House Minority Leader Jim Durkin said he’s putting GOP votes on the spending plan that relies on more than $5 billion in new taxes.

Polling shows that Illinoisans are overwhelmingly opposed to an income tax hike, and Illinois’ poor economic growth combined with wealth out-migration mean billions in tax hikes will only inflict further damage on a struggling state.

A new poll shows Gov. Bruce Rauner’s political base opposes the tax hike budget proposal the governor has supported. And Illinoisans who favor the tax hike budget proposal do not support Rauner.

On June 28 the Illinois House of Representatives failed to pass Senate Bill 484, an illusory property tax freeze that did not offer real reform, left Chicago homeowners out in the cold, and would have left in place an opaque and expensive property tax system that benefits special interests over taxpayers.

Like the “grand bargain,” the Brady plan and the Illinois Senate Democrats’ budget before it, the Illinois House Democrats’ plan relies on more than $5 billion in new tax revenues because it includes no significant structural spending reforms.

Nearly 4 out of 5 Illinoisans support term limits for lawmakers.

Illinois’ fiscal collapse is the culmination of decades of budget gimmicks and taxes used to paper over the state’s structural spending problems and misplaced priorities that favor special interests over ordinary Illinoisans.

Gov. Bruce Rauner has compromised over and over to strike a deal, to the point of abandoning every reform he once demanded. But no matter how much Rauner gave, House Speaker Mike Madigan never budged.

Five days of special session have cost Illinois taxpayers an additional $250,000 for less than 90 minutes of work.

Four days of special session have cost Illinois taxpayers an additional $200,000 for less than 80 minutes of work.