ICYMI: Second Source Confirms Frerichs Retirement Tax Support Comments

Chicago – State Treasurer Mike Frerichs is untruthful again and cannot keep his retirement tax story straight. In an interview that aired on WGN, Frerichs was asked about his June 17, 2020 comments in support of a retirement tax.

“My opponent in that debate supported taxing people’s pension income. He wanted to tax specifically people with higher incomes….That’s something I thought he would like and that was the argument I made.” 

He is referring to Todd Maisch, President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, who led a coalition against the progressive income tax and has been and continues to be an ardent opponent of new tax increases. Todd Maisch directly responded to Frerichs’ false claims:

“I do not, nor does the Chamber, support a progressive income or retirement tax and have spent my entire career fighting to reduce, not increase taxes in Illinois,” said Maisch, who has been with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce for nearly 30 years. 

“I was surprised that Treasurer Frerichs brought up taxing retirement as an argument for the progressive tax because it is such an unpopular idea in Illinois.

“It’s par for the course with Treasurer Frerichs who ducks, dodges, and deflects to hide his own failures,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “Multiple sources have now confirmed what we all know – Frerichs is untruthful in his comments claiming he never supported a retirement tax.” 

In 2020, he ran away from reporters and voters at a press conference he called to address his comments. Last month, his campaign said anyone saying he supports a retirement tax is “lying.” State Treasurer Mike Frerichs is now blaming a fellow forum participant for his comments on why Illinois should consider taxing retirement income. 

“While there is no winner in Treasurer Frerichs’ never-ending blame game, there is one clear loser, Illinois voters,” said Chairman Tracy. “Illinois voters must hold Frerichs accountable and elect a true fiscal watchdog in Tom Demmer.”

Frerichs has spent his time as a state legislator championing tax increases. Introducing not one, but five pieces of legislation to create a progressive income tax with SJRCA69, SJRCA92 , SJRCA89 , SJRCA101 and SJRCA17 .

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