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Baise, Brady and Durkin speak out against progressive income tax

Friday, Feb 22, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller

* About 25 minutes ago, I received a text message with a link pointing me to this Tribune op-ed by Greg Baise, who, according to the paper, is the “chairman of Ideas Illinois, a pro-job-creation political committee.” The op-ed was published online at 11:40 this morning. Exerpt

To be clear, Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation. Politicians in Springfield have raised income taxes by historic amounts, yet we are still billions in the hole.

The Pritzker administration would say that’s where its “progressive income tax” comes in. The state raises taxes on people at a certain income level, and they pay for all the new spending ideas. Ask some of the small business owners and job creators you know how they feel about that.

Let’s call it the “jobs tax” — because it will accelerate the push of already-struggling job creators out of Illinois.

In addition, the governor has floated this idea without telling voters the rates at which they would be taxed.

Raise your hand if you think it’s a good idea to give Springfield politicians, through a state constitutional amendment, an unfettered ability to raise taxes year after year.

* Then minutes later I received a texted heads-up about a forthcoming statement from Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady. It arrived a few minutes ago…

The Democrat’s graduated income tax plan is nothing more than a tax increase on the middle class. What we need to be focusing on is advancing policies that attract businesses and jobs, grow our economy and provide our over-taxed homeowners with relief.

* Exactly one minute later, this statement from House Republican Leader Jim Durkin landed in my in-box…

State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) today released the following statement on the Progressive Tax:

My caucus is united in its opposition to the Democrats’ tax increase on Illinois families and employers. Higher taxes won’t solve our problems, nor have they ever as history has shown. Higher taxes only lead to more spending and more government programs. Until our state learns to live within its means, we should not ask for another penny from Illinois families, workers and businesses.

* There’s a bit of a competition brewing between Baise’s group and the Illinois Policy Institute to lead the anti-progressive tax charge. There’s potentially a whole lot of money to harvest for this push, so it should be fun to watch. And while I’m not saying that Brady and Durkin are aligning with Baise, I’m just saying that was an interesting little coinkydink. (The SGOPs, by the way, say it was a total coincidence.)

Both advocacy groups are currently running Facebook ads railing against the progressive tax. Click here for the Policy Institute ads and click here for the Baise ads.

The Institute is also running dozens of Facebook ads railing against a possible tax hike on motorists. Click here to see those ads.

       

73 Comments
  1. - Kippax Blue - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:21 pm:

    Good job they are not on the team most of us voted into office.


  2. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:24 pm:

    Brady…

    ===The Democrat’s graduated…===

    Durkin…

    ===Democrats’ tax increase…===

    If you can’t tell the difference, then the dog whistle isn’t meant for you…


  3. - City Zen - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:27 pm:

    They certainly dug themselves a hole. By being completely against the implementation of a progressive tax, it limits their ability to craft guarantees (like rules on the rates and brackets) or givebacks (like minimum 50 cents for every extra $ in income tax) during the design sessions.


  4. - RNUG - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:27 pm:

    Predictable …


  5. - Phil King - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:30 pm:

    == By being completely against the implementation of a progressive tax,==

    There’s nothing worth trading for. Progressive income tax needs to die, one and for all, so we can get on with the real work of structural spending reform.


  6. - Anon - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:31 pm:

    It would behoove someone to start looking at the income data in those downstate GOP districts and identify exactly how many households (or a ballpark) in those districts would actually be subject to a higher tax rate.

    There is going to be a lot of grand standing from folks that represent low income rural areas with poorly funded school districts and high property taxes to help poorly fund those school districts that are going to be insisting they can’t support raising taxes — and those increased taxes are only going to impact a very small portion of the households in their district.

    In fact, depending on the rate, a majority of their constituents may even see a tax break.


  7. - The Dude Abides - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:31 pm:

    I gathered from Durkin’s comments after the Governor’s speech Wednesday that there would be no support from his caucus for the progressive tax.
    As is the norm there are no ideas from Durkin on what to cut from the budget, only that he’s against raising the income tax.
    JB ran on implementing a progressive tax and won by a landslide so I guess he has a mandate.


