Lake County Gazette

Illinois needs pension reform, the Wirepoints president said, but not by finding new tax plans as Democrats have done.

"[Democrats] know people want to see pension reform, but all they're offering up are money taxes, more throwing money into a broken system," Ted Dabrowski told the Lake County Gazette. "People have had enough and they'll view this as an insult."

Nearly four months ago, voters rejected a similar progressive tax proposal. House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) said recently that lawmakers are considering reviving the failed tax plan in a conversation with the Economic Club of Chicago.

If passed, the tax would have been imposed on higher earners in Illinois.

If a measure comes before the Legislature, Welch said this time around, most of the revenue would go toward paying down the state's $141 billion in unfunded pension liability.

Dabrowski of the right-leaning Wirepoints said that voters had heard such plans before.

"It's no better idea when voters rejected it back in November," he said. "I think people are learning more and more about how broken this pension system is, and they're eager to reject this tax again. They're sensing just how corrupt their government has been, and they've had enough of all the gimmicks."

Dabrowski said a new Moody's Analytics report showed pension debt rose by $56 billion last year to at least $317 billion overall is more fuel for the fire.

"It proves tax hikes like this won't begin to fix the problem," he said. "The only answer is real reform, and Democrats haven't shown any willingness to do that."

In November, voters overwhelmingly shot down a similar proposal when the initiative gained just over 47% of the 60% support it needed for passage.