After having spent $56 million of his own money on a “Vote Yes” campaign, Gov. JB Pritzker's progressive income tax proposal appears to have failed, according to several media sources reporting on more than 90 percent of votes counted.
Voters rejected the amendment that would have changed the current flat tax rate of 4.95% for all, to a graduated tax based on income. Votes against the proposal were leading 55% to 45%.
Madison County voters resoundingly rejected the proposal by a margin of 65% to 35%. "No" votes were 79,731 to 43,266 "yes" votes.
In St. Clair County, the margin was 57% no to 40% yes. No votes were 67,113 to 47,249 yes votes.
To pass, the amendment either needed to receive 60% of the votes saying "yes" on the question, or by a simple majority, 50% plus one, of all voters, including those who skip the question on their ballots.
The Illinois Republican Party was among the many opponents.
Party Chair Tim Schneider said in a statement: "Illinois voters rejected Springfield politicians' tax hike gambit... With Pritzker Democrats no longer able to use taxpayers to bail them out of our state's financial disaster and a Supreme Court no longer stacked with a majority of Madigan pawns, Illinois now has a chance to enact much needed reforms."
Pritzker and other proponents had argued that low- and middle-income families would get tax relief.
Critics said otherwise, including the Illinois Policy Institute, which argued that the median family would likely pay $244 more in state and local taxes next year regardless of any relief from a progressive income tax.
"That’s because the costs that are driving up state and local budgets are not being reformed," wrote Bryce Hill on Oct. 27. "They have led to constant tax increases during the past decade, and more are projected that a 'fair tax' will not fix."
Opponents also argued that retirement income, currently untaxed, would be vulnerable to taxes under the proposal.