  8. - Phil King - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:32 pm:

    Interesting that IPI’s ads seem to be getting a lot more impressions per dollar.

    Maybe that’s the advantage of having a history and existing audience?


  9. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:33 pm:

    Minority, monolithic, angry folks will like this.

    Won’t make much headway in the suburbs.

    “why?”

    The candidate recruitment and primary races in Cook and the Collar will continue to bring about middle aged, white, “professionals” who are out of touch with the state demographics.

    If this is about the money to be made and harvested, this is great.

    Building a party? This will continue to weigh on the building.

    If anything, this reinforces who the Raunerites are, and why there are 44 House members and 19 Senate members.


  10. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:35 pm:

    “Let’s call it the “jobs tax” — because it will accelerate the push of already-struggling job creators out of Illinois.”

    The “job creators” label pushed by the right wing is only code for rich anti-tax, anti-union proponents. Who really buys it in Illinois, except mostly the echo chamber who keeps pumping this out?

    Consumers are the primary job creators, and if rates come out that give the vast majority of us a tax cut, it will be fun to watch Republicans oppose something that will help the true job creators. It will expose Republicans’ main intent, which is protecting the wealthiest at all costs and cutting those who can so much less afford it.


  11. - wordslinger - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:35 pm:

    –They certainly dug themselves a hole. By being completely against the implementation of a progressive tax, it limits their ability to craft guarantees (like rules on the rates and brackets) or givebacks (like minimum 50 cents for every extra $ in income tax) during the design sessions.–

    You’re missing the motivation of their efforts. Here it is:

    * There’s a bit of a competition brewing between Baise’s group and the Illinois Policy Institute to lead the anti-progressive tax charge. There’s potentially a whole lot of money to harvest for this push, so it should be fun to watch


  12. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:35 pm:

    Let’s keep reminding them that during the last four years, Rauner and his agency heads couldn’t identify cuts.


  13. - Phil King - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:40 pm:

    ==You’re missing the motivation of their efforts. ==

    Must be a dark world you live in, where you assume everyone who disagrees with you is evil and greedy.

    People used to know that good/intelligent people can have honest disagreements on policy.


  14. - Steve - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:40 pm:

    Here’s the data from the Illinois Department of Revenue. The upper 1% pay a whopping 22.8% of the entire Illinois state revenue haul.

    nalert.blogspot.com/2019/02/blank-check-illinois-lawmakers-file.html


  15. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:47 pm:

    Steve, what how does the income of the top 1% compare to the rest? Maybe 22.8% is low for what they take in?


  16. - Stark - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:51 pm:

    Well-off folks opposed to the progressive income tax? Shocking.


  17. - 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:52 pm:

    Clip and save these statements. They will be highly entertaining when the GOP leaders complain about being shut out of negotiations about this.


  18. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:54 pm:

    ===Clip and save these statements. They will be highly entertaining when the GOP leaders complain about being shut out of negotiations about this.===

    Great for the money, not great for governing and building a party.

    They can’t help themselves.


  19. - illini - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:54 pm:

    Last nigh I attended a Town Hall sponsored by the 3 Republican members of the GA from my district.

    I was absolutely aghast at the amount of misinformation, unsubstantiated and unchallenged “facts”, and unsurprising falsifying even the concept or structure of a progressive tax.

    But then I knew that this was never expected to be an education about what a progressive tax could actually look like

    Everyone was convinced, and these giants in the GA did nothing to counter this perception, that anyone earning over $17,000 would be hit with a tax hike. This obviously was red meat for the base.

    To my knowledge there have been no details posted, but the “fake news” is already out there and it is not being refuted. Believe what you want, say what you want and the facts be damned.


  20. - Big Jer - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:55 pm:

    Anon - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:31 pm:

    Here you go.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/05/which-states-are-givers-and-which-are-takers/361668/

    Embedded in the above article is an interactive map where you can zoom and scroll.

    http://www.socialexplorer.com/c0213d14ea/view

    To your point most of Brady’s 44th district has double digit poverty rates. However given that it borders Springfield my sense (although uncorroborated) is that the area round Springfield has some wealth too.

