Tag: Pritzker

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ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Statement On Illinois Senate Democrats’ Tax Hike Vote

Moments ago, Illinois Senate Democrats voted unanimously to put a referendum before Illinois voters in the 2020 General Election which, if passed, would repeal the flat income tax provision in the state constitution. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider released the following statement in response:

“Today’s vote from Senate Democrats empowers J.B. Pritzker, Mike Madigan, and the Democrats in power to raise taxes and spend more instead of passing the economic reforms our state desperately needs. Giving politicians like Pritzker and Madigan a blank check to raise taxes will only make our state’s problems worse. Higher taxes, more borrowing, and increased spending – that is all Illinois Democrats have to offer, and taxpayers can’t afford it. They refuse to change, and we will make sure voters hold them accountable for it.”

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BREAKING: Governor J.B. Pritzker Is Under Federal Criminal Investigation

Feds are looking into Pritzker for his toilet removal “scheme to defraud” Cook County taxpayers, which lowered the property taxes on his multi-million dollar Chicago mansion by $331,000

“An Illinois governor under federal criminal investigation 101 days into office must be a new record – even for Illinois. We already knew Pritzker was a serial tax dodger. He stashes millions offshore in zero-tax Bahamas bank accounts and took the toilets out of his Chicago mansion to dodge over $330,000 in property taxes. The Cook County Independent Inspector General called it ‘a scheme to defraud’ taxpayers. Yet Pritzker continues to push tax hikes on Illinois families and businesses – absurd hypocrisy from Pritzker.

“J.B. Pritzker can’t be trusted. Pritzker must immediately cease all of his efforts to raise taxes, including his graduated income tax, because he’s under federal criminal investigation for not paying his own taxes.” – Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider

A law enforcement source has revealed that Governor J.B. Pritzker, his wife, and brother-in-law are under federal criminal investigation for their Chicago mansion toilet removal “scheme to defraud” Cook County taxpayers. Last year, it was revealed that Pritzker, who is worth $3.5 billion, removed the toilets in his Chicago mansion so he could lower his property tax bill by $331,000.

WBEZ broke the story:

“Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, his wife and his brother-in-law are under federal criminal investigation for a dubious residential property tax appeal that dogged him during his gubernatorial campaign last year, WBEZ has learned.

” …The developments demonstrate that the billionaire governor and his wife may face a serious legal threat arising from their controversial pursuit of a property tax break on a 126-year-old mansion they purchased next to their Gold Coast home.

“A Cook County inspector general’s report, first published by the Chicago Sun-Times, later found MK Pritzker directed workers to remove all toilets from the mansion in order to have it declared “uninhabitable,” which gave the Pritzkers a huge property tax break. The report also found that Lovely and the governor’s brother-in-law, Thomas J. Muenster, made “false representations” on tax appeal documents.

“The county watchdog said all of that amounted to a “scheme to defraud” taxpayers out of more than $331,000.”

Pritzker is a serial tax dodger. In addition to his “scheme to defraud” Cook County property taxpayers, Pritzker has parked millions of dollars offshore in zero-tax Bahamas, dodging an untold amount of taxes – absurd hypocrisy from tax-hiking Pritzker.

J.B. Pritzker must immediately cease his efforts to raise taxes, including his graduated income tax, because he’s under federal criminal investigation for not paying his own taxes.

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J.B. Pritzker Walks Back Pledge To Veto Politically-Drawn Legislative District Maps

Last year, Pritzker pledged to veto a map that was drawn “in any way” by legislators, political leaders, or their staffs; now, Pritzker says he will veto a map that he “[thinks] is unfair”


“Supporters of fair maps should be concerned that they must now rely on Pritzker’s personal determination of what’s ‘fair’ rather than a concrete pledge to veto gerrymandered legislative maps and enact independent redistricting reform. Pritzker walking back his fair map pledge is unfortunate, yet unsurprising. Voters always knew Pritzker had the support of Speaker Madigan, but now we know why. Pritzker is flip-flopping on fair maps so he can protect Madigan’s grip on power for another decade, overriding the will of Illinois voters. What will Pritzker’s next flip-flop be?” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot


In an interview yesterday with the State Journal-Register, Governor J.B. Pritzker seemed to walk back a pledge to veto legislative redistricting maps drawn with political considerations. Pritzker said, “I would veto a map that I thought was an unfair one.”

“Unfair” is a far cry from Pritzker’s concrete pledge in 2018 to veto gerrymandered maps drawn by elected officials with political considerations.

