Local State Senators Support Effort to Curb State Tax Increases

Print

Published on March 27 2019 11:00 am
Last Updated on March 27 2019 11:00 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County's two state senators, Dale Righter of Mattoon and Jason Plummer of Edwardsville, are backing an initiative they say would protect taxpayers from tax increases.

The proposal calls for an amendment to Illinois' constitution to prohibit the General Assembly from imposing or raising a state tax or fee except through legislation approved by a two-thirds supermajority vote in both the Illinois House and Senate. Currently, legislators only need a simple majority to pass a tax increase or to implement a tax.

If passed by the General Assembly, the constitutional amendment would place the initiative on the ballot for the next statewide election.

The measure is Senate Joint-Resolution Constitutional Amendment 12. Righter is the Chief Co-Sponsor of the resolution.

Plummer noted 15 states impose some kind of supermajority requirement, forcing two-thirds, three-fourths, or three-fifths of these legislatures to support the plan in order to raise or implement taxes.

If placed on the ballot and approved by voters, any new state tax or any state tax increase would need to obtain 40 votes in the Senate and 79 votes in the House.