Governor Rauner Statement on Speaker Madigan's 32 percent Tax Hike

[July 03, 2017]  SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner today issued the following statement following the House of Representative's passage of a 32 percent income tax hike without any reforms to grow the economy, create jobs, or provide property tax relief:

“When I took office, I promised the taxpayers of Illinois that I would fight every day to take this state in a new direction after decades of failed leadership from both parties. Today, Springfield has decided to give the people of Illinois the largest tax hike in history and continue out of balance budgets with no real reform.

"Under Speaker Madigan’s direction, legislators chose to double down on higher taxes while protecting the special interests and refusing to reform the status quo. It’s a repeat of the failed policies that created this financial crisis and caused jobs and taxpayers to flee.

"I will veto Mike Madigan’s permanent 32 percent tax hike. Illinois families don’t deserve to have more of the hard-earned money taken from them when the legislature has done little to restore confidence in government or grow jobs. Illinois families deserve more jobs, property tax relief and term limits. But tonight they got more of the same.

"For two and a half years we have been working to find common ground on a balanced budget. As recently as two days ago we believed that was possible.

"The legislature could have passed a no reform budget like this one two years ago. Instead, they allowed Mike Madigan to play his political games, passed phony budgets, racked up our debt and inflicted pain on the most vulnerable. All of this to force a permanent, 32 percent tax increase on Illinois families

"Moving forward, this vote shows that if the legislature is willing to pass the largest tax hike in state history with no reforms, then we must engage citizens and redouble our efforts to change the state. "​

[Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner]