The Illinois Housevoted 72-45 yesterday in favor of raising personal income taxes by 32 percent. The tax increase is part of a revenue plan that would end the state's two-year budget standoff.
But the plan did not have the support of Quad Cities area representatives.
Mike Halpin from Illinois' 72nd District, was one of just 10 democrats to vote against the tax legislation, which increases the personal income tax rate from 3.75 percent to just under 5 percent. He says the budget impasse has already put a huge burden on the working class, and he had to vote in the best interest of his district.
"One of the reasons is that we have a very high percentage of middle class and working people," Halpin says. "And also, being right on the border, it becomes very easy for people and businesses to move out of state, and so that's always a factor that I think about when I take a vote down here."
Tony McCombie, a Republican from District 71 says the revenue bill isn't a comprehensive, bipartisan effort.
"I trust that the budgeters were chosen on both sides of the aisle to develop a plan for us and negotiate an agreement and that did not happen," McCombie says. "From my understanding, things were going very well on Friday, they slowed down by the next morning, and they presented bills that they want to present without our input."
She says only about 10 people in her district asked her to vote for the income tax hike, but she received hundreds of messages asking her to vote "no."
Fifteen Republicans supported the tax legislation. Governor Rauner has vowed to veto the bill if it gains Senate approval.