State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) is convinced that Gov. J.B. Pritzker's graduated income tax plan will kill jobs for Illinois.
"We live in the best state with the best people," McSweeney said on the House floor Monday. "The problem we have is we’re losing people because of our high level of taxation."
McSweeney said the Democrats' real plan is to tax the middle class in the future.
State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills)
"That’s why rates are not being voted on," he said. "We should be talking about pension reform, Medicaid reform and cutting spending. This is more of the same: taxes, taxes and more taxes."
McSweeney said Illinois is going to lose Congressional seats after the next census.
"We have an opportunity today to defeat this constitutional amendment and do the real business of the people, which is reforming this state," McSweeney said Monday. "This will kill jobs. We’re going to lose people."
Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 1 passed the House with 73 Yes votes and 44 No votes. It will now be on the November 2020 ballot for Illinois voters to decide. Every single Republican voted no on the bill.
Many businesses and individuals have spoken out about their disapproval of a graduated income tax structure. Critics like McSweeney and his GOP colleagues suggest that because rates are not nailed down in the amendment, the new plan will eventually be a tax on the middle class.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been adamant about his preference for a "fair tax" since running for governor last year.
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