Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR1025
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Full Text of HR1025  100th General Assembly

HR1025 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Because Illinois has a flat income tax, low and
3middle-class families disproportionately share the burden of
4funding the State's responsibilities; the combined effect of
5all state and local taxes causes hardworking people with lower
6incomes and struggling small business owners to pay a higher
7portion of their income in taxes than wealthy households and
8large corporations; a graduated income tax is a more fair and
9progressive way for the State to generate revenue; and
 
10    WHEREAS, According to the Institute on Taxation and
11Economic Policy, Illinois has one of the most regressive tax
12structures in the country, as households in the bottom 20% of
13annual income pay 13.28% of their income in taxes, while those
14in the top 1% pay only 6.81%; and
 
15    WHEREAS, A progressive income tax will stimulate small
16business growth; a smaller tax burden will be placed upon small
17businesses, thereby giving them the additional resources
18needed to reinvest in their businesses and ultimately increase
19their net income, providing further stimulus for small business
20formation and growth; and
 
21    WHEREAS, A progressive income tax will create additional
22macroeconomic benefits for the State, as Illinoisans with

 

 

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1smaller tax burdens find themselves with additional purchasing
2power; this translates into higher revenues for Illinois
3businesses and more robust economic performance for the State
4as a whole; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Of the 41 states in the country with an income
6tax, 33 have progressive rate structures, including most of the
7states that border Illinois - Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and
8Wisconsin; furthermore, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Missouri
9all have locally-imposed income taxes; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Opposition to a progressive income tax fails to
11recognize the ability to reduce the tax burden for the vast
12majority of taxpayers; this opposition stems from a desire to
13protect the status quo for the wealthiest members of society;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, House Resolution 975 of the 100th General Assembly
16provides examples of punitive tax rate structures designed to
17derail discussions about a fair and progressive income tax;
18such tactics are commonly used by Republican politicians to
19protect the ultra-wealthy from paying their fair share; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is the 6th most populous
21state in the country; it is home to world-class cities,
22enriched communities, renowned tourist destinations, and is a

 

 

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1leader in many areas including transportation, technology,
2finance, manufacturing, agriculture, and, most importantly,
3access to an unrivaled labor force; and
 
4    WHEREAS, There are many positive aspects of this State that
5should be applauded and highlighted; unfortunately, we find
6ourselves at a true crossroads; years without a full state
7budget, forced upon Illinoisans by Governor Rauner, have
8resulted in uncertainty and hardships for the citizens and
9businesses of Illinois; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In spite of the recent, successful bipartisan
11efforts to enact a full state budget for Fiscal Year 2018,
12ending the worst budget crisis in the history of Illinois, the
13State still faces significant financial challenges that cause
14continued uncertainty regarding the State's ability to provide
15for the services upon which Illinoisans rely; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Things must change for the better through fiscally
17responsible and sustainable initiatives that foster economic
18growth and cease to be an over-encumbrance on Illinois
19taxpayers; this is why proposals such as those calling for a
20progressive income tax to be adopted in this State must be
21granted due consideration as a means of reducing the tax burden
22on low and middle-income families while providing resources for
23education, infrastructure, supports for our most vulnerable

 

 

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1citizens, and other core responsibilities; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4stand united in support of a fair and progressive income tax
5that must reduce taxes on low and middle-income families while
6raising taxes on the wealthiest Illinoisans; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
8delivered to each member of the Illinois General Assembly and
9the Office of the Governor as a testament to our unwavering
10commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of families across
11this great State.