Senate lawmakers chose to delay voting on an amendment that would allow Illinois’ income tax structure to go from flat to progressive.

Polling of likely voters shows why some Democratic Illinois House members could regret voting for the governor’s graduated income tax.

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.

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.