Glen Evans, a GOP primary candidate for the 72nd district, took to social media recently, criticizing a tax proposal he says is a middle-class tax increase.
“Though often sold to Illinoisans as a tax on the rich, a proposal to institute a graduated, or ‘progressive’ income tax would constitute a tax hike on Illinoisans making as little as $17,300,” Evans wrote on Facebook. “And the typical family in Rock Island County would see a tax hike of more than $500.”
Evans is referring to House Bill 3522, the so-called progressive tax increase that is designed to tax the wealthy, according to State Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago).
Glen Evans, GOP candidate, 72nd district
| Facebook
In a report on IllinoisPolicy.com, the tax ranges from as little as 4 percent to 7.65 percent for the highest wage earners. Specifically, the tax is 5.84 percent for those earning $7,500 up to $15,000, but jumps to 6.27 percent and 7.65 percent, respectively, for the $15,000 to $225,000 bracket and earners above $225,000. The tax rate drops to as little as 4 percent for those earning less than $7,500.
“This means a median-income family with two kids in DuPage County would pay an additional $1,018 in income taxes per year,” writes Joe Kaiser on IllinoisPolicy.com.
A map of the collar counties shows that for the hypothetical two-parent, two-child family in the above example, residents of Lake County would see an increase of $974, while McHenry, Kane, and Will counties would each see a jump of $909, $797 and $867, respectively.
Martwick’s proposal comes at an unfortunate time for Illinois residents. Last year, the General Assembly overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a 32 percent income tax hike, and research shows the state leads the nation in tax burden.
Alerts Sign-up