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CHICAGO—Some Republican members of the Illinois Senate and Illinois House of Representatives stabbed taxpayers in the back by voting with Democrats to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of an historic thirty-two percent permanent state income tax hike on July 4 and July 6, said Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“These Republican traitors don’t deserve to be in office,” said Tobin, “and taxpayers in their districts should run tax-cutting candidates against them in the next primary.”
The Illinois General Assembly enacted the largest permanent income tax hike in the state’s history, raising the personal income tax rate to 4.95 percent from 3.75 percent, and hiking the corporate income tax rate from 7.75 percent to 9.5 percent, which includes the often-overlooked personal property replacement income tax surcharge of 2.5 percent.
“The sole Illinois Senate turncoat was Dale A. Righter (R-55, Matoon). He deserves to get an earful when he meets his constituents back home. Righter should dust off his resume,” said Tobin.
“Ten House Republicans joined the Illinois Hall of Shame by voting with the Democratic majority to override the Governor’s veto of the state income tax increase. Taxpayers should send a message by replacing them in the next Republican primary. The names of these traitors should be on the minds of all of their constituents. They can’t be allowed to hide.”
Tax Villains of the Month – 11 GOP Members of the Illinois General Assembly:
Sen. Dale A. Righter (R-55, Matoon)
Rep. Steven A. Andersson (R-65, Geneva)
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-115, Mt. Vernon)
Rep. Mike Fortner (R-49, West Chicago)
Rep. Norine K. Hammond (R-93, Macomb)
Rep. David Harris (R-3, Mt. Prospect)
Rep. Chad Hays (R-104, Danville)
Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez (R-99, Springfield)
Rep. Bill Mitchell (R-101, Decatur)
Rep. Reginald Phillips (R-110, Charleston)
Rep. Michael D. Unes (R-91, Pekin)
“The $5 billion from this latest state income tax increase will be funneled into the state’s government-employee pension funds, just like previous tax increases. While Illinois taxpayers are fleeing Illinois for states with lower taxes and more prosperous economies, retired government employees in Illinois continue to enjoy lavish, gold-plated pensions, courtesy of the state’s taxpayers.”
“Government-employee pensions devour a quarter of all the tax dollars the state collects. Nearly 100,000 Illinois government retirees collect annual pensions totaling $50,000 or more, while the average annual Social Security retirement benefit for taxpayers is less than $17,000.”
“It’s time for these Republican turncoats to be replaced with legislators who stand up for taxpayers, have fiscal discipline, and take their oath of office seriously,” concluded Tobin.