Prairie State Wire

Former Republican House Floor Leader Peter Breen isn’t surprised to see democrats remain true to their word when it comes to taxes.

“The idea of idea of democrats now looking to raise taxes shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone,” Breen told the DuPage Policy Journal. “During the last election, they ran on the platform of a tax hike with every democrat standing in support of the graduated income tax. That’s who they’ve always been and nothing’s changed.”

With the first meeting between House members in roughly eight months slated for any day now, GOP lawmakers worry talk of yet another tax hike will be among the first topics broached by longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan given the state faces a $4 billion budget shortfall.

Breen argues that Madigan may be even more motivated than usual to hammer an increase across the finish line.

“He’s trying to save his own skin with tax hike proposal,” he said. “He’s trying to shore up his base of support in hopes of securing another term as another term as Speaker.”

With the state’s longest running lawmaker now at the center of a federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme where all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation, at least 19 Democratic lawmakers have come out to insist they have no intentions of supporting his re-election campaign.

Breen, meanwhile, is hoping to see voters say enough is enough.

“The national trend for states is to be reducing taxes and regulations, but Illinois is taking the opposite path and were paying the price as a state,” he said. “We need to take a stand.”

Breen argues all the difficulties now faced by the state can be traced back to democratic rule.

“They’ve controlled the House for 40 years now,” he said. “Any significant structural problems in the state start with them.”