SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois Democrats are proposing that voters decide whether to raise income taxes on the state’s wealthiest.

Democratic Rep. Lou Lang’s measure would levy a 3.5 percent tax for joint filers making $200,000 or less and individuals earning $100,000 or less. The rates would increase gradually by income until reached 9.75 percent for joint filers making more than $1.5 million and individuals earning more than $1 million.

The current income tax rate for everyone is 3.75 percent.

Lang introduced the proposal Friday.

The state faces of deficit of roughly $5 billion.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s spokeswoman, Catherine Kelly, says the tax increase “would be the straw that breaks the Illinois economy’s back.”

Getting the question to voters will be difficult. Democrats need to get three-fifths of each chamber to support it.

 

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