Metro East Sun

Madison County Board member Tom McRae is hoping the record-setting tax increase slapped on Illinois residents as part of the new state budget will finally spur people to action.

“This will force families and businesses out of Illinois,” McRae told the Metro East Sun. “This is terrible for the middle class, and it’s clear that common sense did not prevail here. I’m hoping once people feel all the additional taxes, they will start coming together and demanding something different.”  

Besides imposing a 32 percent income tax hike on individuals and corporations, the new budget also includes a $36.1 billion spending plan. The personal state income tax rate increased on July 1 to 4.95 percent from 3.75 and the corporate income tax rate went to 7 percent from 5.25 percent.

“It’s sad they couldn’t find one single item in this multibillion-dollar budget to cut,” McRae said. “We don’t have a tax problem; we have a spending problem. When you have this kind of appetite for spending and no thought of reform, the only answer is to tax more.”

Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton) helped the Senate override Rauner's vetoes of the budget measures.

“This increase didn’t address many of the underlining issues facing the state, such as pension liabilities and unpaid debt,” McRae said. “It’s very unpopular here in Madison County, and we need more of a voice in Springfield to counter that of Speaker (Mike) Madigan (D-Chicago), who does not answer to any of his constituents.”

McRae said he finds it painfully ironic that lawmakers like Madigan will never be required to feel the sting of all the tax increases the way common taxpayers must.

“A lot of these legislators will retire with lucrative public pensions and never have to pay any state income tax on them,” he said.