Illinois is first (or close to first) in many things that are well BAD!!! Highest income tax on the middle class, highest corporate tax in the WORLD, highest sales tax (in Cook County - the by far largest in the state and includes Chicago) in the country, 2nd highest property taxes, top five highest gas, tobacco and utility taxes. None of these victories are good.
HOWEVER, the cause of all of these is the WORSE category we lead in! Illinois has the most units of local/state government (6,963 to be exact) than any other state and we beat 2nd place Texas by over 1,800 units (TX has 5,147). We beat CA by of 2,500 units and we beat 5th place KS by over 3,000 units. It's insanity. Bases on population, size and infrastructure there is ZERO reason we should be ahead of TX, CA, NY or FL and we are DESTROYING THEM!
This is extremely expensive to maintain and is ripe with corruption and waste. Hence the phrase the "Chicago Way." We waste so much and the Democrats that run the state don't do a DAMN thing about it, except tax us more into oblivion!
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/wp-content/files_mf/1384372675Too_much_gov.pdf
So when you hear Gov Quinn state that we need to make the "temporary" income tax increase permanent (to go along with the 2nd highest property tax, highest sales tax and top 5 highest gas tax in the country) because of course it's for the children keep this in mind. Tell him you are a liar, theft and scum-bag.
He should be stating we tax too high and we spend too much. Here is what I am going to do: (1) Lower income taxes back to 3% now and 2% by 2016, (2) I am going to immediately call for a decrease in everyone property taxes by XXX% starting in 2015, (3) I will lower the corporate tax to XXX% to get business coming and not going to IL, (4) and I will get the sales tax lowered to 5% and I will do this all by (A) Cutting out 3,000 units of local government and (B) Passing MEANINGFUL pension reform and protects current retirees and ones close to retirement (plus ones that have contributed for years), while shifting new and younger employees to individual 401K and IRAs.
Lastly keep in mind this mammoth level of government costs us directly in other ways:
"The average Illinoisan resides in an area that has at least
six layers of local government including county, township,
municipality, both a primary and secondary level school district,
and a community college district."
HOWEVER, the cause of all of these is the WORSE category we lead in! Illinois has the most units of local/state government (6,963 to be exact) than any other state and we beat 2nd place Texas by over 1,800 units (TX has 5,147). We beat CA by of 2,500 units and we beat 5th place KS by over 3,000 units. It's insanity. Bases on population, size and infrastructure there is ZERO reason we should be ahead of TX, CA, NY or FL and we are DESTROYING THEM!
This is extremely expensive to maintain and is ripe with corruption and waste. Hence the phrase the "Chicago Way." We waste so much and the Democrats that run the state don't do a DAMN thing about it, except tax us more into oblivion!
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/wp-content/files_mf/1384372675Too_much_gov.pdf
So when you hear Gov Quinn state that we need to make the "temporary" income tax increase permanent (to go along with the 2nd highest property tax, highest sales tax and top 5 highest gas tax in the country) because of course it's for the children keep this in mind. Tell him you are a liar, theft and scum-bag.
He should be stating we tax too high and we spend too much. Here is what I am going to do: (1) Lower income taxes back to 3% now and 2% by 2016, (2) I am going to immediately call for a decrease in everyone property taxes by XXX% starting in 2015, (3) I will lower the corporate tax to XXX% to get business coming and not going to IL, (4) and I will get the sales tax lowered to 5% and I will do this all by (A) Cutting out 3,000 units of local government and (B) Passing MEANINGFUL pension reform and protects current retirees and ones close to retirement (plus ones that have contributed for years), while shifting new and younger employees to individual 401K and IRAs.
Lastly keep in mind this mammoth level of government costs us directly in other ways:
"The average Illinoisan resides in an area that has at least
six layers of local government including county, township,
municipality, both a primary and secondary level school district,
and a community college district."