Lake County Gazette

"It's not shocking at all" that Democrats are talking about reviving a failed tax plan to address budget issues in Illinois, Rep. Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) said.

Democrats "seem to have a one-track mind about how we always need to acquire more revenue instead of thinking about how we work to operate as efficiently as possible," Bos told the Lake County Gazette. "It's always what do we do to get more of the money of residents and businesses of this state."

A few months after voters rejected the progressive tax plan pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch discussed possible legislative options during a conversation with the Economic Club of Chicago. That talk included a possible return to the failed tax plan.

This time around, Welch and supporters would want revenues generated from the tax used to pay down the state's $141 billion debt in unfunded pension liability.

Bos can't see enough cash-strapped residents being swayed for it to make a difference.

"Pushing this tax will be a failure again because no matter how they try to package things, it's not what the people want," Bos said. "The bottom line is people do not trust Springfield or the system that's in place. I don't know anyone that believes this money will be used just for pensions."

If it comes to it, Bos said he worries if voters have the spirit for another progressive tax fight so soon after having already expressed themselves.

"Truthfully, I don't think they want to deal with it, and it'll be another red in terms of people saying they've had enough and deciding to leave Illinois because of the tone-deaf nature of Springfield," he said.