Lake County Gazette

A Republican state representative said that for change to happen in Illinois, it first starts with standing up to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his push for a progressive income tax system. 

Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) made his comments in a July interview with the Lake County Gazette, where he said that the current tax policy and overspending do not benefit Illinois. 

“We need to immediately cut taxes to get Illinois’ economy back on track for families and small businesses," McSweeney said, "not raise taxes.”

With Illinois already considered one of the most taxed states, McSweeney said the last thing lawmakers or the governor should impose is another tax while residents and business owners are dealing with the economic downturn and job loss the COVID-19 pandemic created and the unknown of what that financial impact might look like in the future. 

“Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive income tax hike is nothing more than an eventual tax increase on the middle class,” McSweeney said. “Hell no. I’m fighting to cut taxes so that you can keep more of your hard-earned money.”

While Pritzker has long insisted would mean higher rates for the state’s most affluent residents, McSweeney rejected that statement, insisting that the tax effectively adds up to nothing more than “an eventual massive tax increase on the middle class.”

Voters will get their chance to weigh in on the measure in approximately four months when the question of should the current flat tax system be changed to a progressive tax system is set to appear on the ballot in the form of a referendum question.

The Chicago Tribune reported on July 3 that Pritzker contributed another $51.5 million to a ballot initiative committee backing a change to the state constitution that would pave the way for his progressive tax system. Just months ago, he also made a contribution of $5 million to the initiative.