McHenry Times

Illinois' House Republicans formally expressed their objection to reviving a discussion or consideration of a progressive income tax which was proposed by Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch.

The House GOP filed a resolution earlier this week opposing the matter, through the effort of State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva).

“It’s no secret that we have serious budget issues in Illinois, but we just can’t keep taxing our residents to cover up what has been decades of overspending and mismanagement,” Ugaste said in a statement. “We should be more focused on reopening our state and promoting post-pandemic economic growth to increase our revenue picture, not pushing a second attempt at a failed tax proposal.”

HR0135 is the bill that “opposes a graduated income tax law in Illinois,” according to ilga.gov. It further objects to “the reconsideration by the Illinois General Assembly of any constitutional measure intended to yet again reopen the flat-rate income tax language of subsection (a) of Section 3 of Article IX of the Constitution of Illinois.”

“We can’t be paying for past liabilities with a new tax increase,” continued Ugaste. “Illinois voters made it clear they wanted no such change in our state income tax structure, and so we must find other solutions.”