    Durkin’s area, Western Springs, has median income for a household in the village was $98,876, and the median income for a family was $108,870. In 2009, this went up to $139,758.[12] Males had a median income of $82,580 versus $41,214 for females.

    So Durkin seems to be protecting his upper class base presumably.

    Both Brady and Durkin do make some good points about the state learning to live within it’s means but that does not nulify the need for a progressive tax


  21. - PublicServant - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:57 pm:

    ===Raise your hand if you think it’s a good idea to give Springfield politicians, through a state constitutional amendment, an unfettered ability to raise taxes year after year.===

    The legislature currently can raise taxes any time it wants, Greg. That has nothing to do with an argument for or against a progressive tax.


  22. - Pundent - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 1:58 pm:

    =Progressive income tax needs to die, one and for all, so we can get on with the real work of structural spending reform.=

    Lot’s of words but no math. Remind me again of the “structural spending reform” that Rauner was pushing the last 4 years?


  23. - JS Mill - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:00 pm:

    =There’s nothing worth trading for. Progressive income tax needs to die, one and for all, so we can get on with the real work of structural spending reform.=

    Yeah, you really sound like someone that wants to have a honest discussion. Very open to ideas. /s


  24. - Grandson of Man - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:00 pm:

    According to this analysis from ITEP that’s been mentioned before, the top 1% of family incomes in Illinois pay about half as much less in SALT than the bottom 20 percent. The top 20% pay less than 80% of us.

    https://itep.org/illinois/


  25. - Last Bull Moose - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:01 pm:

    How do the Republicans intend to pay down the debt and repair the infrastructure?

    What existing state services would they eliminate or drastically reduce? What would they do differently?

    They are losing my respect. And I come from the Goldwater, Reagan Republican Party.


  26. - RNUG - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:02 pm:

    == Raise your hand if you think it’s a good idea to give Springfield politicians, through a state constitutional amendment, an unfettered ability to raise taxes year after year. ==

    Um … Can’t the GA already raise the flat income tax rate any time the want to right now if they have the political will to do so? And shouldn’t Greg know this?

    It’s all about who gets to pay … and, as is noted, who benefits from the fight.


  27. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:04 pm:

    Isn’t Baise retired?


  28. - Annonin' - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:09 pm:

    Given the success rate of Baiser and the GOPies we would the dark money donors to move on


  29. - Glengarry - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:10 pm:

    If a progressive income tax were to happen most downstate GOP voters would get a tax cut. The Policy Institute is a joke and always has been.


  30. - Phil King - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:10 pm:

    From Steve’s link:

    “In 2016, the most recent year of data available, tax filers earning more than $100,000 per year made up 19.4 percent of taxpayers. This group earned 62 percent of the state’s income and paid roughly 65 percent of all personal income taxes, or nearly two thirds.

    The top 1 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $500,000 per year, paid nearly 23 percent of all income taxes while earning about 20 percent of all income, a gap of 3 percent.

    All other income groups earn a larger share of total income than their share of the total tax burden.”


  31. - SaulGoodman - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:12 pm:

    For those that claim that the rich already pay more than their share:

    https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/January-2013/Illinois-The-Fourth-Most-Regressive-Taxes-in-America/


  32. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:12 pm:

    $100k is the middle class. The median family in Illinois makes $80k.


  33. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:17 pm:

    This just more of wealthy northern Illinois subsidizing the poor south.


  34. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:18 pm:

    I’m impressed. An organized response by the ILGOP. The same ILGOP that I belong to that I have been assuming has been DOA since the November election. That alone sends a tingle down my leg.

    Since no one here seems to have read the article by Mr. Baise, he strongly brings out the point that the current administration is still not telling anyone what rates they are looking for in a progressive tax. So what will everyone be voting for/against? What is everyone supporting/opposing? Mr. Baise has a strong point here everyone seems to be overlooking, ignoring or missing.

    You can’t negotiate when there is nothing on the table. It’s long past time that the current administration put something on the table.


  35. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:18 pm:

    Steve and Phil King, looks like Madigan was on to something with a “millionaire’s tax.” Just have to see how the proposed brackets flush out now.


