Metro East Sun

Illinois House candidate Amy Elik (R-Alton) wants voters to see Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive or graduated income-tax proposal for what it really is, rather than what it's being made out to be by Democratic proponents.

“The Democrats are deceiving voters by disguising the graduated income tax as a ‘fair tax,’ but it really is another blank check for [Illinois House Speaker] Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) and the Democrats to spend,” Elik told the Metro East Sun. “Politicians' solution for the past decade has been to raise taxes with no spending reforms. We have had two income tax hikes since 2011, but Illinois still has billions in unpaid bills, debt and pension liabilities.”

Despite the governor’s vow that a progressive tax structure will mean higher rates only for the state’s wealthiest residents, Elik fears the tax will eventually become a heavy burden for already thinly stretched taxpayers across the entire state.  

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

“There aren't enough millionaires in Illinois to pay for what Gov. Pritzker is proposing,” the Foster Township trustee said. “Inevitably, the burden to pay will fall on the middle class. I talk to families and job creators every day who are fed up with the high taxes in Illinois. If Democrats believe these frustrations will disappear with a graduated income tax and Illinoisans will wait to be hit with yet another tax increase, they are sorely mistaken.”

Voters will have their chance to decide the issue in November when the question of an amendment to the state constitution that would allow lawmakers the authority to replace the current flat income-tax rate with the proposed system will appear on the ballot. Elik argues that the history of progressive tax structures in the U.S. should tell Illinoisans what they can truly expect. 

In California, state revenues from the tax have been barely half of what was promised, and Connecticut has lost more than $10 billion and 360,000 jobs since switching to a progressive or graduated income-tax rate.

“Our constitutionally protected flat income tax is one of the only things keeping Illinois afloat,” Elik said. “Hardworking families in our communities are already feeling the pinch of the second-highest property taxes in the nation and we can't surrender more of our hard-earned money to the Chicago Democrats so they can continue to fund late-term abortions and increases to their own paychecks.”