A progressive income tax isn’t really about fairness. It’s just the next idea in a long line of failed policies hoping to pay for spending levels Illinoisans can’t afford.

State lawmakers are facing a choice: side with House Speaker Mike Madigan or with tapped-out taxpayers.

History shows lawmakers prefer to avoid tough but necessary choices.

Taxpayers have won the defensive battle against a progressive tax hike. Now it’s time for some offense.

Fixing what ails the state requires Illinoisans of all political stripes to be honest about how they got here.

Even after a 32 percent income tax hike, the Illinois General Assembly passed a state budget in 2017 that will generate an estimated $1.5 billion deficit in fiscal year 2018. That deficit is projected to grow to $2.15 billion in fiscal year 2019, according to the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, or GOMB. The...