THE FOLLOWING RELEASE IS FROM STATE REP BRANDUN SCHWEIZER’S OFFICE
SPRINGFIELD, IL… State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) joined colleagues State Representatives Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) and Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) for a Capitol news conference to discuss the need for pro-business policies in Illinois, amid record-high business closures and businesses moving out of the state.
“Over the past several years, we have watched too many businesses in our region shut their doors or scale back operations, businesses that employed our friends, neighbors, and generations of family members,” said Schweizer. “These are not just statistics; these are paychecks, and these are livelihoods. Where I live in Vermilion County, we have seen more than 700 jobs be impacted due to businesses closing or leaving Illinois, but the loss of jobs and businesses is not just a local issue.”
“Business owners across Illinois are being squeezed by rising costs, high taxes, increasing mandates, mounting fees, and long-term regulatory uncertainty. They’re not asking for special treatment, they’re asking for stability and predictability.”
To help restore Illinois’ competitiveness, Rep. Schweizer filed two pieces of legislation:
- HB 5526, which phases out the corporate franchise tax beginning in 2027, eliminating an outdated and burdensome tax that discourages investment.
- HB 5527, which strengthens Illinois’ research and development tax credit, increasing incentives for businesses that innovate and expand here at home.
“If we want investment, we must create an environment that rewards it,” continued Rep. Schweizer. “Our current path of increasing costs and layering mandates on job creators is not reversing our economic challenges, stabilizing our business climate, or helping the communities we serve. Illinois has the workforce, the location, and potential, but we must choose policies that compete, not constrain.”
Schweizer says affordability is not a slogan.
“Affordability means whether family-owned businesses can survive, manufacturers can expand, or entrepreneurs decide to invest in Illinois or somewhere else,” Schweizer said. “When businesses leave, jobs leave. When jobs leave, families leave. And when families leave, communities suffer. It’s time to restore Illinois’ competitiveness and put our state back on a path to sustainable growth.”
To follow along with Rep. Schweizer’s bills, visit ilga.gov. For more information, contact Rep. Schweizer at (217) 477-0104 or visit RepSchweizer.com.
