CHICAGO – Once the CEO of the Illinois Manufacturing Association, Greg Baise is now focused on new ideas to put "Illinois back on the right track." Ideas Illinois is a 501c4 that released a new video Wednesday morning – just before Governor JB Pritzker presents his budget plans to Illinois General Assembly Wednesday morning.
Baise's new project will lead the fight against the Democrats' progressive tax proposal and support Illinois businesses which, for the most part, have little substantial influence in Springfield these days.
Baise has long been involved in the IL Republican Party, serving on convention committees over the years and as far back as being campaign manager for Gov. Jim Thompson. Baise chastised the conservative wing of the IL GOP for not jumping in to support Bruce Rauner in 2018, saying House Speaker Michael Madigan and Pritzker would have control of drawing new legislative maps after the 2020 Census if Rauner lost.
“If you want to be divisive … because you’re still pissed off about this or that, then you’re for Mike Madigan,” Baise to the State Journal-Register, “because frankly, this election means who’s going to write the map, and Mike Madigan and J.B. Pritzker will write a map that will push the Republican Party into oblivion.”
Accompanying an email releasing Ideas Illinois' new ad, Baise confirmed his concerns with the Democrats' plan.
“Even though Illinois has a new governor, all we hear are the same failed solutions to our state’s budgetary problems – higher taxes, shorting our pension funds and massive amounts of new spending,” Baise said. “Ideas Illinois is here to communicate with legislators and community leaders about the importance of fighting the Jobs Tax while growing our economy and creating jobs.”
Ideas Illinois' new ad: