Springfield Tax Villains Push to Raise State Income Tax on 85% of Illinoisans

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CHICAGO—Taxpayers United of America (TUA) has released the list of Illinois state legislators who have supported one or more resolutions that seek to add an amendment to the Illinois Constitution to implement a graduated state income tax, announced Jim Tobin, TUA President.
“Led by machine bosses Gov. Patrick J. Quinn (D), House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D), and Sen. Pres. John Cullerton (D), the tax villains on our list are making a push to raise income taxes on 85% of Illinois taxpayers,” said Tobin.
“This grab for taxpayer wealth has one purpose only: to prop up the bankrupt state government pension system that provides lavish, gold-plated pensions and benefits.”
“These tax villains are expecting 85% of taxpayers to take a huge pay cut so they and their government cronies can continue to rake in higher than average pay, earlier than average retirement, nearly iron-clad job security, multi-million dollar pensions, and deluxe taxpayer-funded health care.”
“How lavish are these pensions for retired government employees? One example is retired government high school teacher, Beverly Lopatka, who retired at the age of 56 and collects annual pension payments totaling $399,652. Over a normal lifetime, that will accumulate to a staggering estimated total pension payout of $11,524,643. The system is unsustainable and downright immoral.”
Tobin added that Illinois has over 10,000 retired government employees who receive annual pensions over $100,000.
“The graduated income tax Quinn, Cullerton and Madigan want will have its top tier as high as 11.5%. In other words, the most productive citizens and businesses that remain in the state will be punished, and those individuals and businesses that have had enough will leave Illinois for states with lower taxes. This will put Illinois into an economic death-spiral.”
“Illinois is second highest in the country in property taxes, second in unemployment, is projected by Moody’s to have the worst job growth in 2014, and, not surprisingly, has the highest number of productive residents moving out of the state.”
“The economic future of Illinois is at stake, and, as Illinois goes, so will the economic future of its citizens. The Democrat members of the state legislature, who have a majority in both houses, must be thrown from office if Illinois is to survive economically. If they remain in power, Illinois could become another Detroit, but on a much larger scale.”
“Below is the complete list of Tax Villains, all of whom are Democrats, that support the graduated income tax, and are ready to sell Illinois down the river. A downloadable copy of the list can be found here.”

Gov. Patrick J. Quinn (D)
Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D)
Sen. Pres. John Cullerton (D)
Al Riley (D) 38th District Hazel Crest
Andy Manar (D) 48th District Staunton
Ann Williams (D) 11th District Chicago
Antonio Muñoz (D) 1st District Chicago
Arthur Turner (D) 9th District Chicago
Barbara Flynn Currie (D) 25th District Chicago
Bill Cunningham (D) 18th District Chicago
Camille Y. Lilly (D) 78th District Chicago
Charles E. Jefferson (D) 67th District Rockford
Christian L. Mitchell (D) 26th District Chicago
Cynthia Soto (D) 4th District Chicago
Daniel Biss (D) 9th District Skokie
Daniel J. Burke (D) 1st District Chicago
David Koehler (D) 46th District Peoria
Derrick Smith (D) 10th District Chicago
Don Harmon (D) 39th District Oak Park
Donne E. Trotter (D) 17th District Chicago
Edward J. Acevedo (D) 2nd District Chicago
Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D) 34th District Chicago
Elizabeth Hernandez (D) 24th District Cicero
Emanuel Chris Welch (D) 7th District Westchester
Emil Jones, III (D) 14th District Chicago
Esther Golar (D) 6th District Chicago
Greg Harris (D) 13th District Chicago
Heather A. Steans (D) 7th District Chicago
Iris Y. Martinez (D) 20th District Chicago
Jacqueline Y. Collins (D) 16th District Chicago
Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. (D) 40th District Chicago
James F. Clayborne, Jr. (D) 57th District East St. Louis
Jehan A. Gordon-Booth (D) 92nd District Peoria
Keith Farnham (D) 43rd District Elgin
Kelly M. Cassidy (D) 14th District Chicago
Kenneth Dunkin (D) 5th District Chicago
Kimberly A. Lightford (D) 4th District Westchester
Kwame Raoul (D) 13th District Chicago
La Shawn K. Ford (D) 8th District Chicago
Lawrence M. Walsh, Jr. (D) 86th District Joliet
Linda Chapa LaVia (D) 83rd District Aurora
Lou Lang (D) 16th District Skokie
Luis Arroyo (D) 3rd District Chicago
Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D) 33rd District Chicago
Maria Antonia Berrios (D) 39th District Chicago
Martin A. Sandoval (D) 11th District Cicero
Mary E. Flowers (D) 31st District Chicago
Mattie Hunter (D) 3rd District Chicago
Melinda Bush (D) 31st District Grayslake
Michael E. Hastings (D) 19th District Matteson
Michael Noland (D) 22nd District Elgin
Michael W. Frerichs (D) 52nd District Champaign
Mike Smiddy (D) 71st District Port Byron
Monique D. Davis (D) 27th District Chicago
Naomi D. Jakobsson (D) 103rd District Champaign
Napoleon Harris, III (D) 15th District Harvey
Pat McGuire (D) 43rd District Crest Hill
Patricia Van Pelt (D) 5th District Chicago
Rita Mayfield (D) 60th District Waukegan
Robert F. Martwick (D) 19th District Chicago
Robert Rita (D) 28th District Blue Island
Robyn Gabel (D) 18th District Evanston
Sara Feigenholtz (D) 12th District Chicago
Senator Daniel Biss (D) 9th District Skokie
Steven M. Landek (D) 12th District Burbank
Thaddeus Jones (D) 29th District Calumet City
Toi W. Hutchinson (D) 40th District Chicago Heights
William Davis (D) 30th District East Hazel Crest
William Delgado (D) 2nd District Chicago