Jack Franks: Millionaire's amendment 'bad policy'

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, said he can’t get behind a bill that may be called for a vote on the House floor on Thursday that would tax individuals who make more than $1 million a year.

“I don’t think I can vote for it. I think it’s bad policy,” Franks told the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday. Franks said neither Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan nor any representative from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office has reached out to him on the vote.

Franks’ “no” vote is significant since the so-called Millionaire’s Amendment, which passed out of committee on Wednesday, needs a supermajority to advance. That means all 71 Democrats would have to vote in favor.

Madigan has pushed the amendment as a populist approach to generating more revenue in a state desperately needing it. But the measure needs supermajorities in both chambers to get on a ballot for a vote.

An advisory referendum on the issue advanced overwhelmingly across the state in 2014.