Last year, Pritzker told Capitol Fax’s Rich Miller he would veto a map that was drawn “in any way” by legislators, political leaders, or their staffs. At the time, Miller asked gubernatorial candidates:

“Will you pledge as governor to veto any state legislative redistricting map proposal that is in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies? The exception, of course, would be the final official draft by LRB.”

Pritzker replied:

“Yes, I will pledge to veto. We should amend the constitution to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps, but in the meantime, I would urge Democrats and Republicans to agree to an independent commission to handle creating a new legislative map…”

A bipartisan, bicameral coalition of lawmakers in the General Assembly support fair maps. The only people standing in the way of redistricting reform are Mike Madigan, John Cullerton, and now, J.B. Pritzker. It only took Pritzker 100 days in office to flip-flop on fair maps and side with Speaker Madigan over the people of Illinois.

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Members of House and Senate Democratic Leadership Critical Of Pritzker’s Plan To Skip Pension Payments

Willis and Lightford join others who have spoken out against Pritzker’s proposal to skip pension payments over the next seven years, including $1.1 billion next year alone


“It’s a good sign for Illinois taxpayers and retired public employees that top Democratic lawmakers in Springfield are throwing cold water on J.B. Pritzker’s plan to skip pension payments. It’s not too late for other Democratic lawmakers to join them. Our state cannot afford a repeat of the past pension gimmicks. With the end of session rapidly approaching, Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers must rein in their unrealistic spending proposals if our state is to protect taxpayers and meet its obligations to public employees and retirees.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

In a misguided effort to increase spending while attempting to close Illinois’ multi-billion dollar budget deficit, Governor J.B. Pritzker has proposed reducing state payments to the state’s five public pension systems for the next seven years. Pritzker’s administration has refused to detail what the total cost of the pension holiday would be to taxpayers in the long-term. One analysis shows that just next year alone, Pritzker is proposing a $1.1 billion reduction in pension payments. Skipping pension payments threatens the integrity of our state’s pension system while exposing taxpayers to increased liabilities in the future.

Capitol Fax’s Rich Miller recently called Pritzker’s proposal “preposterous.”

And Pritzker’s plan was not received well by some top Democratic lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly:

House Majority Conference Chairperson Kathleen Willis: “[W]e don’t want to repeat history. We don’t want to see this. We’re open to ideas. But that doesn’t necessarily mean this idea.”

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford: “I hope that [skipping pension payments] isn’t the desired goal.”

Willis and Lightford aren’t the first to speak out against Pritzker’s pension holiday. Here’s what others have said, including some groups who have been aligned with Democrats in the past:

Joint statement by the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and the Illinois Education Association (IEA): “IFT and IEA oppose underfunding of the pension systems. While we support many of the concepts in the Governor’s proposal, like the sale of pension obligation bonds and re-amortization of the unfunded liability, we would urge that those concepts be implemented in a way that doesn’t fall short of the FY20 required payment.”

Unanimous statement by the Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees: “TRS opposes any Fiscal 2020 budget for the state of Illinois that will appropriate to the System less than $4,813,577,696, the contribution calculated under state pension funding law and certified by the System on January 14, 2019. TRS opposes any extension of the target date currently in statute for the System to reach 90 percent funding. The target should remain no later than fiscal year 2045.”

Illinois Retired Teachers Association President Roger Hampton: “Delaying pension payments just kicks the can down the road again and costs future generations of Illinois taxpayers (if any left) billions of dollars.”

Illinois Retired Teachers Association Executive Director Jim Bachman: “This is the same road that we’ve gone down many times… [Pritzker] said it was his intent to be putting more into the system, if possible, to reduce that debt, but in lieu of that we went the opposite way.”

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ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Responds To J.B. Pritzker’s Proposed Constitutional Language For Graduated Income Tax

Moments ago, Governor J.B. Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers released proposed constitutional amendment language to enact a graduated income tax. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider Released the following statement in response:

“Governor J.B. Pritzker is a tax-hiking hypocrite. He’s pushing an indefinite number of tax hikes on Illinois families and businesses, yet he dodged hundreds of thousands of dollars in property taxes on his own Chicago mansion. An independent watchdog called Pritzker’s property tax dodge a ‘scheme to defraud.’ And we all know how Pritzker offshores his business interests in the Bahamas to dodge taxes. That only scratches the surface of Pritzker’s tax-dodging schemes. When J.B. Pritzker pays his fair share, then he can sincerely ask Illinoisans to pay more. Until then, he should stop pushing tax hikes.”

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Two Weeks Into His Jobs Tax Proposal, Pritzker Already Breaks His Promise To Middle Class Families

Pritzker’s change in rhetoric is the first sign that his jobs tax is a blank check for Pritzker and Madigan to raise taxes on everyone

“It’s been two short weeks since J.B. Pritzker unveiled his jobs tax, and he has already broken his promise to middle class families. Pritzker called his plan ‘tax relief’ for the middle class, but now he says it’s ‘not…an income tax increase.’ Tomorrow it will be a tax hike on all Illinoisans.

“Pritzker’s change in rhetoric is further proof that his jobs tax proposal is nothing more than a blank check for Pritzker and Madigan to raise taxes on anyone, at any time, for any reason. J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan cannot be trusted with a blank check to spend more of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Think Big Illinois, a dark money political front group backed by Pritzker, is out with its first TV ad highlighting Pritzker’s jobs tax. The ad says, “97% of Illinoisans WILL NOT see an income tax increase.”

Barely two weeks into his tax hike plan, Pritzker has already broken his promise to middle class families.

When Governor J.B. Pritzker announced his plan to raise taxes on Illinois families and small businesses, he spuriously claimed that 97% of Illinoisans will see “tax relief” under his plan.

Pritzker’s change in rhetoric is further proof that his jobs tax proposal is nothing more than a blank check for Pritzker and Madigan to raise taxes on anyone, at any time, for any reason.

First, Pritzker’s plan was “tax relief.” Now, it’s “not…an income tax increase.” What will Pritzker’s plan be tomorrow? A tax hike on everyone.

Unless Pritzker and Madigan are putting their tax rates into the constitution, voters will not actually be voting on Pritzker’s proposed tax rates in his so-called ‘fair tax’ plan. They will be voting on whether or not Pritzker and Madigan should have a blank check to raise tax rates to any level they want.

We all know Springfield politicians have squandered taxpayer dollars for decades. J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan cannot be trusted with a blank check to spend even more of your hard-earned taxpayer dollars.

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J.B. Pritzker Should Domesticate His Overseas Holdings In Illinois And Subject Them To Higher Tax Rates He Proposed

ILGOP Chairman Schneider: “As one of Illinois’ richest residents and leading tax hike proponents, it’s time for Gov. Pritzker to pay his fair share”

“It’s time to end Governor Pritzker’s tax hypocrisy. Pritzker says he ‘chooses fairness’ when it comes to raising taxes, yet Pritzker is the beneficiary of many overseas holdings that allow him to dodge untold millions in state and federal taxes. If Pritzker truly believes that rich people such as himself have an obligation to pay more in taxes to the State of Illinois, Pritzker should take the first step and domesticate his overseas holdings in Illinois so they would be subject to the higher tax rates he has proposed for the people of Illinois.

“As one of Illinois’ richest residents and leading tax hike proponents, it’s time for Governor Pritzker to pay his fair share, before expecting Illinois taxpayers to pay more. Tax fairness should start with our governor.” – Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider

Last week, Governor J.B. Pritzker finally released the specific tax rates of his plan to raise taxes on Illinois families and businesses. When you factor in the Personal Property Replacement Tax, Pritzker’s tax hike plan will hit corporations and trusts domiciled in the state of Illinois with a 10.45% and 9.45% tax rate, respectively, making it “one of the highest in the nation.”

During the course of last year’s gubernatorial campaign, Illinois voters learned that Pritzker is the beneficiary of many overseas trusts based in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands. Those trusts are not subject to taxes. Pritzker attempted to skirt the topic by saying there was nothing he could do about the trusts set up by his grandfather in the 1960s, and that all of his money from those trusts go to his charitable foundation.

But a Chicago Tribune investigated found that Pritzker himself utilizes overseas tax havens for his personal business ventures. Several overseas shell corporations were set up by Pritzker and his associates between 2008 and 2011. According to the Tribune, those corporations “are either wholly owned by J.B. Pritzker, his brother and business partner Anthony Pritzker, or list other close associates as controlling executives.”

All told, the Tribune found “35 offshore and domestic trusts and shell companies tied to Pritzker on top of the dozen offshore investment funds.”

Financial experts told the Tribune that the investment tactics used by Pritzker helped him maintain the secrecy of his overseas holdings while minimizing the tax liability.

When the investigation broke, Pritzker tax hike supporter Dan Biss said “J.B. Pritzker set up companies offshore, probably to avoid taxes and spent the entire past year lying about it.”

In 2008, The New York Times said the Pritzker family were “pioneers in using tax loopholes to shelter their holdings from the internal revenue service.” And J.B. Pritzker’s sister, Penny Pritzker, became the subject of media scrutiny after some of her overseas holdings were revealed in the Paradise Papers.

If Pritzker truly believes that rich people such as himself have an obligation to pay more in taxes to the State of Illinois, Pritzker should take the first step and domesticate his overseas holdings in Illinois so they would be subject to the higher tax rates he has proposed for the people of Illinois.

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ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Statement on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s $3.4 Billion Tax Hike

Moments ago, Governor J.B. Pritzker released proposed graduated income tax rates as part of his plan to raise taxes on Illinois families and businesses. Pritzker’s proposed tax hike plan also puts in place “one of the highest in the nation” tax rates for businesses. Pritzker claims his tax increase would raise an additional $3.4 billion in tax revenue for state coffers. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider issued the following statement in response:

“More tax hikes will not solve Illinois’ fiscal problems. Pritzker’s proposed $3.4 billion tax increase will lead to even more out-migration of Illinois families, businesses, and jobs. Tax-and-spend Illinois Democrats cannot be trusted with more of our tax dollars. That is why Illinois Republicans stand united against the Pritzker-Madigan tax hike and will continue to support reforms that will lower taxes, create jobs, and make our state thrive once again.”
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 Watchdogs & Analysts: Pritzker’s “Structurally Out Of Balance” Budget May Threaten Illinois’ Credit Rating

Pritzker’s one-time revenue measures, delayed pension payments, new pension borrowing, spending increases, and more threaten Illinois’ already-fragile fiscal condition

“Governor Pritzker’s unbalanced budget proposal is setting our state on a road to fiscal ruin. According to the Big Three credit rating agencies and financial analysts, Pritzker’s pension holidays and one-time revenue gimmicks will threaten Illinois’ already-fragile fiscal condition. To move our state forward, we must change our fiscal course, but unfortunately, Pritzker’s proposals maintain the status quo in Springfield.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

 

Last week, Pritzker gave his first budget address, outlining his Fiscal Year 2020 budget proposal which included:

  • Tax increases, including spending of revenue not yet realized
  • Spending increases, expansion of programs
  • Reduction in pension payments, a flip-flop from Pritzker’s campaign pledge
  • Issuing new pension debt and other general obligation bonds
  • No job-creating, economic reforms

Credit rating agencies did not respond positively to Pritzker’s budget. One financial publication said Pritzker’s one-time revenue measures leaves Pritzker’s budget “structurally out of balance,” contrary to Pritzker’s assertion that he’s resolving the state’s structural budget deficit.

Here’s what financial industry watchdogs and analysts had to say about Pritzker’s proposal:

 

The Bond Buyer: Why Illinois budget proposal raises new rating concerns

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s pension and budget proposals raised red flags among watchdogs, investors, and analysts, along with questions about the threat it may pose to the state’s investment-grade ratings.

…The [Municipal Market Analytics] report warns that the risks associated with the uncertainties over the valuation of asset transfers and the arbitrage gamble on POBs are ideas that “can become gimmicks that pose credit negatives potent enough — scaled to management’s desperation to shape its spreadsheets — to smother the plan’s benefits to the state’s credit profile.”

The budget also relies on a series of one-shot revenue measures, leaving it structurally out of balance.

…Moody’s Investors Service would view the move to lower near-term pension contributions and extend the amortization period as a negative but is withholding judgment to see how the legislative session plays out and what is the broader context of the package that’s approved, Moody’s lead Illinois analyst Ted Hampton said.

 

Fitch Ratings: Illinois Governor’s Budget Plan Would Make Insufficient Progress

The fiscal 2020 executive budget plan recently introduced by Illinois’ governor would not materially address the state’s structural budget issues in the current fiscal year or the next, says Fitch Ratings.

…Fitch has indicated that we would lower the state’s IDR if Illinois returned to a pattern of deferring payments for near-term budget balancing. Elements of the governor’s proposal, including a $1.5 billion GO bill backlog borrowing that reduces but leaves largely unresolved the 2019 deficit and numerous one-time measures in fiscal 2020, appear to do that without a clear path toward long-term balance.

