Today, Vote Yes For Fairness announced the formation of its steering committee, a group of leaders from diverse organizations across the state fighting to pass the fair tax in Illinois. In the months ahead, the steering committee will play a critical role in Vote Yes For Fairness’s efforts to create a tax system that works for all Illinoisans and put our state on the path to fiscal sustainability and success for all its residents.
The steering committee members are:
Lawrence Benito, Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
John Bouman, Chairman of Vote Yes For Fair Tax and President of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Dr. Byron T. Brazier, Pastor of the Apostolic Church of God
Tim Drea, President of AFL-CIO of Illinois
Michael Eaddy, Pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest
Jessie Fuentes, Co-Chair of the Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago
Kathi Griffin, President of the Illinois Education Association
Jordan Powell, President and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association
Bob Reiter, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor
Stevie Valles, Executive Director of Chicago Votes
AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association
“Our current tax system is failing Illinois’ working families, and we need all hands on deck to replace it with the fair tax,” said Quentin Fulks, Chairman of Vote Yes For Fairness. “I’m proud that our steering committee represents unique voices and interests from across the state that are all united in their support for the fair tax. Together, we will pass the fair tax in November and ensure Illinois is the best place it can be for everyone who calls it home.”
“The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is joining Vote Yes For Fairness’s efforts to pass the fair tax because we believe that we all do better when we all pay our fair share,” said Lawrence Benito, Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “When we all do our part, we can generate the revenue for programs for all Illinois families to thrive.”
“Nothing is more important to fixing the financial situation of our state and improving the lives of our middle and working-class families than passing the fair tax in November,” said John Bouman, President of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and Chairman of Vote Yes For Fair Tax. “In the coming months, Vote Yes For Fair Tax will work hand-in-hand with Vote Yes For Fairness to ensure Illinoisans know the facts on how the fair tax will help our families, our communities, and our state. We are proud to be members of this steering committee, and look forward to seeing the work we can do together on behalf of Illinois families in the months ahead.”
“The AFL-CIO is proud to be a strong ally in the efforts to bring fairness to Illinois’ tax system and to give relief to our working-class families,” said Tim Drea, president of AFL-CIO of Illinois. “Our nearly 900,000 members across the state know that the fair tax is right for Illinois, and we stand ready to fight to make it a reality in our state.”
“As the pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest, I see the challenges my congregants on the west side of Chicago face day in and day out to make ends meet and provide for their families,” said Michael Eaddy, Pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest. “That’s why I’m joining the fight to pass the fair tax, a commonsense measure to give tax relief to those who need it most and to help fund critical social service programs our families rely on.”
“The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago proudly sits on the steering committee for Vote Yes For Fairness,” said Jessie Fuentes, co-chair of the Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago. “A fair tax will allow the schools within our work to be properly funded, will lessen the financial burden of our low income and middle class families, and will allow for essential services and resources to be properly dispersed throughout the state. The Puerto Rican Agenda is a non-profit organization that seeks to influence policy for the advancement of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago, and we believe that a fair tax can help us achieve just that.”
“Illinois has made great progress in the past few years by instituting the Evidence-Based Funding formula to pay for education in the state, but the formula is not fully funded. In passing the fair tax, we could help fully fund the formula and reduce burdensome property taxes, while providing every child with the resources they need for the highest quality education. The fair tax will also generate revenue for our higher education systems, a vital part of the success and the future of our state. That’s why the Illinois Education Association is proud to be a part of this fight,” said Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin.
“Illinois Primary Health Care Association members provide quality health care to more than 1.4 million Illinoisans each year, but we need proper funding to do so. That’s why passing the fair tax in November is so important to this critical work and to the future of our state. The additional revenue the fair tax will generate can go toward ensuring our patients get the care they need, and we are proud to be a part of this crucial fight,” said Jordan Powell, President and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association.
“Illinois’ tax system is failing the middle class in this state. Workers get a raw deal while the wealthiest get a sweet deal. The Chicago Federation of Labor supports the fair tax because it will lift the burden off of the working class and finally create a tax system that works for everyone who calls Illinois home,” said Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter.
“Chicago Votes is dedicated to making our city and our state a better, more inclusive place for future generations, and a critical part of that is passing the fair tax,” Stevie Valles, Executive Director of Chicago Votes said. “The fair tax will generate revenue to help bring our education system up to the standards our young people deserve and set our state on the path to success, and that’s why we are proud to be a part of this fight for the future of Illinois.”
