NW Illinois News

Liandro Arellano might be only a candidate for the 45th Senate District, but he has been standing up for taxpayers for a long time.

"Illinois already is higher than average in its gas tax," Arellano told NW Illinois News. "It is higher than all of our Midwest neighbors states, which means any new (or growing) logistics or transportation company has yet another negative when considering our state."

Arellano fears that a proposed gas tax will be one of many new tax hikes to come. 

Liandro Arellano | Courtesy of Liandro Arellano

"Local taxes, like countywide school sales tax, have passed," Arellano said. "Income taxes have gone up. Local governments are now assessed a 2 percent fee on many local sales taxes (a tax on a tax!). The word from Madigan and his Democrats was that taxes needed to happen first, and then the harder spending reforms could be discussed."

Arellano argues that any new tax would just push the state further from the reforms it needs. 

"We need to shelve any discussion of new taxes until real spending reforms have been adopted," he said. "No more taxes, especially without reform."

Arellano recently attended the Illinois Municipal League's (IML) annual training conference. 

"The IML conference had much discussion of a wide range of policy topics, and I also had the chance to talk to many other mayors and local leaders about the challenges facing the state and our communities," Arellano said. 

The conference covered topics including economic development, government consolidation and pension reforms, all of which Arellano feels are important for Illinois. 

"I fully support the IML's big push toward consolidation of the public safety pensions, which they just announced," Arellano said. "It will save costs and could be done in a way that doesn't require any cuts to benefits."

The 45th Senate seat is currently held by Tim Bivins (R-Dixon). It covers all or part of Carroll, DeKalb, JoDaviess, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.