Time for a fair tax for Illinois

Illinois state senator Don Harmon (D-39) and Illinois state representative Christian Mitchell (D-26) have introduced complementary bills in the 98th General Assembly to scrap Illinois' flat 5% income tax and replace it with a fair tax. What, pray tell, is a fair tax? It's a progressive one that provides lower rates to lower income levels while higher rates apply to higher income levels. Under their proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution, Article IX, Sec. 3, end of the current regressive flat tax and implementation of a progressive tax would lower the tax burden on the 94% of Illinois residents making under $205,000 annually, the amount at which their lower tax rate would hit the current 5%. Yet, the new tax structure would provide sufficient revenue to avoid cuts in critically needed state services, especially education. Moving to a progressive income tax would bring Illinois in line with the 34 other states who have wisely adopted a progressive income tax. Besides avoiding painful services cuts, the fair tax puts extra money into the hands of folks who will spend it and spend it fast, stimulating the state economy. It's time for Illinois to live up to its progressive outlook on social issues and adopt a progressive income tax for economic issues. Current polling shows 77% of Illinoisans support a fair, progressive tax. For more information on this most important legislative initiative in the 98th General Assembly, visit www.abetterillinois.org.