SPRINGFIELD-- Government watchdog group Ideas Illinois is demanding greater transparency from Democratic leaders on the issues of taxes.
In a March 4 news release, the group called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate Majority Leader John Cullerton to live stream secret meetings being proposed on taxes.
“Republican leaders [Rep. Jim] Durkin and [Sen. Bill] Brady have stated unequivocally they are opposed to this massive jobs tax so that leaves Democratic leaders negotiating higher taxes behind closed doors,” Ideas Illinois Chairman Greg Baise said in the release.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker
“If Democrats remain hellbent trying to raise taxes again, then they should reject the Springfield-style behind-closed-doors meetings and live stream the negotiations over their proposed tax hikes so voters have a clear indication as to just how high their taxes could go.”
Pritzker, who has been pushing his idea for a graduated income tax since his days campaign, recently told reporters he plans to open talks about rate structures for the plan over the next few weeks.
As part of any negotiation, Ideas Illinois has previously demanded that every lawmaker in Springfield release their own full personal tax returns before supporting what would mark the state’s third income tax hike in just the last eight years.
“Anyone, Republican or Democrat, should release their own full personal tax returns before they support or sign a third income tax hike into law,” Baise said in the release. “It should be lost on no one that the individuals who are planning this secret negotiating have been the architects of the two largest income tax increases in Illinois’ history without disclosing their tax returns, and while Gov. Pritzker has made this jobs tax the centerpiece of his administration, he also has not disclosed his full income tax returns.”
Ideas Illinois is a new initiative of the Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity “committed to improving and growing Illinois’ economy by promoting free-market principles anchored in a reasonable and predictable tax system.”
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