Illinois Groups Rally for Budget Fix
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February 18, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois voters are turning up the heat on lawmakers who believe they can solve the state's $13-billion budget deficit with cuts. More than 2,000 teachers, seniors, clergy members and social service providers crammed into the Capitol building Wednesday to urge legislators to approve House Bill 174, approved by the Senate last year, but stalled in the House ever since. The bill would raise Illinois' state income tax from three percent to five percent and make other changes to bring in billions in new revenue, while sparing cuts to human-service programs.
John Bouman, president of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, says it's a matter of justice for low- and moderate-income residents of Illinois.
"All of the things that are being devastated right now by this crisis are things that help people rise up out of poverty, enter the middle class, and win the struggle to stay in the middle class."
Some lawmakers want to wait until after the November election to consider raising taxes, believing doing so now would threaten their political futures. That, counters Bouman, could jeopardize jobs, universities, and services for many. The recession has damaged state revenues to the extent that Illinois voters understand the necessity of raising revenue, as they do in other states, he says.
"People have done it in Oregon; a couple of years ago they did it in Virginia. In Illinois, there is not much of a track record of punishing people who raise taxes. The people who did it the most were Governors Thompson and Edgar."
Thompson and Edgar were Republicans, reminds Bouman, who adds if they can raise taxes and survive, there is no reason to wait until after this election to fix the state budget. The proposed income tax hike would not affect the Illinois residents most hurt by the poor economy, he adds.
"The average family of four with an income of about 40 thousand would not pay additional taxes."
Gov. Quinn has proposed higher taxes, but Republican opponents say more cuts are needed. Thursday's rally in Springfield was organized by the Responsible Budget Coalition, which is made up of nearly 200 groups, such as Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, the Shriver Center, AARP, and the Illinois Federation of Teachers.