SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Hoping to protect seniors on a fixed income, state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is supporting a resolution that urges the General Assembly to not pass any measure that would tax retirement income.

“Many seniors are living on a fixed income that is extremely sensitive to rising taxes and fees,” Halpin said. “Further burdening our seniors would have a devastating effect on those who need every cent of their income to meet their health care needs and stay in their homes.”

Halpin is backing House Resolution 29, a bipartisan resolution demanding that the Illinois tax code not be changed in order to tax retirement income. Under current law, retirement income is exempt from any form of income tax, but the idea has been proposed by some in Illinois as a possible solution to the budget impasse. Halpin believes that balancing the budget on the backs of vulnerable seniors will only encourage more seniors to move across the river into Iowa.

“As I go door-to-door in our community, I often hear from seniors about how difficult living on a fixed income can be, and how tight monthly expenses have become,” Halpin said. “As we work to find a solution to our budget impasse, we must come together to find common-sense solutions that protect the middle class and our elderly residents.”

For more information, please contact Halpin’s full-time constituent service office at 309-558-3612 or at rephalpin@gmail.com.