PRITZKER AND MADIGAN TO PUSH ILLINOIS OVER THE EDGE WITH THEIR PROPOSED GRADUATED STATE INCOME TAX INCREASE

By on June 26, 2019   /   jim tobin, Latest  
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Illinois taxpayers—and the state itself—have never been in a more precarious situation than now. Gov. Jay Robert “J. B.” Pritzker, a creature of the Cook County Democrat political machine, and Chicago machine boss and Ill. House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, rammed through the Illinois General Assembly a graduated income tax increase amendment to the Illinois Constitution that will appear on the statewide ballot.

“This proposed change in the state income tax is a financial nightmare,” said TUA president Jim Tobin. “If the Democrats are successful in hoodwinking the state’s voters into passing it, the amendment will drive more taxpayers and businesses out of Illinois. It will put the state in a death spiral. The state is not far from that point now. This amendment would put the state over the edge.”

Rates for individuals under Pritzker’s plan would jump to nearly 8 percent for anyone earning more than $250,000 per year. For those with incomes of more than $1 million annually, the 7.95 percent rate would not be marginalized—it would be applied to every dollar, not just income of more than $1 million!

“Make no mistake: this is a planned tax increase on the state’s middle class,” said Tobin. “Pritzker says the high upper rates would apply only to the state’s ‘rich,’ but, for Pritzker, the middle class is what he defines as rich.”

“In the early 1900s, the federal income tax was passed with the same promise that it would apply just to the rich. How has that worked out?”

“We defeated the Berman income tax increase amendment in 1992, and we can defeat the Pritzker income tax increase amendment.”

“We will get in touch with taxpayers across the state, especially the suburbs in the most heavily populated counties, to help them organize and spread the word against this ballot measure,” said Tobin. “We will meet with voter groups in person, contact them by direct mail, and by email. There is no inexpensive way to do this, but the stakes are too high for us to hold back.”

“We will use all our resources to fight this horrendous state income tax increase amendment, because if it passes, it will be the end of the State of Illinois.”

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GOV. PRITZKER ORCHESTRATES REGRESSIVE TAXES ON MIDDLE CLASS AND POOR

By on June 3, 2019   /   Blog, IL, Illinois, Items of Interest, Latest  
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The president of Illinois’ largest taxpayer organization today issued a statement condemning Gov. Jay Robert “J. B.” Pritzker for betraying Illinois’ middle class and poor by significantly raising gasoline and cigarette taxes.

“Illinois’ corpulent con-man Pritzker has pushed these cruel and destructive tax increases on the state’s middle class and poor,” said Jim Tobin, president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA). “While middle class taxpayers struggle to make ends meet, the bloated $45 billion ‘infrastructure’ spending package passed is a payoff to the state’s labor unions that feed the Democrat machine. Adding insult to injury, the legislators that passed these massive tax increase will get a pay raise of $1,600 annually.”

“Retired state employees are literally becoming pension millionaires on the backs of workers in the private sector who are funding these lavish, gold-plated pensions with their taxes. In the meantime, these private sector workers, many of whom are losing their retirement plans, must pay a lot more for gasoline and cigarettes.”

“The state’s residents who are poor are the most affected by the enormous, regressive tax increases on these items.”

“The doubling of the state’s 19-cent-per-gallon motor fuel tax to 38 cents, higher fees for license plates and driver’s licenses, a 15% tax on e-cigarettes. and the $1-per-pack cigarette tax hike on the current $1.98 state tax are outrageous.”

“It’s time Illinois voters woke up to how much they are being ripped-off by Pritzker and his fellow Springfield tax-raisers for the benefit of special interests.”

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Say NO To A Graduated Income Tax Increase

By on May 17, 2019   /   Blog, IL, Illinois, Latest  

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The economic and demographic future of Illinois is now in the hands of the Illinois State House, as (SJRCA1) was approved by the Illinois Senate.


The state is hemorrhaging residents and companies, and if this state income tax increase passes, and is approved by voters, the state will likely never recover. Illinois is circling the drain as we speak. 

Gov. Pritzker says that this will be a tax on the “rich,” and that the tax will ensure fairness. This is totally untrue; in fact, the very opposite is the case.


The Illinois Pension Crisis continues to cost taxpayers more every year, and the Illinois exodus has reached historic levels. As it has been shown in the state of New York, wealthy taxpayers will leave because of higher taxes. Passing Pritzker’s Income Tax Increase Amendment will increase the outflow of taxpayers, and consequently lower expected tax revenues. So who will pay when the money taken from taxpayers falls short? The middle class.

This is a middle class tax increase!


Rates for individuals under Gov. Pritzker’s plan would jump to nearly 8 percent for anyone earning more than $250,000 per year. For those with incomes of more than $1 million annually, the 7.95 percent rate would not be marginalized—it would be applied to every dollar, not just income of more than $1 million!


The proposed tax increase omits inflation indexing (resulting in “bracket creep”), creates a marriage penalty, and includes a recapture provision that subjects the entirety of a taxpayer’s income to the top marginal rate once they reach that bracket!


Should this graduated-rate income tax become law, rates may climb even higher, and more taxpayers could be subjected to higher rates.


The neighboring states of Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri have all cut income taxes in recent years, while Illinois is headed in the opposite direction. This may be our last chance to save the state from economic collapse.
Taxpayers must call their representative and tell them to vote NO on a tax increase on the middle class.


Representatives should instead focus on reigning in lavish public spending, instead of chasing away their constituents and promote pro-growth reforms to help Illinois prosper. 

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