Chris Bos
Chris Bos
Chris Bos struggles to understand how anyone can be surprised by the findings in a new WalletHub.com survey where Illinois ranks near the top of state economies most vulnerable to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s not a shocker when Illinois has the top tax burden of any state in the country,” Bos, now running against incumbent Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) in the 51st District, told the Lake County Gazette. “What’s more, we’re not posed for recovering well from something like this. We still haven’t recovered from the last recession and that’s part of the reason property taxes are so much higher and home values are lower.”
The rankings were based on variables ranging from “high impact for industries and workforce” and “resources for businesses” that might help in coping with the crisis.
“We can’t tax our way to prosperity,” Bos said. “Until we get legislators in Springfield that understand this, we’re going to be at this same place. The one thing that I hope this pandemic does is serve as a wake-up call to the governor, legislators and primarily voters. We need to ask ourselves who we want representing us and what voice do we want in Springfield, someone advancing the idea that the government will save you as long as they have more of your money or business-minded individuals who trust that the people will find our way.”
Bos said nothing about the way Springfield currently operates gives him much confidence that current lawmakers are up to the challenge of what lays ahead.
“Right now, the way its set up is all about power and ego,” he said. “When you have someone like House Speaker Mike Madigan running things for as long as he has with all the power he’s been given, there’s no way you can move forward.”