With the new Governor taking office next month, one of the many things on his plate is a new progressive, or graduated, income tax plan in place.
Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker wants to implement a plan that would require wealthier Illinois citizens to pay a higher tax rate than lower-income residents.
37th District State Senator Chuck Weaver says that a constitutional amendment would be needed to make that happen, “for that to happen, it would have to be a constitutional amendment that would have to be first put on the [November ballot] and then what would have to happen, is for it to be approved there.”
Weaver adds that even if the governor is unable to get the constitutional amendment passed, there’s still a way for him to get the tax system in place. “He has talked about doing something, where in effect, he can accomplish the same objective by raising taxes for everyone and then giving exemptions for low-income earners to have the same effect. I believe if he did [that it] would be constitutionally challenged.
Weaver says that regardless as to how this shakes down, Illinois voters will be apart of this big decision.
Among other things that Governor-elect Pritzker supports that Weaver opposes is marijuana legalization and an increase in the state’s gas tax.
