Property tax increases cannot be capped without addressing the costs driving high property taxes. Some lawmakers are ignoring that to draw support for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive tax.

Recent polling shows many Illinoisans would not trust state lawmakers with expanded taxing authority under a progressive income tax system.

The Illinois General Assembly and governor devised 20 different ways to take more money from taxpayers to finance spending on government operations and infrastructure.

Band-Aid fixes and spending-heavy compromises were rampant. And now it’s all coming home to roost.

Contrary to claims from both Republicans and Democrats, and despite raising nearly $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees for operations, the fiscal year 2020 budget is out of balance by between $574 million and $1.3 billion.

Springfield politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths on tax “fairness” is one of many reasons they didn’t deserve a raise.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s amendment would allow Illinois to impose an effective corporate income tax rate of up to 15.28% – the nation’s highest by far.

An amendment that would allow lawmakers to scrap Illinois’ constitutionally protected flat income tax and replace it with graduated tax rates will appear as a referendum question on voters’ 2020 ballots.

Caving to pressure from the governor would risk the well-being of Illinois.