Governor issues warning after loss of ‘fair tax’ amendment

Posted on November 5, 2020
Gov. Pritzker said the graduated income tax was one of three solutions to the state’s fiscal woes, the others being: raise taxes on everybody; and make cuts. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – “There will be cuts, and they will be painful.”

That’s Gov. JB Pritzker’s post mortem Wednesday for the defeat of his graduated income tax proposal the night before. Pritzker put tens of millions of dollars of his own money into the campaign to convince voters to switch the Illinois income tax from flat to graduated.

“The worst thing is, the same billionaires who lied to you about the ‘fair tax’ are more than happy to hurt our public schools, shake the foundations of our cities, and diminish our state.”

Pritzker said the graduated income tax was one of three solutions to the state’s fiscal woes, the others being: raise taxes on everybody; and make cuts.

Also at Wednesday’s coronavirus briefing, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state public health director, said, “Whomever is elected or re-elected president does not absolve anyone of personal responsibility,” including using hand sanitizer and face masks.

The state reported 7,538 new cases and 55 more deaths. Illinois is approaching 10.000 coronavirus deaths.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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