Metro East Sun

Mike Babcock doesn’t try to hide his pleasure over the thought of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s centerpiece legislation being soundly rejected.

“This is what’s in the best interest of the people of this state, especially our small business owners,” Babcock told the Metro East Sun. “Maybe now people will want to stay here and create jobs. I’m absolutely ecstatic.”

Needing at least 60% approval from the people voting on the amendment or a majority among all voters for passage, the measure finished with just 45% support. Despite the governor’s continued assistance that the tax would only mean higher rates for the state’s richest residents, Babcock was never sold.

“In the end, it came down to reasonable middle class citizens figuring out it was going to be a tax on them and it was just a matter of how long before that happened,” Babcock added. “On top of that, the way the bill was structured the government could raise the rates at the hands of unelected officials while allowing the people we’ve elected to claim it wasn’t their decision to make.”

With the tax now formally defeated, the governor has warned “there will be cuts and they will be painful.” Given the state’s financial condition, Babcock said he applauds such a plan of action.

“I think deep cuts are what’s necessary,” he said. "For far too long, we’ve allowed our budget to be overrun by billions every year. “If I were governor or in charge, cuts are what I would be doing. We can’t just continue to print money.”

Babcock laments any hikes always come back to hurt the same people.

“It always comes back to the middle class,” he said. “I can’t think of any tax increase that would be warranted until we make cuts to offset all of it."