  36. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:21 pm:

    ===he strongly brings out the point that the current administration is still not telling anyone what rates they are looking for in a progressive tax. So what will everyone be voting for/against? What is everyone supporting/opposing? Mr. Baise has a strong point here everyone seems to be overlooking, ignoring or missing.===

    (Sigh)

    ===- Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 11:06 am

    The sooner they think they can pass it, the more time to campaign touting the “Progressive Tax” referendum for 2020.

    The real trick will be found in the details;

    The tiers, the percentages.

    17 months or 17 years, the hardest part would be blindly trying to advocate for…

    “We want a progressive tax structure, we are unsure how the tiers and percentages shake out, but the tiers will allow greater flexibility to a progressive income tax to find the best breakouts”

    Um… ok…===

    Your ”trollsome” worry is both comical and as embarrassing as that “whatever-whatever… leg” you thought was smart.


  37. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:22 pm:

    Lol at 17 billionaires in Illinois. They’ll be gone rather quickly if the Democrats try to gouge them. Illinois is not California.


  38. - 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:22 pm:

    ===You can’t negotiate when there is nothing on the table===

    Lol. You and Baise are opposed to having a table at all. What’s left to negotiate?


  39. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:22 pm:

    The IL GOP has morphed into the Black Knight. They threaten and whine, yet they have no answer to fix things. Meanwhile, our new Governor will ride over the bridge they think they protect.


  40. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:29 pm:

    @ Phil King
    Must be a dark world you live in, where you assume everyone who pays their bills is an out of control spender. - there fixed it for ya PK


  41. - Generic Drone - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:31 pm:

    Typical GOP response. No wonder they lost seats. They are out of touch and offer no solutions or ideas.


  42. - Jibba - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:38 pm:

    Mr. Blaise, since a progressive tax affects only those with high income, they are by definition not “struggling”.


  43. - Fixer - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:39 pm:

    A Raunerite complaining about someone not coming to the bargaining table? Really?


  44. - SSL - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:39 pm:

    On as issue as fundamental as taxes, did you really think the GOP was going to work with JB, Mike and John? They have zero to gain, as nothing they propose would get incorporated. Their strategy of just hanging it on JB (who they’ll accuse of being a tax dodger), Mike (who they’ll accuse of being a tax cheat) and John (who they’ll accuse of standing around doing nothing but wearing out the carpet) is about all they have.

    Let the negative ads begin.


  45. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:39 pm:

    Democrats refuse to cut spending. A simple start would be a 5% across the board reduction in spending would help.


  46. - Pundent - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:44 pm:

    =You can’t negotiate when there is nothing on the table.=

    You might want to go back and read/listen to the governor’s budget speech where he invited them to the table. I think what Durkin and Brady are saying is they don’t want a seat. A bit of a metaphor given what they experienced in November.


  47. - Big Jer - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:45 pm:

    ===The median family in Illinois makes $80k====
    Statistically the median does not tell much: the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample.

    But if your point was to say that in today’s society to say the $80k is upper class is stretching it a bit then point taken.

    However I also read somewhere that the per capita income in Illinois is roughly $45K.

    ===This just more of wealthy northern Illinois subsidizing the poor south==

    If you click on the link in my reply to Anon you will see that northern Illinois has its share of poverty too. Cook County has a poverty rate of 12%.

    The eye test: I live in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago which is not exactly Winnetka. Yet the are a lot of GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburbans. A 2018 GMC Yukon lists for base of $50K. And within walking distance from my townhouse are not 1, not 2, but 3 wealth management companies.!

    An olive branch: IMO everyone has to pay some taxes. I think the middle shoulders much of the burden (i.e. property taxes) but the lower classes have to have skin in the game as well in regards to income taxes.


  48. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:54 pm:

    ===You might want to go back and read/listen to the governor’s budget speech where he invited them to the table. I think what Durkin and Brady are saying is they don’t want a seat. A bit of a metaphor given what they experienced in November.===

    They’ve been invited to a table with nothing on it? I didn’t hear the Governor propose anything specific about the progressive tax other than we should be moving forward towards one. Numbers? Rates?


