Union and Washington counties.

One tax hidden inside the 583-page budget comes from the expiration of a 20 percent gas tax credit given to some wholesalers. When it's gone, gas prices are expected to go up by 4 or 5 cents per gallon.

Weighing in on this and other parts of the new budget, Jacobs said he’s still reviewing the document but intends to push back against new taxes in general.

“There are other ways for us to try to balance our budget (than higher taxation),” Jacobs said, characterizing new taxes as a real and present burden for local businesses as well. “It generates more disinterest in bringing a business to the state.”

Jacobs estimated that at least 110,000 people have left the Chicago area recently.

“They can't afford the property taxes,” he said. “It's getting quite big, and quite ridiculous; a lot of them are leaving Chicago. People used to retire here; they can’t retire here anymore.”

Jacobs suggested ways to reduce taxation, starting with significant pension reforms.

“They have to redo the whole process,” Jacobs said. “It's not working.”

Jacobs proposed 401(k)s for new hires and offering them to existing employees as well. Also, he said, the state could offer workers pension buyouts: the opportunity to collect some money up front rather than continuing to receive the annual pension payments for an unspecified period.

“Just do something,” Jacobs said. “Do something legally. There are a lot of people interested in saving the state.”