Lake County Gazette

With Gov. J.B. Pritzker poised to deliver his State of the State and Budget Address, state Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) argues the only message residents want to hear centers on the kind of tax relief now being proposed by Senate Republicans.  

“Illinois needs tax relief now and it needs to be permanent, not the one-time election-year gimmicks we will hear from the governor on Wednesday when he gives his State of the State and Budget Address,” Wilcox posted on Facebook.

Wilcox isn’t alone in saying that taxpayers need some help.

“What they need is true, long-lasting tax relief that gets our state on the right track,” said Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “People continue to be taxed out of this state. Short-term solutions will not fix that.”

As part of their tax relief package, Republican lawmakers are pushing for reforms they say help address inflation. These changes include the elimination of the state’s 1% sales tax on food and prescription drugs.

They are also calling for an increase in the state’s property tax income tax credit, with the plan being proposed to double the tax credit to 10 percent. The plan also paves the way for voters impacted by the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) to go to referendum to lower their property taxes.

“It is no secret to anyone that property taxes have been a serious, long-standing issue that many Illinoisans continue to face,” Wilcox posted on his website. “For years, Illinois politicians have promised to provide property tax relief, and we intend to keep that promise.”

According to Illinois Policy Institute, since Pritzker took office in 2019, taxpayers have been hit with  $5.24 billion in increased taxes stemming from the 24 new or increased taxes and fees he has supported. As recently as in 2019, the state was home to the10th highest tax burden in the country, with over 11% of residents’ income going to state and local taxes.