More than a dozen Republicans joined House Democrats in passing a budget that includes a massive tax hike and no structural spending reforms. Gov. Bruce Rauner said he would veto the plan.
Term limits were once a key component of GOP plans to dismantle Illinois’ corrupt political machine, but Republicans in Springfield have thrown in the towel on this reform.
House Floor Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 9 would permanently increase the individual income tax rate to 4.95 percent and the corporate income tax rate to 7 percent, but would not expand the state sales tax to services.
The Cook County sugary drinks tax was set to go into effect July 1, but a circuit court judge has temporarily blocked the implementation of the tax in response to a lawsuit opposing it.
Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto nixing fee hikes from a 911 service reauthorization bill lawmakers sent to his desk. Illinoisans already pay some of the nation’s highest taxes on their cellphones.
Much like other plans in the General Assembly before it, the House Democrats’ budget plan does nothing to structurally reform state government and bring down costs, but instead increases the burden on Illinois taxpayers.
Illinois’ tax code stands in the way of the state’s economic competitiveness. The combination of high tax burdens and a poor tax structure contributes to the loss of jobs and investment to other states. From a place of former economic dominance, Illinois now ranks 45th in gross state product (GSP) growth over the past decade...