By Howard Packowitz/Illinois Radio Network

DECATUR – Governor Rauner took his reelection campaign to Decatur today to push for lower taxes.

Taxes have risen during Rauner’s first term, but the Republican Governor says he’s been able to derail Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan’s plans for even higher taxes.

“Speaker Madigan wanted even more regulations on businesses that would have killed jobs. We’ve stopped him and his legislators that are loyal to him, rather than their districts,” said Rauner. “We’ve stopped them from doing many bad things. We can continue to do that this next year.”

Speaking at TCCI Manufacturing in Decatur, Rauner said he wants to roll the state’s income tax back down to three percent over time. He explained his agenda of lower taxes and business friendly policies will create more jobs

“Everybody, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, everybody in the state of Illinois agrees on these four things: bring down our property taxes, roll back the income tax hike, get term limits on our elected officials, and help our businesses create more jobs,” Rauner said.

Rauner also noted some states have no income tax. Rauner said he’s open to that idea, but not right now.

The one-term governor faces a primary challenge in March from conservative State Representative Jeanne Ives.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].