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 Summer 2017 has been rough on
Illinois taxpayers’ wallets.
The Illinois General Assembly passed a 32 percent income tax hike, the largest
permanent income tax hike in Illinois history. The personal income tax has
increased to 4.95 percent from 3.75 percent and the corporate income tax has
increased to 7 percent from 5.25 percent, effective retroactive to July 1. This
hike is estimated to bring in about $5 billion annually, meaning each Illinois
household will eventually have to pay $1,125 in additional taxes annually.
But the General Assembly didn’t stop there. Included in the tax hike bill are
additional taxes on cable and satellite TV, as well as expanded sales taxes on
storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services.
 Lawmakers pushed through these tax hikes despite opposition from an overwhelming
majority of Illinois voters, according to a statewide poll conducted in May by
Fabrizio, Lee & Associates and commissioned by the Illinois Policy Institute.
In addition to the taxes the state has created, this year taxpayers are also
bearing the burden of increased local taxes. More than 50 local governments have
implemented sales tax increases across the state effective as of July 1. These
increases range from 0.25 percent to 1.5 percent and add to the Illinois’
combined sales tax rate, which is already the highest in the Midwest.
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All of this is loaded on top of the
highest property taxes in the nation that Illinois taxpayers pay.
A taxpayer bill of rights would give
voters a stronger voice by requiring politicians to first seek
permission from voters before they can raise taxes. A taxpayer bill
of rights, such as the one adopted as an amendment to the Colorado
Constitution, also would control government spending by creating a
limit on how much revenue can increase each year, based on a formula
of population plus inflation. This would bring more transparency to
the budgeting process and prevent politicians from suddenly
increasing taxes on Illinoisans.
In fact, a bill was introduced into the General Assembly this year
to amend the Illinois Constitution by adding a taxpayer bill of
rights. Unfortunately, this bill never even made it out of the Rules
Committee, which House Speaker Mike Madigan controls. This shows
that Illinois politicians are not interested in giving voters a say
in the taxes being imposed. If this bill had passed, it could have
prevented all the tax increases the General Assembly implemented
this year.
Illinois taxpayers deserve a voice in budgeting decisions.
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