Metro East Sun

State Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) is disheartened but not surprised by the hypocrisy he sees among J.B. Pritzker and Springfield Democrats.

“If the governor feels the need to raise taxes, he should be willing to go before the voters and say that,” Plummer told the Metro East Sun. “Basically, what they’re saying is either you do what we want you to do through the ballot or we’ll force what we want on you.”

With the progressive tax proposal Pritzker has been selling since his days as a candidate far from a sure thing when it appears on the Nov. 3 ballot, Democrat Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton recently warned voters if Pritzker’s proposal fails to get the support it needs for passage on Nov.3, taxpayers could soon face a 20% state income tax hike to cover any looming budget shortfall. Such a steep rise would send rates spiraling to an all-time personal high state income tax rate for residents of 5.94%.

Since then, the governor has essentially co-signed Stratton’s threat, further warning taxpayers it’s either the progressive tax or a 15% cut in government services, which could mean cuts in funding for education and public safety and a state property tax increase.

“Everything is about putting more burden on residents,” Plummer added. “What no one in Springfield is talking about is why we spend so much and why we take so much from people. The discussion should not be about which way to raise taxes, but rather how do we be more prudent with what we have and start to put this state back on the right path.”

Plummer sighs the threats being lobbed by Pritzker and his administration have become all too familiar across Springfield.

“That’s just the way he operates,” he said. “If you don’t agree with him, right away you’re the enemy, or some sort of carnival barker just looking to stir up trouble. He’s shown himself to be great at name calling and lobbing insults, just not very good at running this state the way it needs to be.”