The Pledge

Illinois Policy Action is announcing an initiative to help hold legislators accountable to their word following the three major state income tax defeats during the spring session. We will be asking all House and Senate members to sign our “Keep Your Promise” pledge, which will affirm politicians’ stated opposition to keeping permanent the temporary 5...

Illinois Policy Action is announcing an initiative to help hold legislators accountable to their word following the three major state income tax defeats during the spring session.

We will be asking all House and Senate members to sign our “Keep Your Promise” pledge, which will affirm politicians’ stated opposition to keeping permanent the temporary 5 percent tax rate.

The public deserves assurance that campaign season rhetoric will not be ignored following the Nov. 4 election, and that lame-duck session gamesmanship will not override those promises.

A lame-duck session will take place after the election, but before the newly elected lawmakers take their political posts. During this window of time, ousted lawmakers may have the chance to vote on legislation – and that could be dangerous for taxpayers. It was during the 2011 lame-duck session that the Democrats passed the politically unpopular, and temporary, 67 percent income tax increase.

Help us make sure your lawmaker signs the “Keep Your Promise” pledge, which will allow the state income tax to sunset to 3.75 percent. For many of us, that will amount to an extra week’s worth of pay in 2015 and beyond. Remember, temporary means temporary!