THE ILLINOIS MAIN STREET ALLIANCE:
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS UNITED FOR A BETTER FUTURE
The Illinois Main Street Alliance promotes social justice while providing small business owners a real voice within the political arena. It gives small business owners an opportunity to expand their professional networks and political power.
Large corporations employ lobbyists to make sure their interests are represented in Springfield and in Washington, DC. Unfortunately, these large corporations push the agenda of big businesses at the expense of small businesses, and small businesses are left without a voice. That’s where the Main Street Alliance comes in.
During the healthcare debate, our small business owners met directly with Congressional members, gave testimony in front of five House and Senate committees, and hit the local and national airwaves as an alternative voice in the media. With a professional staff working with small business owners at the state and national levels, the Main Street Alliance has created a powerful progressive voice for small business-your voice.
The 450-member statewide alliance continues to expand in size and in the scope of its work, fighting for:
- Fair Taxes- The Illinois Main Street Alliance will fight corporate welfare as we work to end tax cuts for the wealthiest taxpayers and close loopholes that allow big corporations to dodge taxes.
- Affordable Health Care for Small Businesses- The Illinois Main Street Alliance is fighting to make sure the new law provides the health care small businesses need. We are working to counter the efforts of the insurance industry to weaken any portion of the law, including small business access to tax credits and the insurance exchange (purchasing pool).
- Job Creation- The Illinois Main Street Alliance supports the Local Jobs for America Act to help restore the small business customer base. The investment of $75 billion on job creation in local communities is critical in stimulating our local economies and creating new customers.
- · Responsible Environmental Legislation- The Illinois Main Street Alliance understands the negative impact pollution has on our health and our economy. We will work to protect the public health by fighting for legislation that keeps our local environment clean and addresses the impacts of climate change.
We are rooted in the community we serve in a way that large corporations never can be, and we truly care about our community’s future because it is our future. We encourage small business owners to actively participate in the legislative and political process by making their unique perspective heard at all levels of government.
***
The Illinois Main Street Alliance is sponsored by Citizen Action-Illinois, the state’s largest public interest group.
