Tax, Spend, Repeat…

Tuesday (July 4th), the Illinois Senate took up the misguided proposal (SB 9) to massively increase the income taxes of citizens and corporations in Illinois, approving it by a vote of 36-18. State Senator Dale Righter of Mattoon was the only Senate Republican to vote in favor of this tax hike. (See the full roll call below.) This tax grab was approved in the Illinois House last Saturday afternoon, by a vote of 72-45.

It is ironic that the General Assembly voted to impose oppressive government taxes on Illinoisans during Independence Day weekend.

The good news is that Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed this proposal as soon as he could. The bad news is that the Illinois Senate already overrode his veto. So now it goes back to the Illinois House were we need to convince two or three state representatives to change their votes to ‘no.’

Apparently to lawmakers in Springfield, it was easier to dig deeper into the wallets of citizens than to address decades of irresponsible government spending and mismanagement. This is egregiously unfair to the citizens they are supposedly working to serve. It is a shameful offense that so many politicians chose to acquiesce to the inexhaustible demands of our ever-expanding and inept state government by placing a heavier burden on families and businesses in Illinois.

In approving these taxes, our state lawmakers ignored the “Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households” issued just two months ago. This alarming report suggests that 62 percent of Americans can’t cover unexpected expenses and almost a quarter cannot pay all their monthly bills. Taking more resources away from citizens to feed the insatiable appetite and reckless spending habits of state government will only exacerbate these problems.

For far too long, Illinois lawmakers have proven to be fiscally irresponsible. Why should hard-working and over-taxed citizens trust them with yet more of their money?

We’ve been here before. Between 2011-2014, Illinois citizens paid these higher taxes after Springfield politicians promised to pay down the backlog of bills, stabilize the state’s pension crisis, and strengthen the economy. That didn’t happen.

Unpaid bills and pension debt are out of control, and according to USA Today, our state economy is ranked 49th. Instead of using those increased taxes in an effective and efficient manner, government leaders squandered it. We have no reason to believe they will do better with more of our tax dollars.

Take ACTION: Please urge your state representative to reject any legislative proposal to increase tax burdens for Illinois citizens.  Ask him/her to vote NO to SB 9. You can also call the switchboard number Springfield at (217) 782-2000.

More:  Check out the Illinois Policy Institute’s online calculator to find out how much damage this tax hike will do to your family budget.

How Did They Vote?

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Gov. Rauner vows to veto reckless spending plan 

Late Sunday afternoon (July 2nd), the Illinois House passed a massive tax hike for families and businesses. What does that mean for taxpayers? Well, if this proposal isn’t vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, the personal income tax rate would increase by 32 percent, surging from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent, and the corporate rate would jump from 5.25 percent to 7 percent. This would enable and fund business as usual. (“Enable” is the key word here…)

The final vote was 72-45 – with 57 Democrats and 15 Republicans voting in favor of increasing our taxes. To see how your state representative voted, please click HERE.

It is very disappointing to know that so many state representatives ignored basic economic principles, and decided that the solution to irresponsible fiscal spending and mismanagement was to place a heavier tax burden on already over-taxed families in Illinois. Instead of reducing spending and cutting waste, they opted to feed the insatiable demands of our growing state government.

This proposal (SB 9) now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.

Thankfully, in response to this vote, Gov. Rauner issued a statement last night promising to veto this tax hike when it arrives on his desk, saying:

“I will veto Mike Madigan’s permanent 32 percent tax hike. Illinois families don’t deserve to have more of their hard-earned money taken from them when the legislature has done little to restore confidence in government or grow jobs. Illinois families deserve more jobs, property tax relief and term limits. But tonight they got more of the same.”

We know from recent history (2011-2014) that Illinois lawmakers were unable to improve the state’s fiscal condition with a temporary income tax hike — despite their promises to do so. There is no reason to believe that sending more tax revenues to Springfield now will be any different than before. They have proven themselves to be utterly irresponsible and reckless with the tax revenues they are getting now, so why would anyone think they would do better with even more taxpayer resources?

Take ACTION: Please ask the governor and your state senator to vote against any legislative proposal that would increase tax burdens for Illinois citizens. Ask them not to take much needed resources away from family budgets to boost imprudent spending of Illinois government.

Let them know that you oppose any new tax increases when they refuse to cut government waste and bloat. You can also call your lawmakers’ Springfield offices through the Capitol Switchboard at (217) 782-2000.

PLEASE ALSO CALL THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE at (217) 782-0244 and/or (312) 814-2121.

How Did They Vote?

Spread the Word!

Please share this information on social media and with your like-minded friends and neighbors.  Only a strong response from Illinois citizens can stop this tax exploitation from going through.

It is only because of concerned citizens like you that we are able to continue promoting pro-family values in the Prairie State.

>>Private, tax-deductible contributions keep IFI in the fight for truth in Illinois. Click HERE TO SUPPORT Illinois Family Institute.

State government summer re-run season is underway at the Illinois capitol building where both political parties are cooperating to send our state further into the fiscal abyss.

Midnight came and went as we closed out the month of June without a budget being signed into law, so Illinois has begun its third straight year without one. Governor Bruce Rauner and the leaders of the General Assembly once again have failed in their principle task.

