Bill Text: IL HR0975 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Opposes the implementation of a graduated income tax in Illinois.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 54-1)

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HR0975 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR0975-Introduced.html


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HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is the 6th most populous
3state in the country; it is home to world-class cities,
4enriched communities, renowned tourist destinations, and is a
5leader in many areas including transportation, technology,
6finance, manufacturing, agriculture, and, most importantly,
7access to an unrivaled labor force; and
8 WHEREAS, There are many positive aspects of this State that
9should be applauded and highlighted, unfortunately, we find
10ourselves at a true crossroads; years of fiscal
11irresponsibility and political malfeasance have resulted in an
12undesirable state of affairs that has plagued and will continue
13to loom over the Land of Lincoln; and
14 WHEREAS, Based on 2015 American Community Survey (ACS) data
15collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois experienced a
163.7% increase when comparing the median household income
17reported in the 2014 ACS ($57,478) and the 2015 ACS ($59,588);
18the 3.7% increase was just under the U.S. average of 3.8%;
19moreover, the states of Missouri and Wisconsin witnessed more
20substantial increases; and
21 WHEREAS, Illinois has to move towards a future that seeks
22and expects to be competitive in all sectors; that is what

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1every State across America is doing in order to embolden their
2residents and, furthermore, attract the best and brightest
3employees and employers; and
4 WHEREAS, It is with this reality in mind that Illinois
5lawmakers now more than ever must act in order to ensure that
6the best days for Illinoisans are ahead of us; the time of
7kicking the can down the road and blatant inaction and
8disregard is over; Illinois must unequivocally reinforce the
9notion, not only to every resident but to any person that may
10wish to come to the Prairie State, that Illinois is truly
11forward-looking; and
12 WHEREAS, There is no greater threat to Illinoisans
13currently than that of continuing down the trajectory that we
14are on today; through years of laxity, unchecked spending, and
15ever-growing means of overtaxation, Illinois residents are
16being subjected to incredible pressures to leave their homes
17and relocate elsewhere; and
18 WHEREAS, Illinois has among some of the highest tax burdens
19of any state not only in the Midwest, but in the country;
20Illinois has one of the highest average property tax burdens in
21the United States; Illinois residents are charged one of the
22highest average combined State and local sales taxes; if this
23were not enough, Illinois has estate, corporate franchise, and

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1numerous other State and local taxes that make taxpayers
2reasonably question what Springfield is doing right; and
3 WHEREAS, The Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate
4Index for 2018 ranked Illinois 29th on its yearly report that
5compares the states' tax systems; comparatively, Indiana was
6ranked 9th, Michigan was ranked 12th, and Missouri came in at
716th most favorable; and
8 WHEREAS, Things must change for the better through fiscally
9responsible and sustainable initiatives that foster economic
10growth and cease to be an over-encumbrance on Illinois
11taxpayers; this is why proposals such as those calling for a
12graduated income tax to be adopted in this State must be denied
13outright; and
14 WHEREAS, The Federation of Tax Administrators found in data
15compiled for their 2015 state and local revenues comparison
16that, per capita, the average taxpayer paid a total of $5,751
17in state and local taxes, the 12th highest in the country; when
18comparing this amount to the percentage of an average
19taxpayer's income (11.7%), Illinois came in 8th highest in the
20country; comparatively, not one of our neighbor states (i.e.,
21Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, or Missouri) landed in the
22top 15; and

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1 WHEREAS, To continue on this senseless path of
2overburdening and debilitating propositions of increased
3taxation and reckless spending is simply unconscionable;
4proponents of a graduated income tax offer that this is a
5"fair" treatment of taxpayers, yet this is far from the truth;
6and
7 WHEREAS, Studies have shown that states with graduated
8income taxes impose an increased burden on the middle-class;
9this venture, instead of creating fairness, exasperates the tax
10base; and
11 WHEREAS, States that impose graduated income tax rates,
12which vary in application but number 33 in all, present a
13troublesome case for their residents, and would, undoubtedly,
14present an equally problematic case here in Illinois; looking
15at California, for example, which has one of the most so-called
16progressive income tax bracket systems, with a base rate of 1%
17and a top marginal rate of 13.3%, an Illinois taxpayer that is
18earning a median household income of approximately $59,000
19would be subject to a 9.3% income tax rate under the Golden
20State's model - nearly doubling the current Illinois tax; using
21the New York tax structure, the Illinois taxpayer would be
22subject to a 6.33% state tax rate; using the New Jersey model,
23that same Illinois taxpayer would be subjected to a 5.525%
24income tax rate; and

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1 WHEREAS, Graduated income taxes only create added burdens
2and dissuade economic prosperity, two unintended consequences
3that proponents of enacting such a tax system fail to mention;
4organizations including the Civic Federation and Taxpayers'
5Federation of Illinois have provided detailed analyses of
6hypothetical scenarios where Illinois would impose such a tax;
7these figures might please proponents that only focus on
8increasing revenues, but it must be noted that there will be a
9cost to such a proposal that one group, Illinois families, will
10have to pay for; and
11 WHEREAS, National organizations, such as the Hoover
12Institution, have outlined the gross inadequacies of the
13graduated income tax system; while it may appear to provide
14equity, the so-called progressive income tax punishes
15hard-working, middle-class families, as they make up the
16majority of the tax base; there is nothing fair in making
17average Illinoisans pay for the shortcomings of a legislature
18that has created a tax and spend paradigm that is
19unsustainable; and
20 WHEREAS, Proposals calling for a graduated income tax
21introduced in recent years in the legislature have failed to
22even begin the discussion because legislators and proponents
23alike realize that such an initiative would lead to irreparable

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1damage that would only serve to further impair the economic
2outlook of Illinois; and
3 WHEREAS, A move to amend the constitution to allow for such
4a repugnant affront to Illinois families would be an act of
5utter insult to Illinois taxpayers and a dereliction of the
6duty owed to taxpayers by members of the legislative branch of
7government, a body that is supposed to improve the general
8welfare and protect the best interests of all Illinoisans;
9nothing about creating an unfair, unequal, and avaricious tax
10system helps the General Assembly accomplish these ends;
11therefore, be it
12 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14stand united in opposition to any measure that would allow the
15creation of a graduated income tax on Illinois residents; and
16be it further
17 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18delivered to each member of the Illinois General Assembly and
19the Office of the Governor as a testament to our unwavering
20commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of families across
21this great State.
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