The Illinois chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today applauded U.S. Senate candidate and current U.S. Representative Mark Kirk (10th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Kirk joins over 280 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue, unless it is offset by tax cuts equal to or greater than the revenues generated.”

“The one thing elected officials should all be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. “We encourage all of Illinois’ elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”

Other Illinois signers include: U.S. Senate candidates Patrick Hughes and Eric Wallace; U.S. House candidates John Dawson, David McAloon and Henry Meers; and State Senator Ira Silverstein.

Cap-and-trade took its first step toward enactment when the U.S. House narrowly passed the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill, which escaped the lower chamber by a scant seven votes despite significant bipartisan opposition. Senators Boxer (D-Calif.) and Kerry (D-Mass.) have just begun committee hearings on companion legislation in the Senate. However, key Democratic senators have expressed opposition to attempting to pass cap-and-trade this year.

President Obama has made no secret of his support for the bill, which would be the largest tax increase in American history. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has scored the plan as an $846 billion increase in federal revenue, a burden that will be borne by taxpayers and consumers for decades to come.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Calomino. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”

The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.