McHenry Times

Illinois State Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-McHenry) thinks Gov. J.B. Pritzker has become the worst enemy for his own progressive income tax proposal.

“What this does is show that the uber-rich will always try to find ways not to pay, be it by moving away or committing fraud,” he told the McHenry Times. “Gov. Pritzker proves the graduated tax in Illinois would be a mistake because rich people like the governor will try to hide things.” 

Skillicorn’s harsh assessment comes amid news that Pritzker and at least two family members, including his wife, remain under federal review stemming from claims they ordered all the toilets removed from a Gold Coast mansion the couple own so that it would be declared uninhabitable, rendering the couple with a lesser state property tax bill. WBEZ Radio reports the couple saved in the neighborhood of $331,000 after the assessed market value of the home tumbled from $6.25 million to just over $1 million, prompting Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard to declare the act a “scheme to defraud.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker

Skillicorn is in agreement.

“I hope Gov. Pritzker and his wife get a pair of shiny, new handcuffs when this is done,” he said. “The inspector general has already said fraud happened. The governor clearly has a pattern of fraud and this shows his character.”

As for the question of whether or not the ongoing scandal will affect Pritzker’s ability to govern, Skillicorn said the first three months of the administration have left much to be desired.

“He’s made lot of mistakes in the first 100 days,” Skillicorn said. “He’s had plenty of opportunities to build a consensus and instead he’s chosen to raise taxes, short teacher pensions and now he wants to pass legislation that will allow children born alive to die.”

Through his attorney, Marc Elias, a partner with the law firm of Perkins Coie, Pritzker has denied all wrongdoing, adding that neither he nor his wife have been contacted by investigators about the investigation.