State Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) wonders why Illinois would be any different from every other state that has tried a progressive tax system similar to the one being pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“None of the other states with progressive tax systems have seen things turn out the way it was said,” Murphy told the Sangamon Sun. “My problem is the rates for this thing are not set for the constitutional amendment that’s needed. There are no assurances that the rates are locked in, meaning they can easily be changed.”
Murphy is just one of a growing chorus of critics of the plan that worry many of the numbers being promoted by Pritzker and his Democratic supporters don’t add up. Government watchdog website Wirepoints recently assailed the plan as a deceitful scheme designed to fleece already over-burdened taxpayers out of even more of their hard-earned cash.
State Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield)
While Pritzker and company have sought to sell the plan as one that will ultimately slash taxes for most Illinoisans, address pension debt and generate more state revenue, Wirepoints begs to differ. As part of its analysis, the website pegs the state’s “true hole” at more than six times higher than the approximately $3 billion figure given by supporters as bottom-line numbers around which the plan was designed.
“The last numbers I heard from the group were around $3.1 billion,” Murphy added. “They’ve been all over.”
Murphy said he has every reason to think Republican caucus members will remain firm in their opposition to the tax-hiking plan, unlike in 2017 when more than a few GOP members ultimately crossed over in support of a 32-percent permanent income tax hike pushed by Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).
“Right now, our caucus is pretty strong and in 100-percent agreement about this,” Murphy said. “I can’t look into the future and predict things, but I can tell you I don’t see myself supporting this.”
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