North Cook News

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has tabbed veteran state Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) as a “Champion of Free Enterprise” award winner.

Citing his dedication and tenacity, officials saluted Morison for his “special contributions to the defense of free enterprise and the furtherance of economic opportunities for Illinoisans.”

Morrison, who is on the ballot this November against Democrat Maggie Trevor, welcomes the support while highlighting much of it comes naturally to him.

“Small business and entrepreneurship runs deep in our family,” he told the North Cook News. “My brother and I ran a cleaning and restoration business, our parents started a quick printing business from scratch and my paternal grandfather opened and ran a small advertising company during the Great Depression. Illinois has been hamstrung by many ill-thought policies, but it remains an economic powerhouse in the Midwest and around the world because of its innovators, industries, and talented, hard-working people.

Champion of Free Enterprise Awards winners are handed out every two years to members scoring Illinois Chamber average ratings of better than 85% over the previous two General Assemblies.

“Rep. Morrison is a collaborative legislator who fights for a better Illinois,” Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch said. “He works across party lines to get things done to improve the business climate in his district and Illinois as a whole. We are proud to recognize his contributions to free enterprise in Illinois.”

Morrison said much of motivation comes from knowing what could be.

“Illinois has so much going for it in terms of human and natural resources,” he said. “We need to do a better job of keeping our residents and attracting new talent by avoiding public policies that make running a business harder than necessary. Property tax relief would go a long way in addition to reversing local and state government micro-management of business operations… finally getting meaningful pension reform done, rather than constantly threatening to raise taxes, and hurting those who are providing much-needed investment and jobs in the state.”