For years, Illinois, like so many states, pretended that it had not fallen off a budgetary cliff. It was spending too much and taking in too little revenue, but every year it would kick its problems into the next. Unable to pay its bills, it finally accepted reality last week and raised taxes on incomes and businesses — a first step toward getting its house in order.
The action was immediately ridiculed by several governors around the nation who are still pretending that they can cut their way out of the enormous shortfalls they face, without raising taxes. Wisconsin and Indiana predicted a windfall of angry corporations and residents would head their way from Illinois. Even Gov. Chris Christie, the New Jersey Republican, vowed to fly to Illinois to invite businesses there to defect to his state.
That makes great political theater. But businesses and voters in Illinois, and around the country, should take a closer look at the facts and figures, including their own.
After 22 years of not raising income taxes, Illinois saw its budget shortfall grow to $15 billion. It had the lowest state credit rating in the nation, and it wasn’t paying its bills to hospitals and schools.
Notice that they conveniently forgot to mention sales tax of which Illinois has one of the highest in the nation.
In addition, if you have stable tax rates, the inflationary increases in tax receipts should cover inflationary increases in state services. When this is the case, you should never have to increase taxes of any kind.
Let me ask Mr/Ms Progressive. Illinois has been a state for nearly 200 years. I'm just wondering if all of these state agencies have been in existence for the life of the state.......
- Aging, Department on
- Agriculture, Department of
- Appellate Defender, Office of
- Appellate Prosecutor, Office of
- Arts Council
- Attorney General, Office of the
- Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois
- Auditor General
- Capital Development Board
- Central Management Services, Department of
- Children and Family Services, Department of
- Civil Service Commission, Illinois
- Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Department of
- Commerce Commission, Illinois
- Community College Board, Illinois
- Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan, State of Illinois
- Comptroller, Office of the
- Corrections, Department of
- Criminal Justice Information Authority
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission, Illinois
- Developmental Disabilities, Illinois Council on
- Discrimination and Hate Crimes, Commission on
- Economic Recovery Commission
- Education, Board of
- Educational Labor Relations Board, Illinois
- Elections, Board of
- Emergency Management Agency
- Employment Security, Department of
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Fair, Illinois State
- Finance Authority, Illinois
- Financial and Professional Regulation, Department of
- Gaming Board, Illinois
- Governor, Office of the
- Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
- Healthcare and Family Services - Formerly known as Public Aid, Dept. of
- Higher Education, Board of
- Historic Preservation Agency
- Housing Development Authority
- Human Rights Commission
- Human Rights, Department of
- Human Services, Department of
- Illinois General Assembly
- Illinois House Democrats
- Illinois House Republicans
- Illinois Senate Democrats
- Illinois Senate Republicans
- Insurance Department of
- Investment, Illinois State Board of
- Judicial Inquiry Board
- Juvenile Justice, Department of
- Labor Relations Board
- Labor, Department of
- Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, Illinois
- Liquor Control Commission
- Lottery, Illinois
- Lt. Governor, Office of the
- Management and Budget, Office of
- Medical District Commission
- Military Affairs, Department of
- Natural Resources, Department of
- Pollution Control Board
- Power Agency, Illinois
- Prisoner Review Board, Illinois
- Property Tax Appeal Board
- Public Health, Department of
- Racing Board, Illinois
- Revenue, Department of
- Secretary of State, Office of the
- State Fire Marshal
- State Police Merit Board
- State Police, Illinois
- State Retirement Systems
- State Treasurer, Office of the
- State Universities Civil Service System
- State Universities Retirement System
- Student Assistance Commission, Illinois
- Supreme Court, Illinois
- Teachers’ Retirement System
- Toll Highway Authority, Illinois State
- Transportation, Department of
- Veterans Affairs, Department of
- Volunteerism & Community Service, Governor’s Commission on
- Workers' Compensation Commission, Illinois
I'm thinking that Illinois got along just fine without all these agencies. Did they have a Human Services Department during the days of Lincoln? In addition, are you telling me that you can't merge the lottery commission and gaming board among others under one agency?
More....
2 comments:
Department of Veterans Affairs? Is that for the state militia or what? Last I checked, veterans worked for the federal government. Am I just ignorant or is this ridiculous?
I love how Illinois democrats seem to just assume that all businesses can just absorb the additional tax expense.
They also assume that simply raising rates by x percent will increase tax revenue by x percent. It never ever works out that way. Another example of how libs have no clue how an economy works.
Post a Comment