From State Senator Darby Hills:
Working Families Could Face $1.5 Billion Tax Hike in Second Week of Veto
As the General Assembly returns to Springfield for the second week of the fall veto session, Democrats in Springfield are pushing a plan that could cost Illinois families up to $1.5 billion more each year to bail out Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Chicago transit system, which faces a looming budget shortfall due to long-term financial mismanagement.Among other items, some of the ideas proposed in the new wish list include outine needs families can’t go without like haircuts, car repairs, and childcare.
- $1 Toll Surcharge: Adds up quickly for commuters, taking more money out of every paycheck just to get to work.
- 10% Rideshare Tax: Increases the cost of getting to work, appointments, or school, especially for families without easy access to public transit.
- Real Estate Transfer Tax: Makes buying or selling a home more expensive for working families and first-time homebuyers.
- New Vehicle Tax: Makes it harder for families to afford or replace a reliable car.
- Payroll (Head) Tax: Raises costs for employers in Chicago, which could mean fewer jobs and lower wages for workers.
- More Speed Cameras: Means more costly fines for parents and workers driving to their jobs or running family errands.
- Higher RTA Sales Tax: Raises the price of nearly everything families buy, from school supplies to clothing to household goods for families in the suburbs.
- $1 Delivery Tax on Orders over $100: Makes it more expensive for families to order baby formula and diapers, school supplies, and other household essentials online.
- Service Taxes: Raises the cost of routine needs families can’t go without like haircuts, car repairs, and childcare.
This plan doesn’t just raise taxes — it raises the cost of everyday life for Illinois families. From the morning commute to the weekly grocery trip, to keeping the house warm and caring for the kids, families would feel the strain in nearly every part of their budget.
This plan doesn’t just raise taxes — it raises the cost of everyday life for Illinois families. From the morning commute to the weekly grocery trip, to keeping the house warm and caring for the kids, families would feel the strain in nearly every part of their budget
My colleagues and I are especially concerned about how this plan would impact suburban and downstate families, who would be asked to shoulder the burden of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s financial mismanagement in Chicago. For many of these families, it means paying more for services they may never use — like Chicago’s buses and trains.
IMy colleagues and I are especially concerned about how this plan would impact suburban and downstate families, who would be asked to shoulder the burden of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s financial mismanagement in Chicago. For many of these families, it means paying more for services they may never use — like Chicago’s buses and trains.
Every extra dollar matters to families trying to make ends meet. It’s time for Springfield to focus on helping families move forward, not making it harder for them to get by.
