The Illinois General Assembly passed a budget, including the largest permanent tax hike in state history, without structural spending reforms. Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the plan on Independence Day, and the Senate voted to override the governor’s veto. The package now heads to the House for an override vote.
The Illinois Senate on July 4 approved the House’s budget plan, which Gov. Bruce Rauner has said he will veto.
Hays is one of 15 Illinois House Republicans who voted for a permanent income tax hike.
The Illinois House on July 2 passed Senate Bill 9, which includes a 32 percent income tax hike. State Rep. David McSweeney filed a bill that would repeal that permanent tax hike should it become law.
Though U.S. gas prices have dropped to near all-time lows, Illinois’ state and local taxes make gas costlier in the Land of Lincoln than in neighboring states.
Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto nixing fee hikes from a 911 service reauthorization bill lawmakers sent to his desk, noting Illinoisans already pay some of the nation’s highest taxes on their cellphones. But those fee hikes will become law, as lawmakers have voted to override the governor’s veto.
Taxes on alcoholic beverages in Illinois are among the highest in the Midwest.
Use our tax hike calculator to find out how much the permanent 32% income tax rate hike will cost you.
More than a dozen Republicans joined House Democrats in passing a budget that includes a massive tax hike and no structural spending reforms. Gov. Bruce Rauner said he would veto the plan.
Term limits were once a key component of GOP plans to dismantle Illinois’ corrupt political machine, but Republicans in Springfield have thrown in the towel on this reform.