In a party-line vote that even fellow lawmakers were unaware of, Illinois House Democrats passed out of committee a progressive income tax rate structure that would take effect should Gov. J.B. Pritzker succeed in scrapping Illinois’ constitutional flat income tax protection.

Between the push for a graduated income tax, his budget address and newly released capital plan, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed an onslaught of backdoor tax hikes on all Illinoisans.

The upward march of Illinois’ core cost drivers – pensions and government worker health insurance – cannot be paid for by tax hikes on small groups. Without reform, tax hike proposals on all Illinoisans will continue flowing from the Statehouse.

The current progressive income tax proposal would fail to pay down the state's unfunded liability while damaging Illinois' economy.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office is using a major capital bill as a vehicle to grease lawmakers for a progressive income tax amendment. But the tax hikes to pay for it would make Illinoisans’ gas tax burden the second highest in the nation.

An advocacy group backing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “fair tax” plan has argued a progressive income tax hike won’t affect middle-class Illinoisans. But its most recent report shows a middle-class tax hit is likely.

With taxpayer opposition intensifying, the governor’s vision for a $3.4 billion progressive income tax hike is slipping away.

Civic leaders across the state have signed onto an open letter declaring their opposition to a progressive income tax, as momentum continues to build against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature proposal.

Illinoisans are among the nation’s most heavily taxed residents. A proposed Illinois constitutional amendment would make it harder for lawmakers to add to that burden.