Chicago City Wire

With Illinois state government increasing taxes and placing more restrictions on local businesses, small businesses often suffer from increased government regulations, according to the candidate for House District 19.

Ammie Kessem spoke on the value of small businesses and how Illinois can ensure they thrive in honor of Small Business Appreciation Week, the first week of May.

"The Illinois Democratic-led state government has done very little to support small businesses," Kessem told Chicago City Wire. "In fact, the state government appears to be doing everything it can to put more constraints on small businesses and driving them away in search of better economic opportunities." 

Kessem said constraints include fees, costs for licensing, high taxes and workers' compensation laws that lead to fraud or claims payouts that are too high.

"Another issue is a lack of qualified personnel to fill positions due to the continued outmigration of current workforce-eligible individuals as well as our youth who are not being accepted into our universities," Kessem said. "Many of these young adults are seeking higher education elsewhere, never to return to this state again."

Additionally, Kessem believes that the uncertainty of the economic future is contributing to the challenges experienced by small businesses. 

"Unfortunately, I had the unpleasant experience of watching one of my dearest friends go through the opening and closure of her small business, which was located in the Norwood Park neighborhood," Kessem said. "Her reasons were plentiful, but the ultimate decision was based on the fact that her rent was continually going up because the landlord’s property taxes were going up."

Though her friend's business was successful as a whole, she was constantly barraged by an increase in taxes and an overall challenge to keep her head above water in light of the government's hindrance of her business' growth, Kessem said.

"She got tired of working so hard only to have any little bit of success suddenly ripped away from her," Kessem said. "Her story is not unique. Our state legislators are essentially allowing local government to drive these businesses away. Just last month a group of state legislators being pressured by City of Chicago politicians, proposed a bill that would virtually shut down most small business gun shops doing legitimate business in this state, including one, that I personally know, whose owner is a retired Chicago Police officer."

Kessem said she thinks this bill is an overreach of the government and highly unfair to citizens.

"To ask citizens to foot the bill for something that already exists is absurd and a waste of taxpayer money once again," Kessem said.

But there is hope for reform if politicians will take the necessary steps to support local businesses, she said.

"Some of the policies that I believe would help small businesses in our state is a 1 percent cap on property taxes based on the value of the property, including commercial properties," Kessem said. "Lowering the enormous pension liabilities that continue to plague our higher education system by, not only putting a cap on pension payouts to upper administrators (many who are receiving over $500,000 a year) but also prohibit individuals from receiving multiple pensions through this same system (which some have given the nickname 'double dippers')."

Not only would this help lower costs of higher education, but it would also ensure young Illinois residents would be able to pursue their futures in the state, rather than leaving, she said.

"I would also support policies that worked to build support for our young adults to seek out positions in the trades and to work with these industries to get rid of regulations that cause nothing but red tape," Kessem said. "This would help to support small businesses to have the ability to hire quality union tradesman, which would ultimately benefit the citizens when hiring these qualified workers."

If elected, Kessem pledges to do all she can to support local businesses in the state.

Kessem is running against Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) in the 19th District, which covers all or part of Chicago and Harwood Heights.