Courtesy of Illinois Policy Institute

As Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushes to replace the state’s constitutionally-protected flat income tax with a progressive income tax, the Illinois Policy Institute released a calculator revealing families making as little as $26,100 would see an income tax hike under the potential structure. The Institute modeled its calculator after progressive income tax rates in Iowa and Wisconsin, because Gov. Pritzker pointed to them during his Feb. 20 budget address. Nicknamed the “fair tax” by lawmakers, the analysis reveals the middle class would actually see a substantial tax hike. The numbers don’t add up for Illinois to pay down billions in debt, fund new programs and still cut taxes for the majority of Illinoisans.
 
Snapshot around the state:

• Illinoisans making as little as $26,100 would see a tax hike under Wisconsin’s progressive income tax rates. 

• Meanwhile, Illinoisans making as little as $46,500 would see a tax hike under Iowa’s progressive income tax rates.

• The median Illinois family would pay $610 more under Iowa rates and $516 more under Wisconsin rates. 

• Similarly, the typical Cook County family would pay $517 more under Iowa rates and $467 more under Wisconsin rates, while the typical Lake County family would pay $1,419 and $824 more, respectively.

To calculate how much more you’d have to pay under a progressive income tax, visit: illin.is/calculator.