2:11 pm CST, Thursday, March 4, 2021
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A woman walks past a pro-Fair Tax yard sign in November. Voters rejected the proposal to abolish Illinois’ flat-rate income tax for one that would take a greater share from wealthier taxpayers.
A woman walks past a pro-Fair Tax yard sign in November. Voters rejected the proposal to abolish Illinois’ flat-rate income tax for one that would take a greater share from 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 rejected the proposal to abolish Illinois’ flat-rate income tax for one that would take a greater share from wealthier taxpayers.
A woman walks past a pro-Fair Tax yard sign in November. Voters rejected the proposal to abolish Illinois’ flat-rate income tax for one that would take a greater share from wealthier taxpayers.
Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast | AP
Is Illinois trying a do-over on failed tax amendment? Republicans think so
All Republican members of the Illinois House are protesting House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s recent call to revisit the graduated-rate income tax proposal, which voters soundly rejected in November.
Switching from the current fixed-rate income tax to a graduated one would require the passage of an amendment to the Illinois Constitution. House Resolution 135, filed Tuesday, opposes reconsidering the proposal.
State Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, is a co-sponsor of HR 135.
“Illinois voters rejected the Pritzker tax hike amendment last November,” Hammond said in a statement. “The graduated income tax amendment would have raised taxes on Illinois families and businesses by at least $3.4 billion.”
The bill’s synopsis says it “opposes a graduated income tax law in Illinois” and “oppose(s) the reconsideration by the Illinois General Assembly of any constitutional measure intended to yet again reopen the flat-rate income tax” debate.
State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, frequently argues the need for a balanced state budget in tandem with the need to lower the state debt, which is in the billions. As a co-sponsor of the bill, Davidsmeyer echoed Hammond’s position that a graduated tax would take the state in the wrong direction and already has been rejected by voters.
“In remarks made to the Economic Club of Chicago, House Speaker Chris Welch suggested a do-over on higher taxes,” Davidsmeyer said. “The results of the November election were very clear: Illinoisans overwhelmingly voted down the Democrats’ graduated tax increase. They do not want a do-over. Reintroducing another income tax hike just keeps Democrats’ focus on raising taxes, rather than coming up with new ideas on how to get out of the mess that they created.”
A graduated tax is not going to fix the state’s unfunded pension problem, Hammond said.
“It’s long past time to take a hard look at state spending and make the difficult decisions necessary to balance the budget, without raising taxes on Illinois families who are already struggling to make ends meet,” Hammond said.