-
A woman walks past a Pro Fair Tax Yard sign in November. Voters opposed the proposal to abolish the Illinois flat-rate income tax for a tax that would receive a larger proportion of wealthier taxpayers.
A woman walks past a Pro Fair Tax Yard sign in November. Voters opposed the proposal to abolish the Illinois flat-rate income tax for a tax that would receive a larger proportion of wealthier taxpayers.
Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast | AP
Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast | AP
A woman walks past a Pro Fair Tax Yard sign in November. Voters opposed the proposal to abolish the Illinois flat-rate income tax for a tax that would receive a larger proportion of wealthier taxpayers.
A woman walks past a Pro Fair Tax Yard sign in November. Voters opposed the proposal to abolish the Illinois flat-rate income tax for a tax that would receive a larger proportion of wealthier taxpayers.
Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast | AP
Is Illinois trying to revise the failed tax change? Republicans think so
All Illinois House Republican members are protesting the recent call by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to re-examine the graduated income tax proposal, which voters decidedly rejected in November.
Moving from the current fixed income tax to a tiered income tax would require an amendment to the Illinois Constitution to be passed. House Resolution 135, tabled on Tuesday, refuses to reconsider the proposal.
Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, is a co-sponsor of HR 135.
“Illinois voters opposed the change to the Pritzker tax hike last November,” Hammond said in a statement. “The gradual change in income tax would have increased taxes for families and businesses in Illinois by at least $ 3.4 billion.”
The bill’s abstract states that it rejects “a tiered Illinois income tax law” and “rejects the re-examination of a constitutional measure by the Illinois General Assembly to reopen the flat-rate income tax debate.”
Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, often argues the need for a balanced state budget combined with the need to cut billions in national debt. As a co-sponsor of the bill, Davidsmeyer reiterated Hammond’s position that a tiered tax would steer the state in the wrong direction and has already been rejected by voters.
“In a remark to the Economic Club of Chicago, House spokesman Chris Welch proposed a revision of the higher taxes,” said Davidsmeyer. “The results of the November election were very clear: the Illinois people voted overwhelmingly against the Democrats’ gradual tax hike. You don’t want a do-over. By reintroducing another income tax hike, Democrats are only focusing on raising taxes rather than coming up with new ideas on how to get out of the chaos they have created. “
A tiered tax will not solve the state’s unfunded pension problem, Hammond said.
“It has been a long time since we looked at government spending and made the tough decisions needed to balance the budget without raising taxes for families in Illinois who are already struggling to make ends meet,” said Hammond.