|
 The progressive income tax is arguably the most pressing policy
question facing Illinois today. Scrapping Illinois’ constitutionally protected
flat income tax, as gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker and others have
proposed, would expose the state’s middle class to brutal tax hikes.
But one lawmaker is attempting to avoid responsibility for the issue altogether.
In an email response to a constituent, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora,
attempted to wash her hands of the tax. “The question of a progressive tax is
not mine to vote for,” she wrote. “The question has to be put on the 2020 ballot
and the voters of the state of Illinois have to vote for it to be implemented.”
In order to amend the Illinois Constitution to allow for a
progressive income tax, it’s true that voters would need to approve of the
change on the 2020 ballot.
 But what Kifowit fails to mention is that lawmakers like her have to pass
legislation to get that question on the ballot in the first place. She is wrong
to claim she doesn’t have a vote on the issue. In fact, her vote is critical.
Article XIV of the Illinois Constitution discusses the process by which the
Illinois Constitution can be changed. One option would be for the General
Assembly to call a constitutional convention. This would mirror the process in
1970 that gave Illinois the current iteration of the state constitution. Since
this would likely take power away from lawmakers, the most likely path appears
in Section 2(a), which outlines the following process:
-
Amendments to the constitution can be initiated in the
Illinois House of Representatives or the Senate.
-
Amendments must be read in full on three different days in
the House and the Senate and reproduced before the vote is taken on final
passage.
-
Amendments approved by three-fifths of the House and the
Senate will be submitted to voters at the next general election, occurring
at least six months after legislative approval.
[to top of second column] |
In short, state representatives such as Kifowit are
the driving force behind constitutional amendments outside of
citizen initiatives.
Destroying Illinois’ constitutionally protected
flat income tax would remove one of the only pro-taxpayer policies
in the state. While sold as a tax on the rich, the reality is that
higher tax rates under a progressive tax system creep down into
lower income levels, harming the very people politicians claim they
are helping.
Here are the facts:
First, a progressive tax hike could hit single taxpayers earning as
little as $17,300 a year. This would mean that the average family
with two kids and a $73,000 annual income would see their tax bill
go up an additional $665.
Second, tax hikes kill economic growth, period. If Illinois enacted
the progressive tax proposal put forth by state Rep. Robert Martwick,
D-Chicago, it’s estimated that the state would lose $5.5 billion and
34,500 jobs in the first year alone. In the last 10 years, states
without a progressive tax experienced 36 percent more GDP growth,
employment grew 37 percent faster and wages increased 21 percent
more than in states with a progressive tax, according to the Bureau
of Economic Analysis.
And finally, the truth is Illinois doesn’t have a revenue problem,
it has a spending problem. State government spending grew 25 percent
faster than personal incomes from 2005 to 2015, which is faster than
taxpayers can afford.
Despite pressure from their local officials, many members of the
Illinois House of Representatives have refused to publicly oppose
the progressive tax. Illinoisans can contact their state
representative and tell him or her to sign the pledge to oppose a
progressive income tax and protect taxpayers by clicking here.
Click here to respond to the editor about this article
 |
