Vote NO on the Progressive Tax

Bill Ward – Executive Vice President – HBAI

The Home Builders Association of Illinois has joined the “Vote No on the Progressive Tax Coalition” to defeat Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to bring a progressive, graduated income tax law to Illinois. HBAI joins forces in this effort with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Illinois Farm Bureau, and the Technology & Manufacturing Association to fight back at higher taxation.

HBAI has pledged a $5000 contribution to the coalition through its political action committee, HomePAC. In return, the coalition is providing HBAI with 250 yard signs and 1000 brochures asking our members to Vote No on this tax proposal.

The proposed constitutional amendment will appear on the November ballot asking voters whether the state should move from its current flat income tax to a system in which different rates are applied to different income levels.

The current flat tax prevents the Governor and the Illinois General Assembly from picking and choosing who will pay for future income tax increases and how much each income bracket will be burdened with the tax.

Under the Governor’s proposal, $3.7 billion new dollars would be raised by taxing families and businesses earning $250,000 or more. To support his initiative, Governor Pritzker has pledged $51 million of his own money to pass the amendment, which will need 60% approval of those voting in Illinois General Election in November.

The coalition has a website: noprogressivetax.com. There, you can: learn why to vote no; how to get involved; contribute to the cause; and, buy items like shirts and coffee mugs that say, “Vote No on the Progressive Tax.”

Illinoisans already pay:

• The 2^nd highest property taxes in the Nation

• Highest Gas Taxes in the Midwest

• Highest Sales Tax Rates in America

• Highest Wireless Tax Rate in the Country.

Given the tools that state government already has to raise revenues, and given that we have the highest debt of any state in the U.S., how can we possibly trust them to use new funds wisely and efficiently?

If you believe you already pay too much taxes in Illinois, you owe it to yourself to go to noprogressivetax.com right now and sign up for this campaign.

Our coalition is small now but will build in the days and weeks ahead. HBAI is proud to be a part of this coalition and we will do everything we can in the days ahead to protect you and your hard-earned income.