Rock Island Today

Illinois Sen. Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria) recently held a news conference, along with Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) and several other lawmakers, to discuss the proposed tax hike by Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker.

"What we're talking about is another tax increase on top of another tax increase," Weaver said. "We've got two goals that are very simple. Listeners need to understand there is a graduated tax hike proposed by J.B. Pritzker and, secondly, he's refusing to tell us what that looks like."

House Speaker Mike Madigan already passed a 32-percent tax hike more than one year ago, Weaver said.

Rep. Dan Swanson

"On top of that, if you're making more than $7,500, another 20 percent, at $15,000, a 27 percent increase and if you're the wealthiest, it'll be another 55-percent increase," he said.  

Rauner made his own money, while Pritzker was born into it and has been spending other people’s money his whole life, Weaver said.

"You have two wealthy gentlemen running for governor, but that is where the commonality ends," Weaver said. "[Pritzker] is making everyone think he is only taxing the wealthy, but … apparently, he thinks the wealth starts out at $7,500 because that's where the 20-percent increase on top of the last 30 percent comes from. We can't continue that type of more of the same. It's got to change"

 Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) and Rep. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) also attended the press conference.

Swanson said as a lifetime farmer, the first thing he thinks about is what this tax hike would mean for agriculture.

"We look at agriculture as the backbone of Illinois," he said. "Farmers buy equipment, but the only way we can do that is if we make an income. When that income shrinks because of a tax increase, we see the economy drawdown and that's what I'm afraid will happen."

Swanson said it's a struggle right now to make ends meet.

"To have another tax because we can't control our spending is not how we should be running the state or campaigning to run the state," Swanson said. "It should be about building up Illinois, not tearing it down with more taxes."

Swanson said Illinois doesn't need more taxes and that adding another tax is just another way to create more spending.