“The Illinois Health and Hospital Association is pleased to support this critical initiative as a member of the Vote Yes for Fairness Steering Committee. It is vitally important that all Illinoisans, especially the most vulnerable children, families and populations, have access to the programs and services they need, including healthcare. That requires the state to have predictable and stable financing, and moving to a graduated income tax system is a fair and workable way to address the state’s financial challenges and needs,” said AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association.
- Steve - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:26 am:
This is an impressive group of special interest groups that want much more revenue for the state of Illinois (because they are major beneficiaries ). We’ve got a fair tax simple now when it comes to state income taxes. The upper 10% of income earners are paying more than 10% of the state income tax haul. The upper 2% are paying more than 2% of the entire state income tax haul. It sure will be easier to change rates without a flax tax.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:38 am:
Terrific. It is correct that the wealthiest get the best deal in Illinois, as well as the need to properly fund education and social services.
Fairness is such a critical component in the graduated income tax. Those who scream the loudest against it are among those who have benefited the most from the flat tax, not paying their fair share for many years.
But, the ILGOP has staked its position very rigidly, being unanimously against fair taxation, and being solely in protection of the wealthiest.
- Charlie Brown - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:39 am:
Seems totally unbalanced geographically and as Steve said, a whole bunch of insiders.
- Romeo - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:40 am:
“That requires the state to have predictable and stable financing,”
I hope that Mr. Wilhelmi realizes when payroll goes down (i.e. salaries reduced, positions eliminated, job loss, etc), that the income tax collected also goes down.
What I mean is that if your $75k a year job gets outsourced to China and you take a $50k a year job, the state has lost that $25k difference to tax. While I don’t necessary agree with exorbitant property taxes, property taxes avoid the booms and bust cycles of business decisions. You can’t escape the property tax trap.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:40 am:
=== We’ve got a fair tax simple now when it comes to state income taxes. The upper 10% of income earners are paying more than 10% of the state income tax haul.===
That’s literally not how it works in the “fair” category, same as the phony argument of “look how much in dollars someone pays”.
Nope.
=== The upper 2% are paying more than 2% of the entire state income tax haul.===
If this was the premise, than 98% of the folks need to pay the 98% needed revenue, earning less than the 2%
Next time, just save the words and type;
“The millionaire tax is wrong”
Why did I start here? Easy.
To the post, these folks are $5 million in, funded. Lots more will be dropped.
The honest Republicans, not the Trumpkins or Raunerites, or even the 51st Staters if we’re talking phonies, know making this about supporting the wealthy paying “only 2% because they’re 2% of the population” is an insanely pathetic way to seem thoughtful to the Illinois’ problems, and also Illinois’ needs.
When Todd Maisch, the biggest supporter of Ken Dunkin, decides he wants to go after this group and tax, realize that saying “population should equal portion of pay” is as ignorant as when the anti-progressive tax folks came out of the gate thinking “millionaire tax” will play.
Show me $8-10 million Mr. Maisch, and put these ridiculous ideas on the Tee-Vee, radio, social media. See how that flies, lol
This group, this organizing, this commitment isn’t folly.
Can they pull off this election victory? We’ll see.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:41 am:
The steering committee is made up of self interested folks, as the higher revenue benefits will go to their members. Never mind that the cost will be born by others. Really not about fair - but rather a political and numbers game. The majority of folks that will pay the higher rates likely are GOP’ers and in total they are not a huge voting block.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:43 am:
meant borne
- Oops - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:44 am:
This is a good group of traditionally known names and interests. I would note the glaring lack of representation of disability and social services groups that are glue in healthy communities throughout our state. Missed opportunity to harness the energy of these voters and their interests.
- Alfred - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:47 am:
–Grandson of Man–
IL Dems have enacted some of the most trivial taxes that only affect low income individuals; ILGOP has fought against many of those. So doesn’t seem fair to say they solely protect the wealthiest. Yes, they want wealthy people taxed less but they are consistent: less taxation across the board throughout the state
- Steve - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:47 am:
-If this was the premise, than 98% of the folks need to pay the 98% needed revenue, earning less than the 2%-
This is a great idea. It would lead to way less rent-seeking. One also could make the argument that the public schools and roads were better before the 1970 state income tax.
- Anon-I-Guess - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:50 am:
Might want to bring in someone who has, idk, run a winning campaign…
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:50 am:
=== This is a great idea.===
Do the math.
It would be a regressive taxing to make that number.
Show your work.
- Alfred - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:52 am:
Follow Up.
