East Central Reporter

While Democratic leaders are considering reviving the failed progressive tax plan, a Republican legislator is already coming out in opposition of those talks.

"It's not surprising that the Democrats are again talking about the progressive income tax," Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) told East Central Reporter. "Raising taxes is their solution to everything. They are unwilling to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to give legislators the constitutional authority needed to enact real pension reforms. They are unwilling because they know it will pass, and they don't want reform."

A few months after a similar measure was rejected at the polls, House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) recently shared that Democrats are considering reviving the tax as part of a plan to generate the revenue needed to pay down Illinois' $141 billion debt in unfunded pensions.

Illinois state House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Hillside) | File Photo

Wilhour hopes voters will again block any policy to enact such a new form of a progressive tax.

Voters prevented the tax plan from becoming an official policy. The change required 60% of voters to support it, however, it was short approximately 13 points.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker attempted to sway public support by spending millions of dollars of his money to bolster its passing chances.

The tax policy also failed to reach the 60% benchmark in several Democratic districts.

"Voters will have to do what they did last year and reject the progressive income tax if it appears on the 2022 ballot," Wilhour said. "Voters must send a message to the leaders in the House and Senate that they are not going to support reckless spending policies in Springfield any longer."

Illinois spends almost a quarter of every tax dollar on its state pension plans.