By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – The president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce is renewing his call to give up the status quo in Springfield to dig out of the state’s fiscal mess.

Todd Maisch told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin it boils down to the need for the governor and lawmakers to promote economic growth to increase revenue instead of raising taxes.

“We think that’s the wrong approach,” Maisch told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin regarding increasing revenue through higher taxes. “You’ve got to go ahead and spur small- and medium-sized business investment if we’re ever going to get out from this cycle where economic growth trails government spending. It’s just a dead end. You’ve got to break that cycle. It’s painful right now, but you’ve got no choice but to do it.”

PODCAST: Listen here to Maisch’s interview with WJBC’s Scott Laughlin.

Maisch said it’s not unheard of for the Democratic legislative leaders, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, to support business-positive measures.

“I think both of them have been receptive to business community issues in the past,” Maisch said, “but it just needs to be in a more consistent and a more forceful manner.”

Maisch was in Bloomington-Normal for an economic summit hosted by Commerce Bank.