Prairie State Wire

The House Executive Committee recently favorably reported a resolution altering the wording of the progressive tax amendment for the November ballot.

House Joint Resolution 124 sets forth an explanation of the proposed amendment, a brief argument in favor and against, as well as how the amendment will appear on the ballot in November.

"This explanation about how many states do it like this, that sounds like it's in favor," House Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) said during the meeting. "Why are you choosing to include an amendment in favor in the explanation of the amendment?"

House Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Westchester) said that "reasonable minds would disagree" because the statement in the explanation that many states use a progressive tax is a fact, not an argument in favor of the amendment.

"We have other facts," Demmer said. "Can we include it's taking $3.5 billion from taxpayers? That we’ve raised taxes twice in recent years? We have facts here, too, but we understand that some facts that you can use in favor and or opposed and that the explanation should be an explanation."

Demmer said those opposed to the wording have observed that there is a place for those arguments to live and that place is not the explanation.

Welch said Demmer's remarks were duly noted.

"The arguments you made in favor of voting yes is only those making more than $250,000 a year see taxes go up, but there is nothing in the amendment that establishes income levels, correct?" Demmer asked.

Welch agreed that the actual levels were not part of the amendment and would be set by the legislature.

The bill was reported favorably to the House floor with 10 "Yes" votes and three "No" votes. The bill was placed on the calendar order of resolutions.