Brian Milleville remembers looking on in stunned silence as 15 House Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to pass the state’s $36.1 billion budget.
“I made the decision to run for state representative at that point,” Milleville told the East Central Reporter of his 2018 challenge to Republican incumbent Rep. John Cavaletto (R-Salem) in the 107th District. “I looked at my grandchildren and at my neighbors and friends' kids and knew I had to do something.”
Milleville, a small business owner and general manager of the Econo Lodge in Effingham, said that the sickening feeling he got from legislators imposing the largest permanent income tax hike in state history was only made more toxic by his realization that Cavaletto was part of the band of GOP renegades who overrode a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Rep. John Cavaletto (R-Salem)
“As Republicans, we have to stop caving in to [House Speaker Michael] Madigan and his machine,” Milleville said. “Every time there’s a budget crisis, there’s some apocalypse coming where they need more of our money. We have to stop falling for it if we’re ever going to really change things.”
Milleville said he looks at those around him who are now struggling and knows that day has to come.
“Everyone I know is always worried about if the business they work for will shut down, yet they're still being asked to foot more in taxes that comes with no reforms to fix everything that’s gone wrong,” he said.
Milleville previously served on the Effingham City Council and once ran for the county board before co-founding the Effingham Tea Party. He said he thinks all those experiences have more than qualified him to excel at his latest political endeavor.
“The first thing we have to do is address this tax situation,” he said. “We have to make Illinois more competitive for businesses and for families looking for a decent place to call home. “
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