  49. - Jibba - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:58 pm:

    Louis, perhaps at the table there will be discussion of numbers and rates, where the GOP might want to influence things. That’s called negotiations. But it is easier to be the party of No, and perhaps more politically effective, given the problems we face.


  50. - Anonymous - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:58 pm:

    =Democrats refuse to cut spending.=
    I think they already have, backlog debt interest is quite a bit less than the last couple years of GOP “leadership”.


  51. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:58 pm:

    ===The sooner they think they can pass it, the more time to campaign touting the “Progressive Tax” referendum for 2020.===

    You pay your personal bills with blank checks as a matter of course there Mr. Willey, or do you fill in the numbers due?


  52. - PublicServant - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:58 pm:

    === A simple start would be a 5% across the board reduction in spending…===

    A bit too simple.


  53. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 2:58 pm:

    ===Governor propose anything specific about the progressive tax other than we should be moving forward towards one. Numbers? Rates?===

    Keep up, Counselor.

    Brady. Also note the dog whistle;

    ===The Democrat’s graduated income tax plan is nothing more than a tax increase on the middle class. What we need to be focusing on is advancing policies that attract businesses and jobs, grow our economy and provide our over-taxed homeowners with relief.===

    Yeah, no concern or ask on … rates or numbers.

    Durkin;

    ===My caucus is united in its opposition to the Democrats’ tax increase on Illinois families and employers. Higher taxes won’t solve our problems, nor have they ever as history has shown. Higher taxes only lead to more spending and more government programs. Until our state learns to live within its means, we should not ask for another penny from Illinois families, workers and businesses.===

    Again, no ask on rates, or numbers.

    Reading is… fundamental.


  54. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:00 pm:

    ===You pay your personal bills with blank checks as a matter of course there Mr. Willey, or do you fill in the numbers due?===

    “W-I-L-L-Y”

    You forgot this, Counselor;

    ===The real trick will be found in the details;

    The tiers, the percentages.===

    It’s embarrasing how you still shill.


  55. - Blockedmore - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:02 pm:

    @LGA Numbers? Rates?

    Well I guess you’ll never know since the Durkin Brady deadbeat caucus won’t even go to the table with 0.1/0.1 proposal.


  56. - Nick Name - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:03 pm:

    ===To be clear, Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation. Politicians in Springfield have raised income taxes by historic amounts, yet we are still billions in the hole.===

    I really am sick and tired of these people talking as if there is no connection between our too-low income taxes and our too-high property taxes.

    And the “historic amounts” is only if you go by percentage of the increase. Going from 3 percent to 5 percent was, yes a 66 percent increase of the tax rate, but it was still only two percentage points, and the measly 5 percent was still incredibly low. And it was higher than it is now.

    Every state that borders Illinois, save Indiana, has a progressive income tax. Even Scott Walker’s Wisconsin has five tax brackets. Missouri has something like eleven tax brackets. These states pay their bills.

    Gov. Gaslight is gone. Raunerite gaslighting continues.


  57. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:05 pm:

    ===Louis, perhaps at the table there will be discussion of numbers and rates, where the GOP might want to influence things. That’s called negotiations.===

    Are there numbers out there to talk about? If not, then clearly there is not much to talk about. They could talk spring training baseball perhaps, or the Blackhawks winning streak that may put them in the playoffs.


  58. - Annonin' - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:06 pm:

    Why did they leave Roy Moore’s BFF,uline, and the CarWashKing?


  59. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:07 pm:

    ===Are there numbers out there to talk about?===

    - Louis G Atsaves -

    Dog whistle included, both caucuses are already Red on this.

    They are currently choosing which Raunerite money pot to get the cash to be Red.

    How do you go about not reading for comprehension, is that what you first give up when shilling?


  60. - don the legend - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:08 pm:

    Posted this on another thread but also appropriate for Louis G. and others:

    “I’m not naïve about what it will take to do this. All who enter a discussion about our state’s budget and a fair tax system in good faith will be welcomed to the table. But if you lead with partisanship and scare tactics you will be met with considerable political will.”


