Chambana Sun

Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) isn't surprised by the timing of Democrats' latest push for their long-sought-after progressive income tax.

"Maybe they think with Mike Madigan no longer in Springfield, the opposition won't have such an easy target in fighting back against the tax," Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. "The last time around, a lot of people argued against it by simply talking about how you couldn't trust Madigan."

Approximately three months after voters soundly rejected the tax Gov. J.B. Pritzker fought long and hard for and that supporters billed as meaning higher taxes for only the state's richest residents, House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) suggested using the tax as a method to pay down the state's $141 billion in unfunded pension.

Caulkins said he's certain the latest attempt again has Pritzker's fingerprints all over it.

"I really don't see Democrats doing anything these days without Pritzker's approval," he said. "He's really in charge of everything with Madigan no longer around."

As for the tax itself, Caulkins said he doesn't see where anything has changed from the last time voters rejected it in November.

"It's the same, old shell game where they seek more taxes without addressing any of the reforms we all know are needed," he said. "It's the democrat way. I really think it's going to take more Republican leadership to actually enact reforms that matter."

Caulkins said part of any GOP-backed plan would include putting a pension reform question before all the voters on the ballot.

"It's their decision to make as to the question of if we should amend the state constitution to amend the pension clause," he said. "But there's no question Republicans are willing to put it on the ballot while the democratic supermajority doesn't want to deal with it and would rather just raise taxes."