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In 2011, Illinois Democrats, led by Gov. Pat Quinn, decided to raise taxes rather than cut spending in order to fix its budget. This resulted in a ‘’temporary’’ income tax increase from 3% to 5%. Now Gov. Quinn and his Democrat allies in the legislature want to make the 2011 income tax hike permanent after failing to enact a progressive income tax and a millionaire’s tax this legislative session.

Already, Gov. Quinn is the most prolific of tax hiking Democrat governors. Since taking office, he has signed into law $27 billion in higher taxes. According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index, Illinois ranks 31st in the nation in terms of business friendly states. Making the 2011 income tax increase permanent would only serve to drive more jobs and taxpayers from the state.

Democrat Speaker Mike Madigan is pushing his House colleagues to make the “temporary” 2011 tax hike permanent next week.  This would keep the individual income tax rate at 5%, even though Illinois’s tax burden is already one of the highest in the country. By law, the income tax rate in Illinois is set to drop to 3.75% next year and to 3.25% in 2019.

Democrat State Rep. Patrick Verschoore signed ATR’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge, promising not to raise taxes on his constituents. Now Rep. Verschoore is in the position of being a key vote on whether to make the tax increase permanent. ATR urges Rep. Verschoore and his colleagues in the Illinois legislature to show courage and bring Illinois citizens much-needed tax relief and vote no on making the 2011 tax increase permanent. You can contact Rep. Verschoore’s office here

Photo credit: Chris Eaves