Using my trusty 2015 reference book, I find Illinois does not have the highest income tax rate. Our current rate is 4.95%. The rate is modified because of all the deductions reducing the taxable income other states don’t have. Some states have a graduated tax so for this comparison. I used married, filing jointly, and $70,000 from the federal adjusted gross income.

These are the twenty-seven states with taxes higher than ours: Alabama – 5%. Arkansas – 7%, California – 8%, Connecticut – 8%, Delaware – 6.6%, Georgia – 6%, Hawaii – 7.6%, Idaho – 7.4%, Iowa – 8.98%, Kentucky – 5.8%, Maine – 7.95%, Massachusetts – 5.15%, Minnesota – 7.05%, Mississippi – 5%, Missouri – 6%, Montana – 6.9%, Nebraska – 6.84%, New York – 6.45%, North Carolina – 5.75%, Oklahoma – 5.25% Oregon – 9.9%, South Carolina – 7%, Utah – 5%, Vermont – 6.8%, Virginia – 5.75%, West Virginia – 6.5%, and Wisconsin – 6.27%. Many of those lower than us are suffering through budget crisis as are some of the above. Some of the lower ones have other sources of income from oil, gas, and mining.

Some of the above rates are based on AGI, others on gross. Most have no deductions or exemptions.

Our current Governor wants to reduce our rate to 4.70% when we still have a billion in overdue bills. The challenger wants to try to amend the Constitution to allow a graduated tax. Both ignore the pension debt.

The best way to change the tax income is to tax all state pensions at the current rate when the checks are sent out. This would mean those living in or out of Illinois would pay the tax. The pensions were earned here and should be taxed here. Taxing pensions is legal. It only takes guts from the people we send to Springfield! It would raise taxes on my family also.