Letter: How threatening talk of government expansion slows economy and kills jobs

November 12th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

Small businesses across the United States are pulling back from expansion projects and are laying workers off due to fears regarding healthcare costs and higher taxes according to a telling article in last Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal.

By forestalling expansion projects, the economy slows from the pace it would have naturally been on had the Obama administration and those in Congress not been promoting healthcare reform in a way which has created massive uncertainty among those who are oftentimes most responsible for paying for healthcare. (Hint: they’re also the ones responsible for signing paychecks and creating jobs).

This is happening in 2009 in Washington, but it’s no surprise for those of us in Illinois where we’ve seen—up close and personally—how the State of Illinois has frightened away jobs for years.

The resulting fear of significant government expansion helps to explain why Illinois finished 48th in economic performance over the last decade. After all, our two most recent governors have promoted large tax increases (Blagojevich’s Gross Receipts Tax and Quinn’s Income Tax Increase) after helping Illinois spending grow at a much faster pace than inflation and population growth. 

Just the threat of tax hikes directly contributes to Illinois finishing 48th in job creation over that same decade. When employers sense higher costs, jobs are lost. However, when government is discussing tax cuts, which I support, the business can consider moving ahead with expansion and additional employment because they figure that taxes/expenses won’t be increasing. 

There’s more to the problem, but it’s going to take the right solutions offered by the right leader turn it around here in Illinois.  That’s why I have chosen to run for office—our state needs help right now.

If you would like more information, please contact me at www.keithwheeler.net.

Keith Wheeler, Oswego
Candidate (R) State Rep. 50th District

  • RM

    Clearly Mr. Wheeler, you have a very limited grasp of how we got into this mess or how government really works. The last thing we need is another politician in Springfield spending money and cutting taxes. Illinois is not paying its bills now. They borrow because they refuse to raise taxes and pay late or don’t pay at all. The schools are all hurting because the state isn’t paying up so we get the shaft with increased property taxes. The whole situation is a house of cards just waiting to come tumbling down. To say that the current job market is in any way related to fears about potential healthcare reform is even dumber than screaming socialism. The fear of significant government expansion is irrelevant. The issue is the incompetence of the Representatives and Senate of this state to have a clue or take any responsibility whatsoever for their actions. They refuse to work in concert to do anything but spend but lack the intellect to actually raise taxes to pay the bill. Increasing fees for everything without a tax increase is an impotent gesture. All states are losing jobs to third world countries where rich corporate hot shots can pay low wages, no benefits, pollute the environment and avoid taxes. People like you who have no clue don’t belong in government. You’re destroying this country.