Lake County Gazette

State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) is relieved voters finally know what he sees as the truth about J.B. Pritzker.

“The failed governor isn’t pretending anymore,” McSweeney said. “He is threatening you and telling you he wants to raise your taxes through the roof. We need to cut Illinois taxes, not raise them.”

The progressive tax proposal Pritzker has been selling since his days as a candidate is far from being a sure thing when it appears on the Nov. 3 ballot. Democrat Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton recently warned voters if the proposal fails, taxpayers could soon face a 20% state income tax hike to cover any looming budget shortfall. Such a steep rise would send rates spiraling to an all-time personal high state income tax rate for residents of 5.94%.

Since then, the governor has essentially co-signed Stratton’s threat, further warning taxpayers it’s either the progressive tax or a 15% cut in government services, which could mean cuts in funding for education and public safety and a state property tax increase.

“Taxes, taxes and more taxes,” McSweeney added. “I'm a 'hell no' on the Pritzker/Lightfoot progressive income tax hike constitutional amendment.”

McSweeney has long made his feelings known about the tax, previously blasting it as a “code phrase for an eventual massive tax increase on Illinois’ middle class.”

While Pritzker has long sold the tax as only meaning higher rates for the state’s most affluent residents, McSweeney argues nothing about it adds up.

“The progressive income tax, the linchpin of the Pritzker plan, wouldn’t hurt the wealthy a lot – they easily can move out of Illinois,” he said in an op-ed he recently penned for Illinois News Network. “It would harm the middle class. There is a reason we do not see a tax rate schedule from those supporting the progressive income tax. They do not want voters to see exactly who the progressive income tax will affect.”