Springfield News
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As Mayor Rahm Emanuel pointed out Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker has been in office for nearly 100 days.
But Pritzker’s campaign committee kept on spending during the first quarter of 2019, according to the most recent report filed by JB for Governor with state officials.
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APR 17, 2019
The American Conservative Union Foundation on Tuesday rated the General Assembly’s as being much less conservative in 2018 as compared with 2017, according to the group’s annual scorecard out this week, while the Chicago chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America backed two bills designed to expand access to abortion.
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Fresh off weeks of consistent action in Springfield — most of which has been colored by the debate over a proposed graduated income tax — a bipartisan foursome of lawmakers took the issue to the City Club of Chicago Monday amid the continuing dispute over whether such a constitutional change would chase the wealthiest taxpayers out of Illinois.
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Members of the Senate Black Caucus are fighting a bill that would force private firms to pay their workers the prevailing wage in an area — a move the business community claims is tantamount to “forced unionization” — at least until trade unions can promise meaningful inclusion of minority workers in their ranks.
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Six of the 10 marquee bills the House Progressive Caucus announced it would push during the spring legislative session have passed the House as of Thursday — several by wide margins — and will advance to the Senate.
Members of the Progressive Caucus unveiled a list of 10 bills they plan to focus on. [Twitter/@Delia4StateRep]
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Democrats on Tuesday introduced language for their proposed constitutional amendment for a graduated income tax, which will be heard in Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday and read into the record on the floor ready for action.
Gov. JB Pritzker address reporters about his proposal for a graduated income tax. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
Lawmakers are set to go on a two-week spring break next week.
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APR 09, 2019
UNLOCKED
Illustration: Jim Siergey for BGA
By Tim Jones and Bob Secter, Better Government Association
When Illinois’ income tax rate jumped a record 67% earlier this decade, critics warned it would drive away the wealthy who invest in businesses and jobs. Instead, IRS data show, the better off flourished.
Similar arguments are now being raised by opponents of Gov. JB Pritzker’s push for a new and steeper tax hike on the wealthy. But if past is prologue, a trove of federal data on Illinois taxpayers undercuts predictions of a stampede for the exits among residents of means.
