Illinois income tax plan proposed by Pritzker faces uphill battle in House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Governor Pritzker remains confident his graduated income tax plan will get approved this legislative session after it passed overwhelmingly in the Senate this week.

But it could face an uphill battle in the House.

House Republicans and Democrats who represent districts with large family farms got an incentive this week to support the governor's graduated income tax.

The same enticement would also benefit Northshore Democrats, whose wealthy constituents share a common bond with those farmers: large estates.

The graduated incomes plan approved this week by the Illinois Senate would eliminate the tax on estates worth more than $4 million.

"I'm gonna guess that people would probably be supportive of it, I can't imagine they wouldn't be. I can't imagine there's people who would rather have their estates taxed," said State Rep. Jonathan Carroll, (D) Northbrook.

But Carrol, who campaigned with Pritzker last fall, remains undecided on the graduated income tax plan. He said his constituents are wary of trusting Springfield, and are more concerned about another tax.

"We have to do something to make property taxes more manageable, so the feedback I get is on the property tax issue, probably first and foremost by far," Carrol said.

Today the governor said he was excited for the overwhelming support from the Senate and expressed confidence his tax plan will also pass the House.

"The Senate felt like it wanted to put some provisions in there that made it even more effective, for them to vote for it and now the house will have its opportunity to consider those changes," Governor Pritzker said.

The plan is expected to generate some spirited debate in the coming weeks.

"It's going to require my colleagues talking to one another and figuring out if this is something that everyone basically on the Democratic side is willing to support or what are the numbers going to be? But it's going to be an interesting next couple of weeks," said State Rep. John Connor (D) Crest Hill.

The vote will require all 71 democrats to support the plan, unless they flip a couple of republicans.

The next three weeks there will be a lot of pressure on both sides of the aisle.

Even if the graduated income tax plan passes the House, it will still require 60% of voters to support a referendum to change the state constitution. That referendum could not be put on the ballot until November 2020.