On Friday the Illinois House voted on a budget proposal that leaves most of the financial problems unaddressed. State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) called the House plan “a disaster.”

In order to better celebrate Independence Day weekend, Illinois taxpayers may want to avoid reading the details of what our elected officials have once again produced. Perusing just one source, here are a few examples of their “accomplishments” as things stand midday, Saturday:

• “No other state has come close to the mess that Illinois is in.”

• The state’s credit rating is about to be downgraded to “junk,” which increases “the cost to taxpayers when the state borrows money.”

• “Illinois already has the lowest credit rating of any U.S. state…”

• Illinois “owes more than $15 billion in late payments to vendors — including doctors who provide health care to state employees and social service agencies that care for disabled people.”

• “Some homeless and domestic violence shelters have been forced to close or reduce services…”

If that isn’t bad enough, Illinois Review reported that 23 of the 51 Illinois House Republicans joined the Democrats in voting for the budget “disaster.” Thus we should expect that during next year’s campaign, those Republicans will not dare blame the Democrats for the state’s continuing fiscal mess.

So now they are working over this holiday weekend and are seriously considering a plan proposed by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to permanently and massively increase your family’s personal income taxes.  This plan also calls for a dramatic increase in corporate income taxes and some new service taxes.  All this to cover their wasteful and reckless spending habits.

In addition to providing more very important information, the Illinois Policy Institute has an online calculator so taxpayers can measure the damage to their family budgets that will come with the bipartisan tax increase. Since the median household income for Illinois is approximately $60,000, here is what it will look like for a family of 4:

What is key, of course, is to keep in mind that this tax increase does not come anywhere near solving the state’s problems. As more people and businesses escape to states where taxes are lower, the burden will only grow for those who remain.

Currently, the state of Illinois takes in approximately $31 to $32 billion a year in tax revenue.  The proposed budget currently before the General Assembly is $36.5 billion, which is why tax and spend lawmakers are again looking to dig deeper into the pockets of hardworking families.

IFI’s Dave Smith points out: “Illinois lawmakers have proven themselves utterly irresponsible with the tax revenues they are getting now, so why would anyone think they would do better with even more taxpayer resources? In fact, between 2011-2014, the lawmakers hit citizens with higher taxes with the promise of righting the ship. Instead of using those funds in an effective and efficient manner, they squandered it.”

That irresponsibility is exhibited in the numbers that continue to get worse: $251 billion pension liability; $15 billion of backlogged bills; $800 million in late fees; and $3.1 billion in Medicaid funding.  You can read more HERE.

More taxes, more spending, more debt and more bleeding of Illinois families.  That’s the message too many state lawmakers are advancing for the citizens of Illinois.

UPDATE:  Late Sunday afternoon (July 2nd), the Illinois House passed this proposal to permanently increase taxes on the families and businesses of Illinois by a vote of 72-45.

It now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.

Take ACTION: Please contact the governor and your state lawmakers to ask them vote against any legislative proposal that would increase tax burdens for Illinois citizens.

Let them know that you oppose any new tax increases when they refuse to cut government waste and bloat. You can also call your lawmakers through the Capitol Switchboard at (217) 782-2000.

PLEASE ALSO CALL THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE at (217) 782-0244 and/or (312) 814-2121.

State Representative Ives, who voted against the House proposal, summed it up on the house floor yesterday in less than four minutes:

https://youtu.be/e_pEuHGwnAc

Read more:

Big Illinois Government’s Insatiable and Impossible Demands from Taxpayers

State Senator McConchie Outlines the Simplicity of the Budget Crisis

‘Taxpayer Bargain’ Budget Puts Taxpayers First

Spread the Word!

Please share this information on social media and with your like-minded friends and neighbors.  Only a strong response from Illinois citizens can stop this tax exploitation from going through.

It is only because of concerned citizens like you that we are able to continue promoting pro-family values in the Prairie State.

>>Private, tax-deductible contributions keep IFI in the fight for truth in Illinois. Click HERE TO SUPPORT Illinois Family Institute.

The suicide of a Greek pharmacist has triggered reaction around the world, and has focused attention on the economic crisis in Greece and the European Union.  However, it appears that many will take the wrong lesson from it.  There will be calls for increased taxes and spending to “protect” citizens from such an end.  That would be most foolish. 

Dimitris Christoulas’ suicide in Athens this past Wednesday was both tragic and portentous, as many nations, including the United States, are following Greece down the same pathway toward insolvency.  Mr. Christoulas sadly believed himself to be between a rock and a hard place and decided it was quite literally impossible to survive in a dignified fashion.  He declared that he would not lower himself to pick food out of the garbage. 

While there are many lessons which may be drawn from his tragic situation and choice, it seems that one all of us ought to learn is that it is dangerous to become dependent upon politicians to provide one’s daily sustenance and dignity.  It is an understatement of the highest order to say that politicians and governments are notoriously unreliable to meet such obligations.  Those of us in Illinois and especially Chicago ought to need no further instruction in such things.  If you are at all attuned to events in this state,  you are aware that numerous pension funds are grossly underfunded.  Why?  Because politicians spent the money elsewhere.  Why are Medicare and Medicaid underfunded?  Because politicians spent the money on other things.  Why is Social Security going under?  Because politicians opened the “lock-box” and spent the money on other things.  Do you get the picture?  If you are a teacher or police officer, are there rumblings about the security of your retirement?  Enough said. 