 

Reuters: Proposed Illinois budget falls short on filling structural gap, credit rating agency warns

Pritzker’s nearly $39 billion general funds budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 depends on $1.1 billion in estimated new revenue, including money from yet-to-be legalized sports betting and recreational marijuana. It also frees up cash by reducing contributions to the state’s five retirement systems.

“Illinois faces significant fiscal problems that will likely take multiple years to fully address, but the executive budget does not provide enough clarity on how the state will deal with them,” Fitch said in a statement.

 

Capitol News Illinois: Pritzker’s budget and pension plans could irritate bond markets

But in order to accomplish that, the state would need to borrow money, a lot of money. And there are significant questions about how the financial markets would respond to that.

All three major credit rating agencies — Moody’s, S&P and Fitch Ratings — currently rate state of Illinois bonds at one notch above “junk” status. And there are elements in Pritzker’s plan that some analysts say could cause those agencies to consider making that downgrade, a change that would have dire financial consequences for the state.

Chicago Tribune: Wall Street credit agency warns Illinois could face credit downgrade under Gov. Pritzker’s budget plan

A Wall Street credit rating agency is warning that Illinois could face another debt downgrade if lawmakers adopt Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget plan.

Fitch Ratings said in a news release Tuesday that the plan Pritzker presented last week “would not materially address the state’s structural budget issues in the current fiscal year or the next.” The warning comes four days after S&P Global Ratings panned the new Democratic governor’s spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1, calling it “precariously” balanced.

Like S&P, Fitch took issue with Pritzker’s plan to stretch out pension payments to lower short-term costs while extending the state’s funding deadline by seven years.

Chicago Tribune: With ‘precariously’ balanced budget plan, Pritzker ‘punts’ on difficult decisions, ratings agency says

“This revenue stream is far from certain, and there is no detail yet on rates, brackets, or the amount of revenue it is supposed to generate,” S&P said. “Despite the potential for a more collaborative budget process with single-party control of state government, Illinois has yet to prove its ability to make politically difficult decisions in favor of structural balance and sustainability. If it adopts the budget in its current form, it remains at risk of repeating a pattern of putting off hard choices while eroding pension funding.”

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Durbin and Duckworth Vote To Deny Medical Care To Infants Who Survive Abortions

U.S. Senate Democrats block Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act as Illinois Democrats push radical abortion agenda; ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider responds

 

“In the not too distant past, then-Congressman Dick Durbin advocated to place limits on abortion and overturn Roe v. Wade. Now, Senator Dick Durbin is voting to deny medical care to infants who survive abortions, allowing infanticide. This is how radical the Democratic Party has become on the issue of abortion. Democrats consistently say they ‘fight’ to protect the most vulnerable, but what is more vulnerable than a newborn baby? I think we all should be able to agree that a living, breathing child recently born deserves to do just that – live.” – Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider

 

Yesterday, U.S. Senate Democrats blocked a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (S. 311). The legislation would have mandated that doctors provide life-saving medical care to infants who survive abortions at the end of a pregnancy. This legislation was introduced by Republican Senator Ben Sasse after the Democratic Governor of Virginia endorsed post-birth abortions and a Democratic lawmaker from Virginia pushed legislation that would authorize a mother to request an abortion during birth.

Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth opposed the legislation. Support for the legislation was bipartisan – Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Doug Jones or Alabama joined Republicans in supporting the legislation. Only Democrats opposed the legislation.

When he was a Congressman, Dick Durbin opposed abortion and said the “right to an abortion is not guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution” and that “Roe v. Wade should be reversed” by the U.S. Supreme Court. Read more about Durbin’s former pro-life position on abortion here.

Now, Illinois Democrats in Springfield, at the behest of Governor J.B. Pritzker, are pushing legislation to remove all late-term limits on abortion, eliminate statutes protecting children who are born after an unsuccessful abortion, and mandate that all private insurance plans cover abortion procedures.

According to Gallup polling from last year, Americans are evenly split in defining themselves by the “pro-life” and “pro-choice” labels. When broken down by trimester, a majority of Americans generally oppose abortions performed in the second and third trimesters of a pregnancy.

And according to a study performed by the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute, “most women seeking later terminations are not doing so for reasons of fetal anomaly or life endangerment.”

This is how radical the Democratic Party has become on the issue of abortion. Democrats are pushing an abortion agenda most Americans disagree with.

 

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