North Egypt News

Karen Tucker finds no solace in being right about predicting Springfield’s latest move on taxes.

“Democrats are not going to quit,” the Franklin County activist told the North Egypt News of House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) raising the prospect of the party seeking a redo on the previously rejected progressive income tax.

“The truth is they’re running out of places to get money, and that’s not going to change as long as our pension system is out of control,” she said. “I just saw where Mike Madigan has $2.9 million in pension coming. What we need to do is start charging state taxes on pensions, at least after a certain amount.”

Tucker’s ire on the subject was raised when three months after voters left little doubt about where they stand on the progressive tax, Welch suggested that Democrats may again seek to enact the tax as part of a plan to pay down the state’s $141 billion in unfunded pension obligation.

“I don’t think people will be any more receptive to the idea now than they were the last time,” Tucker said. “They’re seeking to do all this without adding any reforms, and that’s just not going to fly, especially when more people are starting to feel like legislative pensions should be done away with altogether. Being a public official is not supposed to be a gravy train. Let them use a 401K plan like everyone else.”

Tucker said she can’t ever see such a plan gaining much support as crafted because taxpayers simply don’t just trust Springfield any longer.

“Sure, some people can afford to pay more in taxes, but with this plan, things are open-ended, meaning they can come back at any time and tax anyone they want,” she said. “No one wants to pay more when none of it is going toward anything good. It just feels like throwing money down a black hole.”