South West Illinois News

Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) spoke on WJPF News Radio on Monday in advance of the latest of several town hall meetings she has recently attended.

Monday's meeting in Murphysboro was held by Americans for Prosperity and included several topics such as Second Amendment rights, recreational marijuana and the new minimum-wage hike.

"It's similar to town halls we've already had," Bryant said during the radio segment. "We're going to talk about Second Amendment issues, recreational marijuana and what's going to happen with the $15 minimum wage. But, we're also going to talk about what the governor is calling a 'fair tax' and what we're calling a 'jobs tax.'"

The graduated income tax proposal has been the subject of much debate since Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker first announced he wanted the state to eliminate the flat-tax system in favor of his version of a "fair tax." For the most part, Pritzker's party has praised the graduated tax plan while most Republicans such as Bryant have gone on record in favor of the current flat tax and against any form of tax hike.

"That's primarily because it's going to hurt jobs in our area," Bryant said. "We're already suffering. We're economically depressed in our area. We're going to be really hurting [if this passes] and I want people to see why."

Bryant said she feels no one is listening to her party's reasoning.

"Even with Republicans at the table, when you come into the room it's obvious your voice isn't being heard," she said.

Bryant explained to radio listeners that new Second Amendment legislation was pushed after a shooting in Aurora two months ago in which six lives were lost, including that of the instigator. The proposed legislation would make it so that people couldn't privately sell their firearms, and they would incur many fees throughout the process of purchasing and owning firearms, Bryant said.

"I believe the goal here is to make it so expensive to own a firearm legally that only wealthy people will do it," she said.