It is imperative that we understand how these things came about, and what we as individual citizens must do to protect ourselves.  It is a first truth that government is incapable of protecting our personal needs.  No one else has nearly as much interest in our futures and our children’s futures as we do.  Politicians, many of whom may be very well intentioned, will not and cannot have the same interest and concern for us as we do.  And politicians know they can buy power and influence with the wealth they confiscate from us as taxes.  Do not be fooled, that will never change. 

There will be those who will call for higher taxes.  Demands for the wealthy to “pay their fair share” will multiply.  But we must come to terms with reality: There simply is not enough money to cover the promises our politicians have made.  If you confiscate all the wealth of the rich it is not enough.  And then, having done that, what will you do next year?  If you double the taxes on the rich, it will not come close to covering these obligations.  There is simply no painless way out of the mess these elected officials have created.  

If you gave your child five dollars for school lunch, but found he was daily spending it on candy, would you keep giving him the five dollars?  If you gave your teen $20 for admission to an activity but found he spent it on drugs, would you give him another $20?  If your neighbor, in a crisis, asked you for $400 to keep him from losing his house, but you discovered he gambled it away in Las Vegas, would you give him $500 next month?  Why, after years of watching our elected officials misspend and waste multiplied billions of dollars, would you even consider reelecting officials who are demanding increased taxes from us?  They have proven repeatedly that they are incapable of wisely using our tax dollars!  

It is also important that we, as voters, accept our responsibility in this.  The blame for the economic debacle we find ourselves in does not lie solely at the feet of elected officials, but equally at the feet of many Chicago and Cook County voters.  Any objective observer of Chicago land political affairs would have to ask the obvious question: Why are these corrupt and inept officials returned to office year after year and decade after decade?  The answer of course is simple.  Multitudes of voters have made themselves dependent upon these corrupt politicians for their jobs.  The voter’s livelihood depends upon keeping certain politicians in office.  And, so we all suffer, and down the road many here may face the same horrendous dilemma Mr. Christoulas faced.   

So, what’s to be done?  First and foremost, we must take responsibility for our own lives and those of our families.  We must seek to rebuild the only institution that has through the centuries proven itself able to care for individuals, and that is the natural family.  We must resist every effort to undermine it. 

Second, we must invest in our own and our children’s futures.  There is no room for apathy and laziness here.  The current events in Europe, especially in Greece should be sufficient to convince us of the necessity of taking personal control of things such as our retirements.  There must be no misunderstanding in this.  When the government money runs out, you simply cannot create it from thin air.  Do not think that the government printing more money can fix this.  The inflation such printing creates robs from everyone, especially the poor.  If you really care for those who are most vulnerable, you cannot condone a government inflating its way out of insolvency. 

When the Huns invaded other nations, they would on occasion find themselves in need of nourishment.  If other sources failed, they would drink the blood of their powerful war horses;  However, this could only be done in moderation or they would undermine their war effort.  Even those great horses could only survive so much blood-letting.  We must understand that taxing the wealthy also has limits.  Just as a powerful horse could be crippled by over-bleeding it, so, an economy will be damaged by over-taxation.  

In the end, envy of the rich, and seeking to hurt those who create wealth by their entrepreneurial spirit will come back to haunt all of us.  It is far wiser to take responsibility for our own well-being, learn the habits of hard work, thrift, frugality and integrity, and depend far less upon the promises and platitudes of those who seek our votes. 

As President Ronald Reagan noted, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” are still rather frightening words.

How did they vote?

Illinois lawmakers approved a 66 percent increase in the state’s income tax in the final hours of a lame duck session.

Despite tens of thousands of calls, emails, faxes and letters in opposition to increased taxes, our state legislators decided to raise the state’s personal income tax from the current 3 percent flat rate, to 5 percent and the corporate income tax rate from 4.8 percent to 7 percent.

The bill number is SB 2505.

In the Illinois House, our state representatives voted 60-57 in favor of this measure late Tuesday night. (The House needed 60 votes to pass it.) The Illinois Senate voted 30-29 in favor of this tax hike in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. (The Senate needed 30 votes to pass it.)

These votes were ushered through by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) without a single Republican vote in favor. According to the Chicago Tribune, Governor Pat Quinn (D) is “happy” about the passage of these tax increases and is expected to sign the bill into law in the near future.

This lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly ends today at noon.

We have one last chance to communicate to Governor Quinn about this anti-family proposal which will take much needed resources away from our family budgets to feed the ever increasing and insatiable demands of our growing state government.

Click HERE to urge Governor Quinn to VETO SB 2505. Tell him we do not have a tax problem — we have a spending problem!

Look at the chart below to see how your state representative voted, or you can download it by clicking HERE. To see how your state senator voted, click HERE.

**Please note: All state legislative seats will be up for election in 2012.