Illinois Goes Back to the Trough

May 28, 2019 By E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

By Tsekhmister @ Shutterstock.com

Illinois politicians, led now by Governor J.D. Pritzker, are aiming to end constitutional protections of taxpayers in Illinois, and to raise taxes on the wealthiest in the state. Naively, those politicians pushing for the increase in taxes presume that the move will prevent future deficits. Raising taxes hasn’t seemed to do that in the past, so it is hard to imagine why that would work now. It seems more likely the tax increases will lead to a faster flight of Illinois’ remaining wealthy citizens. Bloomberg’s Elizabeth Campbell and Amanda Albright report:

Illinois lawmakers paved the way for higher taxes on the state’s richest residents, approving a constitutional amendment to do away with the flat income tax that will go before voters during next year’s presidential election.

The state’s House of Representatives on Monday voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would allow for higher tax rates on the top earners, the centerpiece of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to stabilize the worst-rated state’s finances. The state Senate already passed the measure, leaving it poised to go on the November 2020 ballot for voter approval.

“This is reform,” said Robert Martwick, a Democrat and sponsor of the bill in the House, during a debate of the constitutional amendment on Monday. He said the change would help end recurring deficits in the state. “This is the solution for Illinois going forward.”

E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West (RIP JB) and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.

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