Prairie State Wire

Government watchdog group Ideas Illinois thinks voters should have serious questions for Gov. J.B. Pritzker when it comes to his jobs tax-rate proposal.

“We can’t trust Springfield politicians – the same people who in the last eight years have raised taxes twice – with a blank check,” Ideas Illinois Chairman Greg Baise was quoted in a March 7 press release. “Today’s proposal is just a massive jobs tax on Illinois families and will destroy the Illinois economy and further accelerate people fleeing the state.”

After months of promoting his proposed graduated-rate income-tax plan, Pritzker recently rolled out more of the details for the proposal he insists will raise upwards of $3 billion by taxing the rich and result in lower taxes for at least 97 percent of other state residents. More specifically, the plan calls for raising the current 4.95-percent tax on residents making more than $1 million to 7.95 percent.

Ideas Illinois Chairman Greg Baise

Among the questions that Baise said residents should have for Pritzker is, are the rates going to be part of the state constitution, and how can they be certain that they won’t soon change again?

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,” according to the press release.