That’s not to say the ILGOP approach is an effective model in balancing a budget or paying off our states debts
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 9:56 am:
fairness is in the eye of the beholder. Or the other guy. Not named me
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 10:00 am:
“ILGOP has fought against many of those”
Like when Republicans voted for the flat tax hike in 2017 and the capital bill, in which taxes/fees increase. That was Republicans at their best, ending Rauner’s destruction and rebuilding our roads and bridges.
So, Republicans are okay with raising the income tax and raising taxes and fees for infrastructure, all regressive, but when it comes to taxing the rich more and a large majority less, it’s a unanimous no.
- Montrose - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 10:03 am:
These groups represent a lot of boots on the ground for getting out the vote. They are getting their mobilization infrastructure in place. They aren’t going to lose this vote for lack of money and effort.
- Fixer - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 10:22 am:
For all of the folks railing against a graduated income tax, I hope you guys passed along those same concerns to your federal Congress critters over the last couple of years as well, given federal income tax is already graduated.
- cdog - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 10:27 am:
The Fair Tax argument is filled with fallacies.
If Illinois wants to be more egalitarian and lessen the disadvantages of income inequality, there are many other tools besides chasing away middle and upper income earners with another constitutional death knell.
A good start would be calculating an honest flat tax and use deductions/credits/exemptions to unburden lower income earners. Build consensus. Talk about reducing the size of Illinois government.
That is much more “Fair,” and could be done by the SuperMajority this session.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 10:57 am:
“Executive Director of Chicago Votes”
That’s a funny way to say SEIU.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:17 am:
==given federal income tax is already graduated==
I’m a big fan of the federal tax structure, what with it’s doubled married tax brackets that are indexed to inflation. That reminds me…
- Randomly Selected - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:19 am:
We won’t know how good this committee is until after the general election so meh. And a quick work about tax structure. European countries have taxes that are pretty regressive to fund their social services. It might not be politically feasible in the US or Illinois specifically, but the Europeans do what they have to do to make the math work.
- Let's ne Adults - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:30 am:
BTW - I think the “Fair -Tax” amendment will pass in a landslide. Who wont vote “yes” to tax somebody else?
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:32 am:
All the graduated income tax states around us have better finances and lower unemployment rates. It’s a new decade, and we are called to discard yesteryear’s stale and discredited propaganda. We have to be change people and bring about a fairer tax system, that places the local and state tax burden more onto those who could better-afford it.
- Fixer - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:33 am:
Good to know you’re a fan of a graduated income tax structure CZ.
- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 11:44 am:
“All the graduated income tax states around us have better finances and lower unemployment rates.”
They are also RTW states and they do not have the massive property tax burden we do.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
Peter Cunningham and Ameya Pawar are doing a good impression of Felix Ungar/Oscar Madison. We should demand they share an apartment until they come up with specific policy proposals to match this astute description of the problem.
And I should be working for Netflix. This is comedy gold.
- Sue - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 12:19 pm:
Diverse. LOL- they are all the folks feeding ofc Illinois taxpayers who by the way are declining faster then we can afford
- Wylie Coyote - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 12:29 pm:
Looks like a lot of tax eaters to me…..
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 12:32 pm:
=== Looks like a lot of tax eaters to me…..===
LOL
Lemme guess, “the silent majority feels…”
This Just In:
Pritzker ran his whole campaign around a premise of a progressive income tax. Pritzker won by 16 points.
If all ya got is “tax eaters”, you have nothing.
You’re also $5 mil light, you gonna kick in to save the wealthy?
- Randomly Selected - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 12:58 pm:
== Pritzker ran his whole campaign around a premise of a progressive income tax. Pritzker won by 16 points. ==
So Pritzker doesn’t clear 60% against Bruce Rauner, but the main policy point of his campaign is going to get more than 60% when put up as a referendum?
They better put Jesse Whites name all over it lol
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 1:07 pm:
=== So Pritzker doesn’t clear 60% against Bruce Rauner, but the main policy point of his campaign is going to get more than 60% when put up as a referendum?===
Who said it was going to be easy? It’s uphill at best.
But, Pritzker will probably needs to spend $20 million, so they’ll *spend*….$30 million.
Has Ken Dunkin’s buddy, Todd Maisch, gotten his first $5 million to fight this yet?
It’s going to be fun to see if they can pull this off, both sides.
- PlsSenSorMe - Tuesday, Jan 7, 20 @ 1:21 pm:
One more time, could someone explain to me why a “FAIR” tax doesn’t apply to income earned in Caribbean Trust Funds?