WATCH: Tax increases expected before Illinois legislators adjourn veto session

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers may find out they are on the hook for another tax increase before the week is over.

One of the many things legislators continue to hash out is how to address a fiscal cliff for mass transit estimated at $230 million. Senate Minority Leader John Curran said more money is not the answer.

“We should be looking at reform first,” said Curran, R-Downers Grove. “It does not make logical sense to. At the same time, you’re going to put a bunch of reforms in place and put a new group of people in charge. You don’t know exactly what you need. We know the cliff keeps getting pushed out. The amount keeps coming down. Let’s put the new people in first. Let’s reform the structures, let them get their arms around it.”

State Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, agreed that reforms are needed for the agency, but pushed for the House to pass the package the Senate approved in May that included $1.50 surcharge for retail delivery.

“This is a smart investment, not just for transit, but also for our local economy,” Simmons said. “And there have been endless studies from Crain’s and other sources that make the case that investing in public transit to the tune of $1.5 billion is how we take our economy forward, not backwards, in this region.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters in Peoria that the details on how to fund closing the fiscal cliff are still coming together and he is being careful not to sway how it’s paid for.

“I’ve tried to be careful about what I’ve told them because I want to make sure that they are considering all the options, and then, you know, I, from my perspective, what I want to make sure happens is that we end up with a world class transit system for the whole state,” Pritzker said.

Curran warned that legislators are also poised to increase taxes on business owners before the week is out by decoupling from recent federal tax changes.

“The Democrats plan is to increase taxes on the economic engines of our state, while at the same time making taxes more complicated for Illinois,” Curran said.

Legislators are scheduled to wrap up fall veto session in Springfield Thursday.