Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Illinois income tax increase - thumbs up, or down?

An email this morning informed me of a WLS-AM radio show at 9:00AM featuring John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, with whom Cisco Cotto was expected to have a lively conversation. Unfortunately, going to http://www.wlsam.com/ wasn't good enough for my computer, and I couldn't get to the live broadcast.

I found it extremely difficult to find the on-air program. I went through a variety of options, was blasted with many commercials. On one screen there was Help offered, and that just led to another commercial. WLSAM.com definitely deserves a Thumbs Down on the path to on-air, live broadcasts on the 'net.

So, what did John Tillman have to say? You'll have to find it elsewhere, perhaps at http://www.illinoispolicy.org/, where you can use the online calculator to determine how much more you will owe under the governor's proposed tax increase.

Where do you stand on the tax increase?

OK, use your noggins here. Is there anyone who believes that the debt in Illinois can go down, if spending continues as it is and revenues don't go up? Call your local state legislator and ask how Illinois will ever avoid bankruptcy by following its current financial operation non-plan.

Agencies are already cutting back because they don't have enough money. Right here in McHenry County we already see services being cut. People in vital agencies, like Family Service and Community Mental Health Center, are losing their jobs. And I don't mean just the people at the low end of the totem pole.

Obviously, State spending must be cut. In some places it can't be cut, because the doors on the gravy train are sealed shut; e.g., the entitlements. So, State income has to go up.

If the People see that they are getting value for their money, they'll squawk, but not so loudly as they are now. Legislators need to cut out the pork N-O-W. Get rid of the legislators' perks. Get rid of the legislators' give-away programs, like the university scholarships. Cut out the truly unnecessary programs and spending.

If your legislator is against a tax increase, ask him what his PLANS are for reducing Illinois debt and balancing the State's budget (and lowering it). You are probably in for a big shock, because you aren't going to get an answer!

1 comment:

Tyler said...

Good! Cut the services. We have become a big government, take care of me society. We did fine before. Oh no, now the liberal hankie wringers say government should fund (with tax dollars) all these social programs. Welfare , give me programs I worked in a food pantry for a couple years until I got depressed seeing ABLE BODIED people arrive each week and get their FREE stuff. People I knew to never look for work. What we used to call bums, but now the PC term is homeless or under-employed. No they are lazy lugs of society sucking the blood right out of good hearted programs. The ONLY reason I stayed was seeing legitimate families down on their luck getting help and help the kids. But they all seemed to get jobs and find their way out of the problem. But we still have the weekly bums.

Most of these social service agencies are top heavy with Masters Degree people that never really WORKED a day in their life. They live off grants and do little to benefit society except suck up money.

The State of Illinois has thousands of workers that do little except sit around.

Illinois is a big government state. Why can other states operate efficiently without a big state government? Did you ever notice Wisconsin does not have STATE Highway workers? Plowing is all done by the county and construction the county can do is BID out. Illinois has hundred of "SNOW BIRDS” that work the winter and sit waiting for a snow fall.

If the tax increase go through, these idiots in Springfield will burn through it and start MORE programs. They don’t know how to say NO.