The "Least Bad Option?"
Preparing to unveil a proposed income-tax hike this week, Gov. Pat Quinn said Sunday it was "the least bad option" to ask many residents to pay more money to rescue a state government saddled in debt by his predecessor.
Quinn, who became governor after an impeached Rod Blagojevich was ousted in January, also put a definition on the politically elusive title of what constitutes a middle-class family in the state. Previously, he noted families of four earning about $56,000 a year or less would get an income-tax cut or at least pay no tax increase because of the higher personal exemption he also was proposing.
"Basically, families that are middle class, I think, will have no higher taxes or lower taxes," he said on Sunday. "There may be some a little bit on the higher income scale that'll have to pay a little more. But if we don't do that, our state will not go forward."
Illinois is a political rarity in the United States. Politicians can run on proposing and passing tax hikes and still get re-elected pretty consistently for some reason. It seems like some sort or twisted domestic situation we run across regularly in our line of work where the abused (taxpayers) stay with the abuser (politicians) because it will be different this time. But it isn't.
Labels: state politics
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
54 Comments:
They will raid the pension funds,if they arent already,my gut feeling is yes.
Cut Spending!
When did the Democratic party become the United Socialist Party? They have always been tax and spend (appearently because they don't actually pay their taxes) but when did this whole---It is only fair if you have more you have to pay more to support the underclass come from. They have always done their bullshit give aways to the blacks and the illegals, but what the fuck? What is it with this friggin country now that everyone is OK with socialism.
Dear Governer Quinn.
Please follow my example: If I want something and have the money to buy it, I do. If I want something and don't have the money to buy it, I save the money and wait to buy it. If I NEED something and don't have the money to buy it, I will try not to need it. If there is no choice and it is an emergency, I will charge it or finance it. This will leave me in the situation where I do not have the money to buy the things I usually do because I must now save enough to pay off that debt.
Give that a try, then talk to me about raising my "fair shar" of taxes you pompous ass.
Don't sweat it. Our next contract will more than cover the cost of living adjustments and this latest tax increase. Just please be sure to go out there and generate more revenue for the City - everything will work itself out in the end.
Don't worry. This is all according to plan. Freak out the citizens to the point that a shiny new land-based casino downtown run by the mob actually sounds like a great option. With due respect to Seiser, Daley runs it!
Why does every 18yo gangbanger have a LINK card? Wouldn't fixing that problem be a better option that raising taxes on the people who actually work? Seriously has anybody ever calculated how much of our tax money gets spent on cigarettes and beer every year?
this guy is a taxaholic of the tenth power! welcome to the socialist euro format. there will no longer be a middleclass....just the super rich and poor. i guess we ll be taxed until we re all ''equal''. we should just hand over our checks to shortshanks,the toddler and the mighty quinn!
Add DeLeo to the list...and you're there!
that socialist told reporters "from each according to their abillities". why not finish it, mr. governor....to each according to their needs.
i'm no longer sure why i get up every morning and go to work.
every morning i benifit less and less.
If he starts to tax our pensions...
he will be (politicaly) dead.
Remember Richard Olgolvie.
The primary cause if this tax increase is to pay for the pensions and benefits of elected state officials, senators, state reps., who have created themselves a super pension plan, while they constantly try to steal from ours.
How about a good 'ol revolution? F*** these politicians! F*** the breeders on welfare! It's about time we (the working class) get ours!
A family of 4 making 56k is middle class? Since when? That means that if both parents work, each are making 28k, which is less than what most college graduates make right out of college, which is ridiculous. So because I achieve, take more of what I worked hard for? I'm guessing this increase will not be covered by the $13/week Obama Stimulus Plan, and so I'll end up paying MORE overall than I would had politicians just stopped mismanaging our money? WHEN WILL THIS BULLSHIT END?! We need a revolution. I'm starting to care less and less if people get hurt or not.
Can you say "Out of touch"? Family of 4 with $56k being middle class? Blow me!
These A-holes have handed out more money and raised taxes forever. We have reached the tipping point. Cut services. Leave unemploymenmt alone, but cut the welfare. Unemployment runs out soon enough for a working man/woman but welfare lasts for generations. Think people won't vote for a pol that cuts? Try getting votes for a pol that raised taxes. Oh wait, this is Illinois. We love higher taxes.
There is no free lunch- Illinois haa one of the lowest tax rates in the country, which is why we are so underfunded and run t a huge deficit.
