Click here to view as PDF.
CHICAGO—J. B. Pritzker, the Democrat candidate for Illinois Governor, has resurrected the tired old lie that state tax increases will lead to “property tax relief,” according to Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Jay Robert ‘J. B.’ Pritzker, the corpulent con-man who is a tool of Chicago machine boss Michael J. Madigan, pulled an old lie from the trash heap and is claiming that the two state income tax increases he plans to shove down the throats of Illinois taxpayers will result in property tax relief. It was a lie 85 years ago, and it’s still a lie,” said Tobin.
“In 1933, under the guise of ‘property tax relief,’ a ‘temporary’ state sales tax of 2 percent was established. We all know how temporary tax increases tend to be.”
“In 1969, property tax relief was promised when the personal state income tax was created at 2 ½ percent.”
“And in 1975, the start of the Illinois Lottery was supposed to provide property tax relief. How did that work out?”
“Not only does tax-raiser Pritzker, if elected, plan to increase the flat-rate state income tax, but in two years, he plans to place on the statewide ballot the Income Tax Increase Amendment, which would convert Illinois’ flat-rate income tax to a graduated income tax, which could end up with a top rate even higher than California’s. This would be a huge income tax increase for the middle class.”
“If Pritzker becomes governor, this would be the tipping point for Illinois. Illinois is virtually bankrupt now, and a graduated state income tax would send Illinois over the edge by forcing even more taxpayers to flee the state. For the fourth year in a row, Illinois has led the country in losing population.”
“This November may be the last chance for Illinois voters to keep the state from going under.”