MACHESNEY PARK, IL – Last Friday, Teresa Beach-Shelow and her husband Thom (center and center left in photo) hosted a tour of their small manufacturing business with state Senator Andrew Chesney (center right) and state Rep. John Cabello (far left in photo).
Before introducing the lawmakers to their Superior Joining Technologies’ team members, the Shelows held a lively discussion on doing business in Illinois with TMA lobbyist David Curtin (far right in photo).
The lawmakers were especially engaged in the discussion.
“We need to continue to remind people throughout the state that these are the job creators. These are the people that contribute to our tax base in our communities. They provide good-paying jobs and are a lifeline to so many good opportunities,” said Senator Chesney.
“I think we need to have a great appreciation for those that produce. We need to set policies that put the private sector first. Midsize manufacturers are the heartbeat of many communities. Our policies in Springfield are toxic and adversarial to businesses like these. We can change that by putting other policies in place.”
The group discussed topics such as the highly contested applications of Illinois’ Biometric Information Protection Act, more and more regulatory business demands, as well as high property taxes during the visit.
Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse’s Phil Melin also voiced his group’s concern about the growing cost of lawsuits in Illinois.
Every Illinois citizen pays more than $1800 per year to compensate for Illinois’ lawsuit demands, a recent study showed, according to Melin.
“That cost should concern every business owner,” Melin said.
The Shelows are frequently visited by state and federal lawmakers. The couple offers advanced welding services such as on wires the size of split human hairs while also making water tanks to be used in water and air defense weaponry.
The Technology & Manufacturing Association has been coordinating visits with TMA members and their lawmakers for several years.
In this case, both Sen. Chesney and Rep. Cabello are listed as members of the bipartisan lawmaker group called the “Small and Midsize Manufacturers Caucus,” or the SaMM Caucus.
Those lawmakers who join the SaMM Caucus are especially versed on topics and perspectives unique to small and midsize manufacturing and work with colleagues to enhance Illinois’ opportunities for small and midsize manufacturers.
A vast majority of the Illinois General Assembly membership has never had an employee or had to meet payroll in their careers, so they don’t understand the difficulties businesses face when new laws pass that require more accountability, more taxes, and more requirements for the employers, Cabello told the Shelows.
Rep. Cabello made it clear that he understands and empathizes with small and midsize company owners like the Shelows.
“It’s amazing. They’re thanking us for doing our jobs when we should be thanking them because they’re staying here. They could move 12 miles up the road and have a much better business climate than we have down here,” Cabello said.
“So we thank you for staying here. We will do our best to fight every single day to make it a better climate for you.
“It may not happen tomorrow, it may not happen the next day, but we’re going to continue to fight every single day because you’re worth it.”
TMA serves over 800 small and midsize manufacturers in the Midwest, mostly in Illinois’ Chicago vicinity.
For more information, see www.tmaillinois.org.