Sheldon Schulte

“I was a member of the carpenters union for 18 years. The company I worked for hired me to be the superintendent. It was steady work, but the company stopped paying into my benefits package. When I learned that approximately $25,000 of the benefits that I was due had not been paid, I reached out to our union representative and asked if the union would help me to get the money I was owed.”

“I paid into the union for 18 years and was told that the union brotherhood supported and protected their own, but when I asked for their support to get the money that was rightfully mine, I was denied help.”

“I quit the union and went into business for myself, which was the best decision I could have made. Now, 25 years later I am up against another corrupt organization: the state of Illinois. We pay higher taxes, tag fees, gas taxes and workers’ compensation than other states. The average business owner will pay roughly $20,000 in insurance premiums alone for workers’ comp, which makes it difficult to add staff. I have nine job trailers that used to cost $800 a year for licensing. After recent increases in taxes and fees, they cost almost $2,000 a year.”

“Add the increased fees to the rise in material costs, tax increases and labor shortages and the state has put a huge strain on small business owners. I could be running three crews that would employ 12 people, but instead, I am forced to do the work myself with two employees.”

“And Amendment 1 wants to give union bosses more power and raise taxes again? I can’t vote for this!”

“Union culture insists on a philosophy that instills uncertainty if an employee does not vote as directed. They imply that you need to vote a certain way to continue to be protected and live the lifestyle you are accustomed to and that you will be protected by the union brotherhood.”

“Once you step away from the union machine it opens your eyes, and you realize you have been misled your whole life. The beliefs and values that they instilled in you are not real.”

“I’m still going to vote for my pocketbook, but I’m just using a different terminology when it comes down to the ‘why.’ Why would I willingly vote for something that takes money away from me? I’ve never understood that even on a local level.”

“Here in town a couple of years ago, they tried passing a half percent sales tax for a school program. It was a noble gesture, but I’m not going to willfully cast my vote to let them take more money from me. You’re going to have to force me to do it.”

“I was born and raised in this town, and I’ve lived here for over 50 years. I have most definitely thought about leaving, but the thing is, I’m vested here. I’ve expanded my property, put up buildings and built a small lake. I have worked my whole life to be able to get exactly what I want and now with these taxes, it’s hard to stay.”

“A part of me wants to leave, but it also makes you kind of mad that you have put a lot of time and money into building a home and securing a place for your family and the state continues to try to push you away.”

“I love the home I have built, but at the same time, it’s holding me hostage. If I wanted to leave I couldn’t because I’ll never get out what I have invested and the uncertainty of the economy and employment makes people hesitant to buy.”

“I can’t blame the people leaving the state: Good for them. They should do what is best for themselves and their families, but that also affects those of us who stay behind because we get more tax increases.”

“According to the property tax calculator, Amendment 1 is going to cost me about $3,500 more a year. It’s basically going to double my taxes. Disguising this as a ‘Workers’ Rights Amendment’ is just wrong.”

“It’s aimed at empowering the union bosses and putting a deeper stranglehold on the state, which will be worse than we have already experienced. Then, it will force common people like me to pay for it through higher taxes. This will cause more people to consider moving out of Illinois. There’s a reason Texas and Florida are seeing their populations increase. It’s obvious, and I don’t care what side of the aisle or what party voters are from.”

“It all comes down to whether voters want to pay more taxes or not.”

Sheldon Schulte
Owner, Schulte Construction
Vandalia, Illinois