I really do try not to be too preachy on this blog, but sometimes I just can't resist. If you haven't already heard, the Democrats plan to dig deep, deep into your wallet to try to dig the state out of the same debt that they created, with a massive 75% tax increase. The very last decent aspect of living or doing business in the State of Illinois just went out the window, folks. The tax structure in socialist Wisconsin is now starting to look pretty good. But, considering that Wisconsin woke up this past election cycle and kicked out the socialists and put in the Republicans, they have at least figured something out.
So, we're looking now at a 2.25% tax hike in personal income taxes, but that might even go up. Of that, exactly 0% is accompanied by any reforms in spending or state pensions. But wait, the Dems are saying, much of this is only a "temporary" tax hike.
Yeah, right.
Well, campers, if you don't like it, you have no one to blame but yourselves. You, the citizens of Illinois are the folks who put Madigan's foot soldiers like Carol Sente, Karen May, Daniel Biss and the rest into office. Not to mention Pat Quinn. Who, by the way, had stated on the campaign trail that while he thought we needed an income tax increase, he'd veto anything over 1%. What happened to that promise? (There's a remote possibility, maybe, that this is all a head-fake and the real plan is to push through a 1% increase or something smaller that will look better in comparison to the shocking massive hike now being proposed - it's never easy to predict what the rascals in Springfield will do).
I predict the phone will be ringing off the hook today at Lake County Republican Headquarters, with people railing about how unfair and ridiculous this is, and hey, what do the Republicans plan to do about it?
If I was answering the phones today, for every caller who rings to complain, the first question I would ask is, why are you surprised, and the second is, what did you do to help elect reform candidates like Sugrue, Chang, Turelli and other Republicans who might have been able to make a difference?
But that's why they don't let me answer the phones.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
10 comments:
elections have consequences-this is part one, part two is redistricting. hopefully this will energize candidate recruitment (a bees, you up for a few years in springfield?)and party building when financially strained businesses and families figure out what they are getting out of this.
FOKLAES
Well stated TA! I think you should share your phone answering script with Chelsey - it is right on the mark. Only thing I would add is that the first question should be "Did you vote?" Then what did you do to help change Springfield from blue to at least purple if not red.
We need to inundate the media with calls for spending cuts, fiscal responsibility etc. ...didn't the voter initiated recall pass?
Trebor of Libertyville
Rod Blagojevich was against raising taxes. Question, what programs do we cut and dump on the local governments and the justice system? Life in a civilized country is not cheap.
If a grown up like Jim Edgar was in charge and was willing to make grown up decisions, then I'd be supportive of temp. tax increases for fiscal discipline. However, they aren't. The pension system must be reformed and there is lots of graft and fat in the budget. As for the citizens who were so terrified about Brady's views on abortion that they voted for Quinn, seriously the rest of us have the right to be angry with you. When IL governors appoint Supreme Court judges you can get up in arms about losing your sacred right to choose.. Until then, try voting on issues that actually matter
Finally we will have income taxes like the surrounding states and we will start seeing some property tax relief.
Even at 3.5%, I am getting a nice refund on this year's state income tax and I bet the majority of you are too. Quit whining!
Dear Mr./Ms. Truth - I hardly know where to begin:
===Finally we will have income taxes like the surrounding states===
Um, how exactly is that a good thing? In case you don't understand anything about interstate economics (cough, cough) Illinois is in competition with all surrounding states, especially in a border county like Lake County where, in case you haven't noticed, businesses have been fleeing over the border to Pleasant Prairie for some years now. Oh, you didn't notice, for example, that Uline had packed up and built a splendiferous new building up in Wisconsin? No, you probably wouldn't. All those tax dollars and jobs represent a loss to your local schools, neighborhood pizza shops, local government, you name it. Illinois' relatively low taxes were the last decent competitive advantage we had. Not anymore.
===and we will start seeing some property tax relief.===
Really? You mean the current plan which is to send out a check for $325 or something? Yeah, that sounds like real property tax relief. Don't hold your breath.
===Even at 3.5%, I am getting a nice refund on this year's state income tax and I bet the majority of you are too.===
It's just like a liberal to be GRATEFUL when the government hands you back your own money. The only reason you get a refund OF YOUR OWN MONEY is because you overwithheld, Einstein. Well, enjoy your refund while it lasts because you won't see that next year, unless of course you increase your withholding -- and that will give you a smaller paycheck, so maybe you will get the point then.
===Quit whining!===
Yes, because good little mushrooms simply do what Mike Madigan tells them to.
Not on this blog.
A little misdirection on the property tax "relief." If you pay $6,500.00 a year or more on property taxes, you lose your deduction but get $325.00? Isn't that worse? We Greeks with our Trojan Horse history can only admire this falsehood called "property tax relief"!
And Illinois corporate tax rates will now be the highest in Western Civilization? Woo Hoo! How's that one for a jobs killer!
Thanks Illinois Democrats! You ran up our debt to impossible heights, and now you want to sock it to us to try to rectify your mistakes. You desperately want Republicans to join in to vote with you as cover for your incompetence, which you did on your own while you governed State Government without any Republican input these past 8 years.
Lost in all this pathetic behavior is the fact that there really is nothing proposed to reign in future spending.
So they ran up the credit cards, and now they are taking out a second mortgage to pay for them, so they can run up the credit cards some more, all at our expense?
Thanks Democrats.
Nice going. Hell of a performance!
And TA, you are absolutely right about voter apathy. They will feel the pain of their apathy soon enough when they start paying for all of this. First deductions from their paychecks will start on July 1st!
Louis G. Atsaves
The benefit to the tax increase is that it ruins the careers of every local springfield democratic politician so you can cancel any hopes musselman, garrett, ect have of running for congress.
My favorite story this morning comes via the scum times where carol marin informs us that alexi is unemployed, mentally lost, getting his inner frat boy on in mexico and crying all the time. In essence what you would expect from him. Hand it to the 10th dems, they really know where to find winners.
FOKLAES
"Finally we will have income taxes like the surrounding states and we will start seeing some property tax relief.
Even at 3.5%, I am getting a nice refund on this year's state income tax and I bet the majority of you are too. Quit whining!"
As someone who doesn't "own" a house, I don't get property tax relief. I'm 29, single, and frankly have never made enough money to logically purchase a house or condo. But I guess I should just stop "whining" about how awesomely awesome it will be to purchase another 2.25% of my income (aka barely enough money to make ends meet) to the IL gov't so Pat Quinn's buddies can get bigger bonuses.
Just so you know how crappy the IL tax system is... I generally get a refund from the feds, but I always end up paying more money to the state..
"My favorite story this morning comes via the scum times where carol marin informs us that alexi is unemployed, mentally lost, getting his inner frat boy on in mexico and crying all the time. In essence what you would expect from him. Hand it to the 10th dems, they really know where to find winners. "
The sad thing about that is that 46% of IL thought he would be a better Senator than Mark Kirk.
Post a Comment