SPRINGFIELD – Illinois state lawmakers are back in Springfield Tuesday for the veto session, and one state lawmaker is warning taxpayers to beware of any budget resolution that involves a state income tax rate hike.
"I'm concerned about a possible 'grand bargain' or 'grand compromise' that will create a massive tax increase," State Rep. David McSweeney (R-South Barrington) told Illinois Review. "For Republicans to support a tax hike is a wrong answer that will hurt Illinois families. We need to stand against it and oppose all tax hikes."
Republican Governor Rauner has indicated that he's open to raising the income tax rate in order to bring in more revenue, but has said that will happen only if Illinois Democrats agree to needed reforms. Those reforms include changes to the state's workers' compensation system, addition of term limits and/or other concessions that Rauner believes would improve the state's struggling business climate.
Monday, House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton failed to show up at a planned meeting with the governor and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, along with Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
McSweeney said that secret working groups to work on the budget are more of the political status quo when voters indicated last Tuesday that they want more transparency and accountability from their lawmakers.
As lawmakers, "we need to do our job, and that doesn't include a massive tax increase masked as a 'grand bargain,'" McSweeney said.
Both chambers are meeting Tuesday at the State Capitol.
