East Central Reporter

Veteran Illinois state Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) isn’t shy about sharing his views of Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“He’s a spoiled rich kid and he’s learned if he throws his money around in Springfield he can get his way and if you spend enough money you can convince an uninformed electorate of just about anything,” Miller told the East Central Reporter. “That’s the J.B. Pritzker we’ve seen since the first day he took over.”

Miller points to the governor’s dogged push of the progressive tax he’s been backing since his days as a candidate as the latest example of the lengths Pritzker is willing to go to get what he wants.

The Chicago Tribune reports the governor recently contributed $51.5 million to a ballot initiative committee launched to sell the progressive tax proposal he’s been pushing since his days as a candidate. Vote Yes to Fairness, a committee headed by the governor’s former deputy campaign manager, recently received the funds and is already at work selling legislation that would convert the current flat tax to a progressive tax system.

On top of that of being the only individual to contribute more than $250, Pritzker’s latest gift comes on a top of an earlier donation of $5 million.

From Day One, Pritzker has sought to sell the tax as a change that will only mean higher rates for the state’s most affluent residents. Voters will finally have their say in November’s general election, where approval from 60% of those who vote on the issue or a majority of those who vote in the election overall is needed for passage.

“The first thing that strikes me about the whole deal is he had to spend $200 million to get elected as governor and now this,” Miller added. “In his world, everything is for sale and when Democrats go along with things like this, everyone suffers.”

Miller argues not much about what the governor is selling the tax as really adds up.

“More people will be hit by this tax than he’s willing to say,” he said. “Anytime you start hearing all this talk of a fair tax, you know what’s really coming. He’s trying to pit one group of people against another because if this tax had to stand o it own merit there’s no way it would pass. All the governor is concerned about is his political future. He’s steadily passing legislation that makes life worse for everyone.”