IL GOP Asking For Graduated Tax Amendment To Be Removed From November Ballot

By Benjamin Cox on May 19, 2020 at 7:12pm

Illinois GOP leaders are calling for a repeal of the Graduated Income Tax Amendment from this November’s ballot.

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said that the General Assembly still needs to do other things to fix the state’s problems and now is not the right time to ask for a new tax on Illinois’ residents. “The recession caused by this pandemic will turn into a never ending depression in Illinois with the progressive tax. It’s time the General Assembly wakes up. The world has changed. Our lives have all changed, and Illinois has changed as well. It is time we change how we govern, and it’s to repeal the progressive tax from the ballot. Let’s provide certainty at a time where there isn’t any. Let’s stand up and say that we are in this mess together. Let’s work it out together without the class warfare and attacks on our neighbors and businesses – the people we are going to have to depend on to get out of this crisis. Let’s change our old bad habits and give Illinois the chance to succeed at a time where everyone is going to need it. Let’s stand with our job creators. Let’s listen to groups that know what it takes for Illinois to come back from this pandemic.”

Senate Republican Bill Brady says the tax question takes the focus away from the state’s economic recovery. “We can and will rebuild this state’s economy, but this graduated income tax threat just gives more to worry about when we the people focusing on how they can rebuild their businesses, how they can go back to work, how they can begin rebuilding the economy of this state. The Senate Republican Caucus stands with those business groups that want to see this question removed from the ballot. We want to focus on the things that can be done to rebuild our state’s economy. We have challenging times ahead of us, and it’s important that we lead during these times – and leading on the economic recovery while defeating this virus is first and foremost in our minds.”

Durkin and Brady said that the Graduated Income Tax Amendment is a false promise to voters for more revenues for the state. They mentioned several times during their press conference on Monday that ethics reform, fair maps for representation districts, and property tax reform are more important to voters at this time. Both men said they think that if the amendment passes that it will crush small businesses and further drive out workers and citizens from the state causing the tax to fall on a smaller number of people.