GOP candidates for Illinois governor discuss tax plans

[June 06, 2022]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The six candidates running for the Republican nomination for governor laid out what they would do to help ease the burden on Illinois taxpayers.

Illinois has some of the highest taxes in the nation, including among the highest property taxes.

During a debate hosted by WLS this week, the six candidates were asked what they would do to help lower taxes.

State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, suggests starting from the bottom with the budget.

"We have to stop this nonsense," Bailey said. "I suggest a zero-based budget starting at ground zero. We need to start rebuilding and getting the fat out of our budget because I have seen it for four years."

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin says policy makers have to lower property taxes as he says he's done every year while in office. Irvin said that's exactly what he can do for the rest of the state if elected governor.

"We can reduce property taxes each and every year, just as I have done in the city of Aurora," Irvin said. "Every year I have been here we have reduced taxes unlike my opponent Darren Bailey, who has raised property taxes 81% and voted on it 13 times."

Irvin and Bailey have been the front runners in recent polling, which also shows about a third of likely Republican voters are still undecided.

Petersburg native and entrepreneur Jesse Sullivan said that he will never raise taxes on the people of Illinois and has signed a promise to that claim.

Separate screenshots of recent events from state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who are both seeking the Republican nomination for Illinois governor. - BlueRoomStream

"I am the only candidate in this race that has signed a taxpayer protection pledge," Sullivan said. "It says I refuse to raise taxes on the people of Illinois. No other candidate has done that and you have to ask why?"

Illinois has a 6.25% sales tax and an average combined local and state sales tax rate of 8.81%. Illinois' current tax system ranks 36th in the nation according to TaxFoundation.org. The state also has the highest gas tax in the region after a bipartisan measure supported by Gov. J.B. Pritzker doubled the state's gas tax in 2019. The state's sales tax is added on top of that.

Former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, said if he is elected governor, Illinoisans will no longer have to deal with a tax on top of a tax.

"The most predatory practice is charging tax on tax," Schimpf said. "We are proposing a constitutional amendment that will put an end to that predatory practice and we also have to do something about these property taxes."

Other candidates on the Republican ballot include attorney Max Solomon and businessman Gary Rabine.

The primary election will be held on June 28 with early voting underway.

Andrew Hensel has years of experience as a reporter and pre-game host for the Joliet Slammers, and as a producer for the Windy City Bulls. A graduate of Iowa Wesleyan University and Illinois Media School, Andrew lives in the south suburbs of Chicago.