Radogno: Madigan’s Call For Tax Hike Without Reforms, Is ‘outrageous’

Illinois News Network

Much of the state’s obligations have been covered through piecemeal appropriations measure, court orders and consent decrees but there’s still another $6 billion of spending that hasn’t been approved and there needs to be an income tax increase. That’s according to House Speaker Michael Madigan.

During a question and answer session at the City Club of Chicago Wednesday Madigan said funding for some social services has not been covered, something Madigan says is a crisis.

Meanwhile the Speaker said a good place to start on revenue is to put the tax rate back to what it was before the beginning of the year, at 5 percent for individuals. The rate for individuals now stands at 3.75 percent.

Leading Republican Senator Christine Radogno said Democrat leadership is proposing a quote “whopping 33 percent income tax increase with no reforms to change the way we do business in Illinois.” Radogno says it’s outrageous and shows what Republicans are up against in the state budget negotiations. Meanwhile money for higher education, the Monetary Award Program and other areas of human services has not yet been determined.