Taking a stand

Illinois needs a plan to get out of the budget mess it has created, without shifting the burden to our older and middle-class residents. The graduated income tax is a step in the right direction.

I'm voting "YES" to the Graduated Income Tax Amendment because we have a budget crisis, and one way it must be dealt with is to raise additional tax revenues in a fair way.

The graduated income tax structure is currently used for your federal income taxes and is used by 32 of the 41 states in the U.S. which have state income taxes. Under the Illinois proposed structure, which requires the amendment to be passed, 97% of Illinois taxpayers would pay the same or less in income taxes. Only the wealthiest 3% would pay more.

Voting "YES" on the graduated income tax on the 2020 ballot could help the state raise around $3 billion a year to deal with the budget crisis and ensure funding of essential services that older adults rely on.

If passed, the graduated income tax amendment will not allow Illinois to add a new tax on retirement income. However, if Illinois doesn't find a way to fix the budget crisis, state lawmakers may be forced to consider adding a tax to retirement income or more drastic spending cuts that will especially hurt seniors.

It's wrong that billionaires pay the same tax rate as essential workers like nurses or grocery store clerks. So, I'm taking a stand with my "yes" vote to the Graduated Income Tax

Amendment this election.

Geoff Miller

Highland Park