WESTMONT – Following news of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s fair income tax proposal, Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery released the following statement.
“The Illinois Federation of Teachers applauds Governor JB Pritzker’s commitment to working families and putting Illinois on a more fair, prosperous path forward. This fair tax proposal, which provides relief for more than 97% of taxpayers, will be a welcome change for our members and the communities we serve. t’s no secret that Illinois’ dire financial situation has taken decades to develop and was made exponentially worse in recent years. Solving our problems will take both time and real structural change. The Governor’s proposal asks the wealthy to pay their fair share so we can invest in schools, higher education, and vital services – and that is something the IFT supports. As Governor Pritzker has noted, alternatives to this plan would be raising taxes on everyone, including those who can least afford it, or cutting public education and services to the bone in a Rauner Replay. That is unacceptable. It’s time for change. Our current tax system is unfair and unsustainable, and this is a strong first step. We look forward to working with the administration and lawmakers to build the future we all deserve.”