Dupage Policy Journal

Republican state House candidate Laura Hois doesn’t see much of a future in Illinois lawmakers moving to make the state "the next Connecticut" by implementing the progressive tax system that Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues to push.

“Just look to other states who have implemented a progressive tax to get the wealthy to pay,” Hois told the DuPage Policy Journal. “As one example, look at Connecticut, which has a whopping 13% progressive income tax rate, has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs and many people have moved to states with lower taxes plus better opportunities.”

Now running against incumbent state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville) in the 81st District, Hois fears Illinois could be the next state on that path to destruction if the governor gets his way in the form of a progressive tax.

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs recently admitted if the proposal is approved by voters in November, then the state plans to follow the same path as other states that have progressive income tax systems in place by moving to tax retirement income.

“Taxing retirement income would be one more reason why people will leave the state,” Hois added. “No one wants to work all their life toward retirement only to have a portion of their retirement income taken away from them by an untrustworthy tax-and-spend state government. Illinois politicians are corrupt; they have recklessly mismanaged our taxpayer dollars for decades.”

Hois, a Downers Grove resident, said she also thinks it’s just a matter of time before lawmakers will be hitting everyone with the tax, and not just the state’s riches residents as Pritzker has continued to insist it is only pegged for.

“I expect a progressive tax would hit the middle class shortly after it would be implemented,” she said. “The wealthy people and successful businesses would, by then, have left for other states with lower taxes and friendlier business environments. The rest of us will be forced to bear the tax burden.”

Between now and Election Day, Hois said she plans to make as many voters as she can think of what it’ll mean to have a progressive tax system.

“When I have an opportunity to explain what the progressive tax will mean to Illinois, I’m able to convince over 90% of the people to vote ‘No,'” she said. “The other 10% may not understand that taxing the rich does not work. Illinois’ income tax rate is 4.95%, which was increased by 32% in 2017. Just look at the other states that implemented a progressive tax to get the wealthy to pay.”