Wisconsin state tax is 4.6 to 6.75%, Michigan is 4.35%, Arkansas is 1 to 7%, Iowa is .36% to 8.98, Kentucky 2 to 6% so we have been paying far les than most people for years- and you reap what you sow- add mismanagement and corrupt- npo wonder it's the mess it is!
Time for responsible goverment! AN dpaying our way without deficits!
Let us see, what do the following have in common?
Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid control government in Washington, D.C.
Quinn, Michael Madigan and Cullerton control government in Springfield, Illinois with the assistance of Lisa Madigan, Hynes and Gianoulius. This is the group that gave us Roland Burris.
Todd Stroger, John Daley and Beavers control government in Cook County, Illinois.
Richard Daley and Edward Burke control government in Chicago, Illinois.
They are all members of the Democratic Party and they all want to raise our taxes so they can spend it to benefit their liberal friends!
Hey Fucking Quinn instead of raising taxes and the fees for Illinois plates why don't you go after Illinois residents who don't register their cars in Illinois? That's rights you have several HUNDRED THOUSAND Illinois residents who do not register their vehicles in Illinois. This short changes the State of Illinois several millions of dollars annually. It also costs municipalities money also since the vehicle isn't register in Illinois they also do not pay city stickers fees. While I don't blame them for trying to save a buck we all end up paying for it in the long run. If you do not believe me look at all the cars in this city and state with plates from Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio. All of these states have lower registration fees lower than Illinois thus these people register their cars in those states. Once I pulled over a car for running a red light in Humboldt Park with Indiana plates and the driver when asked why he had Indiana plates said "I live in Indiana but take my daughter to school in Chicago".Needless I wrote him for the red light and the improper registration. At court the improper registration was thrown out of court even though he had no proof he lives in Indiana.
Why not try and pass a law to go after these people? Too much work or thinking? Just easier to tax the law abiding citizens of Illinois? Or why just not make the registration fees comparable to adjoining states with Illinois so there is no use or savings to register a vehicle in another state? No,that also would make too much sense, people of Illinois get ready to pay up again!!!!
instead of raising taxes, cut spedning by sending the illegals back where they came from and making welfare rats work for their dole. that would get 95% of them off the dole.
Here's a thought - e-verify the welfare rolls, food stamps and Section 8 rolls. (I stood behind a woman in line who paid for junk food w/ food stamps, spoke no English (the Jewel clerk had to get a translator) and then paid for the beer w/ a $100 bill.
I bet you'll find a lot of fraud there.
Put an ICE agent in the ER at Cook County Hospital (yes, I know, it's Stroger...which pretty much condones graft).
And finally, maybe an e-verify on Streets and San (and perhaps DNA checks to see who's related to whom).
Besides all the bitching going on lets focus on the imporatant thing. How do we stop this before he gets this implemented?
Hey 6:09AM,
You failed to mention that the extra $13.00 a week on your check will be reflected on your W-2 for next years taxes.
Don't spend it all because you will have to give it back.
The primary cause if this tax increase is to pay for the pensions and benefits of elected state officials, senators, state reps., who have created themselves a super pension plan, while they constantly try to steal from ours
Why hasn't any serious thought been given to term or pension limits? As in if you only serve 2 or 4 years you don't get a pension. In no other industry can one get paid so well for such a short amount of working years. Or maybe one can't go around stacking pension after pension after pension without taking a serious percentage penalty. And please no more talk about how they "take a paycut" to work for the citizens of IL. Who wouldn't take a $64,000 part time job? Most, if not all, have other business ventures they run where they live or are able to keep lucrative law careers going while suckling at the state's teet.
I wholeheartedly believe career politicians and the relatives they employ, both of which have no other useful skills or training, are killing this state.
Anonymous said...
They will raid the pension funds,if they arent already,my gut feeling is yes.
3/16/2009 12:09:00 AM
Pension fund? What pension fund?
LINK Cards for all taxi drivers!
Anonymous said...
When did the Democratic party become the United Socialist Party? They have always been tax and spend (appearently because they don't actually pay their taxes) but when did this whole---It is only fair if you have more you have to pay more to support the underclass come from. They have always done their bullshit give aways to the blacks and the illegals, but what the fuck? What is it with this friggin country now that everyone is OK with socialism.
