Politicians should embrace these New Year’s resolutions

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and 2025 is off to a great start.

Each year we are hopeful politicians will prioritize and enact policies that support the small business community. Over the past few years we have scored victories by partnering with legislators who care about the success of small businesses. However, much more must be done to create a better climate for small and local businesses this year.

We strongly encourage Illinois politicians to include these among their New Year’s resolutions.

Lower property taxes

Politicians continue talking about making reforms that will address rising property taxes, but there has been a profound lack of action to address this issue. Politicians must have the courage to fight for structural reforms that can begin stabilizing property taxes now. This is not a time for more task forces or studies on property taxes. It is incumbent on politicians at all levels of government, regardless of their political affiliations, to come together and advance real solutions to rising property taxes because of their profound impact on small businesses, homeowners, renters and our economy.

Do no harm to small businesses

Politicians should not pass legislation that will have unintended consequences on small businesses. They should not move a single piece of legislation this session that negatively will impact the small business community, period. Small businesses battled through the pandemic and have faced inflation, workforce shortages and countless other obstacles over the past few years. This remains a difficult time for many small businesses, and their success and survival hangs in the balance. Politicians should be especially mindful to refrain from passing legislation that makes it more difficult to own and operate a business in Illinois.

Level the playing field

Illinois will be confronting fiscal challenges this year so in general, the tax incentives available to businesses may be significantly reduced. That being said, it is unlikely policymakers will completely do away with tax incentives and small businesses should have access to them, just like larger enterprises. Politicians should allocate a fair share of tax incentives for the small business community to foster the growth of all businesses in Illinois. Small businesses should have the ability to compete for tax incentives so long as they remain a tool used by policymakers to foster economic development.

Cut red tape

Illinois politicians have the opportunity to cut red tape and make it easier for entrepreneurs to obtain occupational licenses. This is low-hanging fruit that will open the door for people who want start businesses. It also will help people learn new skills and get back into the workforce. Policymakers also should perform a comprehensive review of Illinois laws for the purpose of eliminating overreaching, unnecessary and burdensome red tape that has unintended consequences on small businesses.

Take votes

Illinois politicians must stop bills from being killed in legislative committees without a vote. Too often special interests are able to stop important legislation from receiving a vote in committee, let alone in a full chamber. Illinois legislators certainly can vote any way they deem appropriate, but both committee members and all state legislators should be put on the record. Indeed, all legislators should have the ability to vote on important issues that will impact their constituents.

We will be watching to see which politicians act boldly and swiftly to support small businesses in 2025. And of course, we will be there to fight for the small business community every step of the way.

• Elliot Richardson is co-founder and president of the Small Business Advocacy Council.