Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Republican Party (ILGOP) says new House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is wanting a tax hike just one month into his speakership.

Welch has proposed that Illinois Democrats should try to pass a constitutional amendment implementing a progressive income tax, even though that referendum failed in November. 

“We have to tell the voters what we’re going to do with that money,” Welch said during a virtual event hosted by the Economic Club of Chicago. “I certainly think tying that new revenue to pensions would be a winner.”

ILGOP spokesman Joe Hackler responded to this, saying that it had clearly been rejected by Illinoisans already.

“What the new Speaker doesn’t understand is that the people of Illinois did not reject the Madigan-Pritzker tax hike amendment because they were confused on what the revenue would be used for,” Hackler said in a statement. “They rejected the tax hike amendment because new revenue would be sent to Springfield to be squandered by the same corrupt politicians and Democratic Party that got us into this financial crisis in the first place.” 

The ILGOP believes "the ill-conceived proposal shows a lack of judgment, as well as Welch’s true priorities: paying off those inside state government while Illinoisans pick up the tab." 

“As more and more former elected officials and insiders are indicted as part of former Speaker Madigan’s corruption scheme (including just last night), Democrats in Springfield continue to plead for more money,” a news release from the ILGOP states. “The reality is that the Madigan-Pritzker tax hike amendment was defeated overwhelmingly last year because Illinoisans don’t trust the corrupt insider system that has controlled state government for years.”