Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington) introduced successful anti-tax hike measure
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House overwhelmingly approved House Resolution 1494 Wednesday, calling on legislators to oppose efforts to raise taxes during the lame duck session. The resolution puts the House on record as opposing the consideration or passage of any income tax increase during a special lame duck session, when only a simple majority is required to pass legislation.
“Raising taxes would hurt the people of Illinois. It is unacceptable to allow legislators who will no longer have to face voters to decide the outcome of a tax increase vote,” sponsor Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington) said.
McSweeney's resolution was introduced mid-November, when both Democrat and Republican leadership hinted at a "grand bargain" coming after the General Election that would include an income tax hike.
In 2011, lawmakers used a lame-duck session to pass Governor Pat Quinn's state income tax hike from 3 1/2 to 5 percent. McSweeney said his resolution was an effort to prevent a repeat of the 2011 fiasco that "hurt Illinois families and killed jobs."
Two measures on the topic of making it tougher to raise income taxes during lame duck sessions faced votes in the Illinois House Wednesday. Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks measure, a constitutional amendment, passed House committee and awaits a House floor vote.
McSweeney's call for ending the lame duck votes on taxes passed the House by a vote of 87-12 – in which Speaker Madigan voted "no" and Republican Majority Leader Jim Durkin and several other Republicans chose not to vote. The measure needed 71 votes to pass.
House Sponsors are: Rep. David McSweeney – Jack D. Franks – Jeanne M Ives – Sam Yingling – Peter Breen, Sheri Jesiel, Dwight Kay, John M. Cabello, Michael P. McAuliffe, Joe Sosnowski, Mark Batinick, Terri Bryant, Margo McDermed, Thomas Morrison, Jerry Costello, II, Thomas M. Bennett, Brandon W. Phelps, Sue Scherer, Jay Hoffman, Linda Chapa LaVia, Carol Sente, John C. D'Amico, Natalie A. Manley, Cynthia Soto, Martin J. Moylan, Frances Ann Hurley, Daniel V. Beiser, Luis Arroyo, Litesa E. Wallace, Patrick J. Verschoore, Lawrence Walsh, Jr., Andrew F Skoog, Sonya M. Harper, Katherine Cloonen, Kathleen Willis, Eddie Lee Jackson, Sr., John Bradley, Monique D. Davis, Thaddeus Jones, Fred Crespo, Silvana Tabares, Robert Rita, Anthony DeLuca, Kenneth Dunkin and Stephanie A. Kifowit