  61. - Rabid - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:09 pm:

    GOP leaders have chosen to negotiate by statements of opposition. Any ideas like term limits or prevailing wage


  62. - Jibba - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:19 pm:

    Why would numbers be out there now? JB has said that those need negotiation with the caucuses, for example at a hypothetical table. If he could get even a few Rs on board, he might be willing to compromise. But I won’t bet on it. Did a single R vote for Quinn’s tax increase despite the obvious need? They rode their opposition into the Gov’s office. Why expect statesmanship now when politics works better for them.


  63. - PublicServant - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:24 pm:

    Don the legend, thank you for posting that. I hadn’t seen it, and it’s an entirely appropriate response to the party of no, and their supporters. JB has a mandate, and he’s going to use it.


  64. - Pudne - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:33 pm:

    =Are there numbers out there to talk about? If not, then clearly there is not much to talk about.=

    “My office intends to immediately begin negotiations over proposed fair tax rates with leaders from the House and Senate. Conversations and debate about rate structures and how much revenue we need to raise are appropriate. I expect different opinions and viewpoints over the best way to achieve an equitable tax system, and I sincerely welcome that conversation. I have already asked a few legislators who oppose the fair tax to offer their best ideas to improve it, and I am confident they will come to the table in good faith.”


  65. - Jname - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:34 pm:

    Baise and Durkin keep saying a progressive income tax will lead to “higher taxes,” yet - depending on what marginal rates are selected - a progressive income tax system in Illinois could cut taxes for the vast majority of Illinoisans. They see it as a tax increase since they earn a higher salary, but a majority of Illinoisans would see a tax reduction. Illinois has the 8th-most unfair tax system in the United States and is only one of 8 states with a flat-rate tax. It is time for a change.

    https://itep.org/illinois/ for reference.


  66. - Jibba - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:37 pm:

    Dems want to raise taxes. Republicans want to cut spending.

    When the Dems were in office, they raised taxes. When the Republicans were in office, they spent every dime plus billions more. Who do you think is sincere in their arguments?


  67. - Nacho - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 3:59 pm:

    ==From Steve’s link:

    “In 2016, the most recent year of data available, tax filers earning more than $100,000 per year made up 19.4 percent of taxpayers. This group earned 62 percent of the state’s income and paid roughly 65 percent of all personal income taxes, or nearly two thirds.

    The top 1 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $500,000 per year, paid nearly 23 percent of all income taxes while earning about 20 percent of all income, a gap of 3 percent.

    All other income groups earn a larger share of total income than their share of the total tax burden.”==

    Given the declining marginal utility of money, this is a poor metric by which to measure the fairness of the income tax.


  68. - Norseman - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:06 pm:

    Yada, yada, yada. Now go back to irrelevant land.


  69. - Jabba - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:08 pm:

    @Jibba - Republicans want to cut spending.

    They got ya good. They call paying old bills “spending”. By that measure alone they are patently dishonest.
    More accurate - Republicans have a history of increasing debt.


  70. - Nonbeleiver - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:12 pm:

    “The top 1 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $500,000 per year, paid nearly 23 percent of all income taxes……”

    for those who have a business/profession that can not leave in Illinois, ‘you got em.’
    They will have to stay. for the others they will leave the state. Some very quickly an d some over a period of time as it suits their financial interests.

    That is reality and Pritzker really does not care.


  71. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:17 pm:

    ===for the others they will leave the state. Some very quickly an d some over a period of time as it suits their financial interests.===

    Opinion.

    The facts indicate those most likely to leave are those looking for more opportunities.

    Rich has had multiple posts on this, I suggest you look them up.


  72. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:23 pm:

    - Nonbeliever -

    Start here…

    tiny.cc/bvbh3y

    “Are we blaming the wrong thing?” - Friday, Jun 8, 2018


  73. - City Zen - Friday, Feb 22, 19 @ 4:38 pm:

    ==It is time for a change. https://itep.org/illinois/ for reference.==

    “Who Pays?” Doesn’t Tell Us Much About Who Actually Pays State Taxes
    https://taxfoundation.org/itep-who-pays-analysis/


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