Suburban Democrat's opposition helps kill tax plan

The opposition of at least one suburban Democrat means a proposal to charge wealthier people more in Illinois income taxes is dead for now.

Illinois House Democrats couldn't find the votes necessary to pass a measure that would have opened the door for a graduated income tax. Supporters said their plan would have cut middle-class income taxes, too.

"I would have voted against it," said Democratic state Rep. Jack Franks of Marengo. "I don't believe that throwing more money at the problem is a solution."

Democrats needed every vote to move a constitutional amendment toward the November ballot that would allow Illinois to move away from its flat tax that charges the same rate to every individual, regardless of income level.

Franks' opposition made it clear his party couldn't approve the plan. But it's possible other absent or dissenting lawmakers could have left the measure more than one vote short. Lawmakers are now set to miss a deadline to approve the bill, meaning it's chances are done for the year.

Democrats blamed Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who doubled down on his opposition to what he called "the straw that breaks the camel's back for Illinois' economic competitiveness."

"There was apparently no support from members of the Republican caucus, even though it would have been good for their constituents," said state Sen. Don Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park who sponsored the measure in the Senate.

Republicans shot back that the Democrats should have rounded up the required 71 votes from their party alone. But that would have required every Democratic vote.

"It is rather disingenuous to place blame on the governor or House Republicans," said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs.

Liberal lawmakers billed the proposal as a potential solution to the state's financial woes by bringing in $1.9 billion per year.

Still, Harmon and others say they will try again to change Illinois' tax structure in 2018, the next election year.

The flat tax "ties our hands. We can't raise taxes on someone making $60 million a year without raising the taxes on a family making $26,000," Harmon said. "That's fundamentally unfair."

Democrats delayed a similar vote for a so-called millionaire's tax in November because they did not have enough votes to pass it.