Without fundamental reforms, the tax hike state Democrats want to impose will only drive Illinois further into decline.

Illinoisans handed over a larger portion of their earnings to state and local governments than did taxpayers in 45 lower-tax states in fiscal year 2012, according to a new Tax Foundation study.

The 2011 income-tax hike was supposed to address the state’s unpaid bills and ailing government-worker pensions; but five years and $31 billion in additional revenues later, Illinois’ unpaid bills are back up to 2011 levels, and the state’s government-worker pension debt has soared to $111 billion.

Illinois has gone without a comprehensive budget for six months.

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan says Illinois’ income taxes should be increased to at least 5 percent.