taxes

IFA Breakdown of The Three Advisory Questions on the Illinois Ballot

David E. Smith — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:00:36 +0000

Written by David E. Smith

In addition to voting for federal, state and local candidates, Illinois voters have the opportunity to vote on three advisory questions when casting ballots in the upcoming election. These are non-binding questions and will only function as an official poll of the voting public. However, the results are likely to be used by state lawmakers in the next legislative session in Springfield.

These advisory questions were placed on the general election ballot after Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly passed SB 2412, signed by Governor JB Pritzker on May 3, 2024.… Continue Reading

Illinois Tax and Spend Budget for FY 2025

David E. Smith — Wed, 29 May 2024 13:00:41 +0000

Written by David E. Smith

In the wee hours of the morning, Democrats — who control the Illinois House of Representatives — approved a $53.1 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year. The 3,374 page budget, plus supplemental spending bills, had already been approved by Democrats — who control the Illinois Senate — on Sunday evening.

The budget includes a significant increase in spending — $400 million more than what Governor J.B. Pritzker had initially proposed.

SPOTLIGHT: Illinois General Assembly Session Recap

David E. Smith — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 11:57:01 +0000

Written by David E. Smith

In this week’s podcast episode, Illinois Family Institute lobbyist Ralph Rivera and contract lobbyist Mark Johnson join Monte Larrick to discuss some of the action, and inaction, that occurred during the spring Illinois General Assembly session.

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Rivera and Johnson weigh in on Illinois’ new budget, the possibility of a tax increase after the November election and the House resolution proposing a progressive income (“fair tax”) plan, as well as the danger of an even greater Illinois Exodus than we’ve experienced to date.… Continue Reading

“A Taxing Discussion” (Spotlight#051)

Benjamin D. Smith — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 05:15:43 +0000

John Biver, the Special Projects Manager for the Illinois Family Institute, joins Monte Larrick and David Smith to talk about the recent tax increase coming from Springfield.

The second half of the show, due to technical difficulties, had to be redone without Monte. However, Dave and John discuss statements made on the IPM (Illinois Public Media) podcast known as the 21st by Illinois state representative from the 110th district Reggie Phillips (R-Charleston) and former governor Jim Edgar (R-Illinois).… Continue Reading

911 Tax Increase in Illinois for all Telephone Users

David E. Smith — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 11:00:06 +0000

Written by Benjamin Yount

The fee that supports 911 systems across the state is going up under a law that lawmakers approved against Gov. Bruce Rauner’s wishes.

The law also keeps the 911 services operational statewide.

Outside of Chicago, phone users are going to pay $1.50 a month for 911 service. Chicago’s 911 fee will jump to $5 to pay for pensions, not 911 service.

State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard), said it’s not that lawmakers wanted to end 911 services, they just wanted to settle on fair fees.… Continue Reading

Rep. Ives Blasts House Dems, Says Illinoisans Don’t Want Massive Tax Hike

David E. Smith — Wed, 31 May 2017 09:00:40 +0000

Written by John Biver

On Monday, the Illinois News Network featured as its top story the above headline with this lead:

State Rep. Jeanne Ives blasted her Democrat colleagues in the Illinois House for removing her as chief sponsor of a Senate bill that would increase taxes on Illinoisans by $5.4 billion.

For the record, Illinois Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) is a staunch opponent of tax increases. So why in the world would she sponsor a tax increase?… Continue Reading

Frustrated Illinois Manufacturer Flees to Indiana’s ‘Affordable Shore’ Next Door

Admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 10:00:10 +0000

From the Chicago City Wire

The president of a company that moved from Illinois to Indiana said recently on a Chicago radio talk show that he looks back on Illinois and hopes one day the state will get its act together.

“It’s kind of a double-edge sword,” Hoist Lifttruck President Vincent Flaska said during a recent edition of “Illinois Rising.” “I still live in Illinois, and I want to see Illinois succeed. But the problem that they have is that they need to get rid of how their tax credits function.

Illinois Senate Budget Plan Includes $5 Billion in Tax Hikes, $7 Billion in Borrowing

Admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 10:00:39 +0000

Written by Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner

Illinois Senate members have a drafted a new budget plan that relies on multibillion-dollar tax hikes, but little in structural spending reforms.

The plan punishes taxpayers with more than $5 billion in additional income and other taxes, borrows $7 billion from the bond market and adds casinos in Chicago – none of which provide relief to struggling Illinoisans. The plan also leaves pensions unreformed, does little to workers’ compensation costs and burdens job creators with a higher minimum wage cost.

MORE Taxes for Chicago… But It Is Still Not Enough

David E. Smith — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 13:14:58 +0000

Written by David E. Smith

Earlier this week, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his minions in the Chicago City Council passed a massive tax hike that will COST most city homeowners $600-$800 MORE in taxes (maybe more) so that the Left’s BIG GOVERNMENT can continue to inefficiently flounder under one Party rule. This tax increase is on top of the Cook County 1 percent sales tax hike that starts on Jan. 1, 2016.

Yes, I intended to say “flounder.” … Continue Reading

Illinois’ Backlog of Unpaid Bills Total $4.4 Billion

David E. Smith — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 18:30:10 +0000

Written by Benjamin BanMetre

Illinois began August with a $4.4 billion dollar backlog of unpaid bills. If lawmakers would have kept the promises they made in 2011, the backlog would be zero today – or close to it.

In January 2011, Illinois lawmakers pushed through a record tax hike that raised the income tax rate on individuals to 5 percent from 3 percent, and on corporations to 7 percent from 4.8 percent. They called it the Taxpayer Accountability and Budget Stabilization Act and went on record making the following promises:

“We have some temporary tax increases that are designed to pay our bills, get Illinois back on fiscal sound footing and make sure that our state has a strong economy.”

Quinn: Make the Tax Increase Permanent or the Disabled & Dying Get It

David E. Smith — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 21:59:29 +0000

Written By Dan Proft

On Wednesday, Governor Pat Quinn dressed up the demands of a hostage-taker into a state budget address—again.

In advance of the permanently temporary personal and corporate income tax increases he imposed on Illinois in 2011, Quinn argued that without the tax increases, social service providers would suffer.

In fact, he would see to it that they did.

Quinn’s less than subtle message to the human services community was that if they wanted to avoid seeing the invoices they submitted to the state for services rendered put into the permanently permanent pay-no-mind bin in the Governor’s office they best fall in line.