Ultimately, the state’s spending and debt habits mean Pritzker’s plan will be a bridge to higher taxes for the middle class. Pritzker and state lawmakers should instead pursue sensible spending reforms that don’t require declaring open season on Illinois taxpayers.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pushing a progressive state income tax without delivering the numbers to prove his promises. The numbers available from other states make it clear a progressive tax will hurt Illinois’ economy.

Despite already shouldering one of the nation’s highest total tax burdens, middle-class Illinoisans would be exposed to extra income taxes under language proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The Senate Executive Committee voted on an amendment scrapping Illinois’ constitutional flat income tax protection. But lawmakers have yet to introduce a bill outlining what the rates would be.

While New York lawmakers have agreed to make the state’s 2% temporary limit on property tax levies permanent, Illinois should take reform farther by enacting a freeze on levies and giving local governments the ability to rein in their spending.

While the governor has touted his plan as a way to stabilize state tax revenues, it would actually do the opposite.

“Tobacco 21” was vetoed by the former governor as a burden on stores, but the new governor just made Illinois the 11th state to tell young adults they may not buy tobacco products until they are 21.

Including cash from an imagined Thompson Center sale in state budgets was so common it became a punchline. But Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law that finally puts the massive state office complex on the market.

Because the governor doesn’t address state and local governments’ ballooning pension costs, the typical Illinois family will continue to see their tax bills rise.

Without reform, Illinois’ pension problem will continue to force tax hikes while crowding out the core services residents need.