West Central Reporter

That Illinois lawmakers are talking tax increase so soon after enacting a state budget that carries a record-setting 32 percent income tax hike reaffirms what Brian Milleville has believed all along.

“This is further proof that Illinois has a spending problem and not a revenue problem,” Milleville told the West Central Reporter regarding a proposed gas tax increase. “At some point and time, all this runaway taxing has to end.”

Milleville sees himself as being part of the solution, recently announcing plans to face off against Rep. John Cavaletto (R-Salem) in the Republican primary in the 107th District in 2018.

Brian Milleville

So far, lawmakers haven’t said how much of an increase they plan to seek as part of Rep. Dan Brady's (R-Bloomington) plan to raise funds for capital projects across the state.

Regardless, Milleville sees it as too steep a price.

“All Springfield knows how to do is spend more of our money,” he said. “There’s never any prioritizing. All this new gas tax money they’re talking about will go right out the door as soon as it hits the coffers, just like all the tax money has.”

Besides tax reform, Milleville said his platform will also focus on the vocational training education program he helped launch in Effingham three years ago. Since 2014, the Construction Trade Education non-profit provides plumbing and electric training to approximately 20 local high students every year.

“At the end of that, they’re prequalified and have the training to apply for a job in the industry,” Milleville said. “There’s a definite need in our county for skilled labor, and if we don’t train our kids to do these jobs, we will find ourselves in a position of having no one capable of building the buildings that will make Illinois better.”

Milleville owns a business and years ago helped found the Effingham Tea Party. He has also been an Effingham precinct committeeman and served on the City Council as recently as 2015.

“I want what’s best for the people of my district,” he said. “I’m ready to work for that.”