Dan Ugaste is so strongly opposed to the Illinois budget that brought a record-setting 32 percent state income tax hike that he still wants to kill it.
“I would look to repel the tax and to lower property taxes overall,” Ugaste told the McHenry Times. “I think If we can get enough of the right like-minded people down to Springfield, those who understand we tax too much and that’s not a way to solve any of our problems, we still have a chance to get those things done.”
Ugaste can see himself leading the charge in the 65th District seat Rep. Steve Andersson (R-Geneva) will retire from next year.
Dan Ugaste
The longtime Geneva-based attorney and Republican ran in 2014 as well, collecting one-third of the vote in a three-way primary to finish a close second to Andersson. Before announcing he will not seek re-election in 2018, Andersson voted for the state's $36.1 billion spending plan.
“For the life of me, I can’t understand why we passed this new budget,” Ugaste said. “But I know if we are ever going to prosper as a state again, we need to drastically change the way we're doing things right now. Right now, Illinois simply taxes too much, and that 32 percent hike is just more of the same.”
State lawmakers are now said to be considering raising the gas tax as a way of generating funds for capital projects across the state, which Ugaste also opposes.
"We're already taxed more than enough," he said.
Ugaste said he also wants to reform worker's compensation.
“I’ve worked in that area of the law for more than 30 years, and there are certainly a number of areas, like cause and connection, that are in desperate need of changes,” he said. “The whole issue of making Illinois a pro-growth state again and bringing business and jobs back are critically tied to things like that.”
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