SPRINGFIELD - Members of the Illinois Senate from both sides of the aisle showed their hands Monday when they allowed a peek at a "grand compromise" state lawmakers may be voting on in the new legislative session.
Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and Senator Minority Leader Chris Radogno (R-Lemont) told reporters Monday they had agreed to postpone a vote on a series of bills until the 100th General Assembly commenced Wednesday.
The measures being discussed in the bi-partisan plan include:
- raising the state minimum wage to $11.00
- setting up a Chicago Casino Development Authority
- freezing property tax hikes for two years
- imposes $.01 per ounce on sugary beverages
- raising state income tax rates by 30+ percent
- sending $215M to Chicago Teachers pension fund for 2016, $225M for 2017
- amending workers comp law with several changes, including placing profit controls on insurance companies
Not all lawmakers agree with the "grand bargain," including State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington) who remains solidly opposed to any income tax hike.
"I'm totally opposed to raising taxes," McSweeney told Illinois Review Monday. "Raising the income tax rate by 32 percent would kill jobs and hurt families. We need to cut spending, not raise taxes."
McSweeney pointed to a measure he sponsored that opposed raising the state's income tax.
"My HR 1494, which opposes raising the income tax, passed the House 87 to 12. I'll continue to work against all tax increases," McSweeney said.
A two-year property tax freeze wouldn't do the job either, the second term House member said.
"We need a permanent freeze on property tax levies, not a two year freeze. The income tax increase would be a disaster. The overall plan is based on a massive tax increase," McSweeney said.
