Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) insists that all the details about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed progressive income tax that Democrats have shared publicly thus far are meant to deceive.

“First off, I call it the ‘depressive tax,’” Mazzochi told DuPage Policy Journal. “It punishes people that work hard and try to succeed. It’s particularly punitive against small business owners. It’s more of the same lofty promises Illinois residents have been hearing for the last 50 years about tax hikes and filling deficits.”

Mazzochi is far from alone in blasting the bill over all its many perceived shortcomings. Government watchdog website Wirepoints recently derided the tax plan as just more trickery created for the sole purpose of fleecing taxpayers out of more of their hard-earned money.

Illinois State House Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst)

While Pritzker and his supporters are busy selling the plan as a way for the state to finally be able to put its finances in order by reducing property taxes, addressing pension debt and generating additional funding for various programs, Wirepoints reported that the data indicates otherwise. The website pegs the state’s “true hole” as being somewhere in the neighborhood of $19 billion, or more than six times higher than the $3.2-billion debt estimate given by the governor.

Meanwhile, Mazzochi said she thinks it is imperative that Republicans remain united in their opposition to the plan and not suffer a repeat of 2017, when several GOP members ultimately caved to the demands of Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan to cross the aisle and cast their votes in favor of the largest income tax increase in state history.  

“I know where I stand and where I believe the caucus stands,” she said. “I really don’t see any appetite on our side of the aisle that would lead to more massive and unfair taxes. I don’t even know if they have that kind of cohesion on the Democratic side.”