View as PDF Chicago – Taxpayers United of America (TUA) and Illinois’ taxpayers were victorious once again in defeating the implementation of a graduated state income tax. TUA and its membership of tens of thousands of Illinois taxpayers have helped defeat every such attempt since 1992.
Jim Tobin, TUA’s founder and president, says that Illinois’ taxpayers know better than to let the Illinois General Assembly expand its damaging taxing powers any further. “Taxpayers are absolutely tired of the legislature overspending, digging the state deeper into debt, and then coming to hardworking taxpayers for a bailout. Our members hate the state income tax with a passion because every dollar that flows into Springfield’s coffers only encourages the Illinois General Assembly’s bad fiscal behavior and enables them to continue on the same unsustainable course. Taxpayers stood up to the legislature and won.”
Rep. Christian L. Mitchell’s (D-26, Chicago) proposed graduated income tax constitutional amendment, HJRCA59, was not brought up for a vote yesterday, and as a result will not be on the November ballot. Mitchell stalled the vote earlier in the week and had stated that he would call the amendment for a vote to get legislators on the record, regardless of passage.
But as it became clear that taxpayers were enraged and the legislation would fail when put to a vote, the push to inflict a graduated state income tax on Illinois was once again stopped.
“Amending the Illinois Constitution to permit a graduated income tax would have handed the Illinois General Assembly alarming power over the state income tax rates,” said Tobin. “Illinois’ state government is in shambles, but taxes must be lowered and spending must be cut. The state cannot continue to tax its way out of the financial fiasco it has created.”
“While taxpayers should celebrate another defeat of the graduated state income tax, the legislature is still in session, and the budget impasse is in its eleventh month. Taxpayers must always remain vigilant when the Illinois General Assembly is in session.”