Rauner in Bloomington touts anti-tax stance amid impasse

Posted on April 25, 2017
Bruce Rauner
Gov. Bruce Rauner (left) toured the Beer Nuts plant in Bloomington on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Bruce Rauner)

By WMBD-TV and Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – As Illinois remained locked in a budget stalemate, Gov. Bruce Rauner visited a Bloomington employer Tuesday to talk about his efforts to fuel economic growth and job creation.

As our news partner WMBD TV reported, Rauner met with employees of Beer Nuts, which was part of a statewide tour. The Republican Governor said Illinois is one of the slowest in the U.S. at creating jobs because of bad policies and regulations…and he said raising taxes will hurt businesses.

“Raising taxes won’t solve the problem. It might help lower a budget gap for a short period, but we’ll be right out of balance again. We will be right in deficit spending again. We got to change the system to grow,” Rauner said.

While in town, Rauner also talked about school funding and becoming more competitive with neighboring states.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…