Treml: Vote no on proposed graduated tax amendment

The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, in support of our families in our community, our small businesses, and major employers, urges residents to vote no on Nov. 3 for the graduated income tax constitutional amendment.

If this amendment passes, it will alter our state constitution and give the Illinois Legislature the ability to increase taxes on any group of taxpayers with no limits, no accountability, and without any requirement to use the additional revenue to fund essential needs for the people of Illinois. It will also eliminate the constitutional ban of more than a single tax on your income. Future general assemblies will be allowed to tax the same dollar of your income over and over.

We encourage a no vote in November for the following reasons:

This will significantly increase taxes on manufacturers, family farmers and thousands of small businesses across Illinois.

Hiking taxes on businesses will hamper economic growth and job creation during the worst economic crisis in generations.

A graduated tax makes it easier to tax low- and middle-income families.

This income tax hike does not include any property tax relief.

Illinois has led the nation in outmigration of residents for five years and this will hasten the movement of businesses and residents out of Illinois.

The state treasurer has already discussed using the graduated income tax as a way of taxing retirement income.

Taxpayers cannot trust politicians with $3.5 billion in new money when those elected officials have created a $7 billion budget debt and a pension debt of more than $140 billion. They need to balance a budget and live within their means.

We believe that the General Assembly must certainly address Illinois’ financial deficiencies. Contrary to prudent fiscal policy, raising taxes without making major spending reforms does not bring prosperity to the people of Illinois. Submitting to this will simply be yet another financial burden on our families, neighbors, local businesses and the people of Illinois.

We are joining in agreement with 40 business organizations across Illinois, including 27 chambers of commerce, that are fighting against the deceptive and destructive progressive income tax amendment that removes the people of Illinois from the process. Those organizations are:

• Associated Builders and Contractors – Illinois

• Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce

• Auto Parts and Service Association of Illinois

• Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce

• Chamber 630

• Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

• Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce

• Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce

• Edwardsville / Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce

• Effingham County Chamber of Commerce

• Greater Fayette County Chamber of Commerce

• Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce

• Heritage Corridor Business Alliance

• Home Builders Association of Illinois

• Illinois Automobile Dealers Association

• Illinois Business Alliance

• Illinois Chamber of Commerce

• Illinois Electronic Security Association

• Illinois Farm Bureau

• Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce

• Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce

• Lockport Chamber of Commerce

• Lombard Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• Manteno Chamber of Commerce

• McLean County Chamber of Commerce

• Metro-East Regional Chamber of Commerce

• Mid-West Truckers Association

• Midwest-South Eastern Equipment Dealers Association

• Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

• National Federation of Independent Business – Illinois

• Outdoor Advertising Association of Illinois

• Quad Cities Chamber

• Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce

• Rockford Chamber of Commerce

• Southwestern Illinois Employers Association

• Sycamore Chamber of Commerce

• Technology and Manufacturing Association

• The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

Besides the coalition, the Illinois Chamber is also working in cooperation with other partners, including The Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike Amendment, to expand the reach of their message. More information can be found at: chambersagainsttax.com

The vote no momentum has continued with endorsements from trusted state and national editorial boards including The Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business, Shaw Media and the Wall Street Journal.

Our commitment and mission to you, our community, is to create a favorable business environment and excellent quality of life for our residents. We have a history of advocating for policies that will promote growth in our community and the progressive tax increase would be devastating to many of our already struggling businesses at a time when they need the most support.

Please join us and vote no on the proposed Illinois graduated tax amendment on Nov. 3.

• RoseMarie Treml is executive director of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce.