State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) said property and sales taxes need to be cut to help residents and businesses. | McSweeney website
State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) said property and sales taxes need to be cut to help residents and businesses. | McSweeney website
With state unemployment claims topping 200,000 for the last recorded week and the effects of the coronavirus crisis showing few signs of slowing down, Illinois state Rep. David McSweemey (R-Barrington Hills) is calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to take action.
“The Illinois General Assembly needs to cut property tax levies and the sales tax rate now,” McSweeney said. “We are heading toward an economic meltdown unless we take immediate steps to help Illinois citizens and small businesses.”
The record-breaking 201,000 thousand claims filed for the week pushed the overall number of claims filed since Pritzker enacted his stay-at-home order three weeks ago as a way of mitigating the spread of the deadly virus to 493,500 or roughly one in 12 workers.
Even Pritzker worries about the state’s ability to keep up such a pace, recently telling the Chicago Tribune the state might not have sufficient funds over the long haul to handle the surge. As of the end of January, the state reportedly had $1.4 billion in unemployment funds in reserve.
More recently, Congress approved relief legislation that includes an extra $600 in benefits on top of what the states provides in addition to making so-called gig workers eligible for benefits.
McSweeney thinks even more is needed and he’s calling on Pritzker and Springfield to get the job done.
“The Illinois General Assembly must take immediate action to prevent an economic meltdown,” he added. “We need to cut property tax levies and the sales tax rate now to help Illinois residents and small businesses.”
McSweeney said he would also favor of a long-time economic recovery plan that boasts cutting property tax levies and sales taxes as centerpieces.
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