3/16/2009 12:10:00 AM
UMMMM, ABOUT 1964..... THE GREAT SOCIALIST REVOLUTION STARTED BY JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY AND FURTHER PROMULGATED BY LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON. THE MORE RELEVANT QUESTION IS.... WHEN WILL LABOR UNIONS STOP LISTENING TO THEIR "BOUGHT" LEADERSHIP AND REALIZE THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOT THE PARTY OF THE WORKING MIDDLE CLASS!
bills weren"t being paid, chosen contracts given out, what the hell was he doing while he was Lt.Gov???
Rosanna Pulido, Republican, was on fox news this morning. She is running for Rahm Emanuels seat on the N/S against Quigly. She talked about how the police and fire pensions are underfunded and that social justice (Quins term on stealing our money) is funding our pensions. She wants stimulus money to be used to fund them. I dont know a lot about her but she is at least addressing our issues. The interview is on fox news chicago....
The demorats have always lived by the motto that they know better than us what to do with our hard earned money.
Always have taken from the working and given to the non working (used to be from the rich to the poor)
Always
There were idiots on this blog praising this fool a month ago. Keep voting irish.
This shit keeps on happening because fucking voters HAVE SMALL MEMORIES!!!!!!keep electing the fucking morons that keep fucking you over, this might be because of all the voters that are registered at all these community meetings, how many of them are convicted felons or gang members or otehrwise not eligible to vote (Illegal??)and could give two shits about who is elected?????
CUT SPENDING AND
Tax every state and municipal pension check that gets sent out-of-state.
YEP - If you want top dollar salaries boys and girls and then are going to take that to some low-tax sun city/state, you can pay back some of the excess that you don't need down there back up here.
Why should the taxpayers be left holding down the fort while more state pension money flows to Florida, Arizona, Nevade and where-ever that does not get re-circulated back into the state's economy.
You made it here - you can spend it here. Or just send a portion back.
Before you flame this post - better go see how many other states already have this inplace. If they are going to raise MY taxes - I want them to start taxing these overblown pensions everyone's collecting.
it's against the law to buy beer and cigarettes with a link card
Like Margaret Tatcher said, Socialism is fine until you run out of the people's money.
It isn't just Illinois, but there will be MASSIVE TAX INCREASES AND FEE INCREASES across the board with all 50 states and the Federal government.
All of these bailouts of "too big to fail" companies, banks, investment banks, mortgages, etc.... is going to drive our debt way too high and the only resort the government has is TAXATION.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
When did the Democratic party become the United Socialist Party? They have always been tax and spend (appearently because they don't actually pay their taxes) but when did this whole---It is only fair if you have more you have to pay more to support the underclass come from. They have always done their bullshit give aways to the blacks and the illegals, but what the fuck? What is it with this friggin country now that everyone is OK with socialism.
3/16/2009 12:10:00 AM
Meanwhile, liberals tax and spend and conservatives borrow and spend. See the big difference? Oh yeah, conservatives have your best interest at heart and they don't believe in socialism; NOT.
Get a friggin clue you idiot. BOTH parties are the problem. But keep voting for the Republicrat party (they are both the same).
O.T - Business, as usual.
Crain's reports: " A black woman whose firm used to clean up Soldier Field Monday filed suit against the Chicago Park District, contending that it dumped her in order to give the pact to a top African-American fundraiser for Mayor Richard M. Daley".
The kicker is that the 'favored' firm ended up subcontracting the job. Can you say 'fraud'????
He also said he wanted to raise taxes for social justice ... more to those who dont earn it !!!
Well the whole Messiah thing I believe is falling apart, the “Change We Can Believe IN” is just more bullshit with a different wrapper. But one thing I have been noticing, the people are getting tired of it and I don’t believe their going to just sit back and take it too much longer. So as all these tax them to death and spread the wealth politicians might want to take notice to the dark clouds on the horizon…
So as all these tax them to death and spread the wealth politicians might want to take notice to the dark clouds on the horizon…
3/16/2009 06:41:00 PM
How's this for a black cloud? The Wall Street Journal reports today that market declines will cause "a showdown between taxpayers and public employees" because losses in pension fund portfolios will require sharply higher contributions.
Some pension funds are choosing to cut benefits: "The pain is about to start in Wisconsin... Now, for the first time in 25 years, the majority of retirees will receive a benefit reduction...This month, Wisconsin officials said that nearly 150,000 retirees will face at least a 2.1% decrease in benefits, after the pension fund had a 26% negative return in 2008.
About 35,000 of retirees...will be hit harder...their overall retirement income could be cut by up to 40%, according to a spokeswoman for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board."
This is the basis for a REAL revolution. Teachers stand to get screwed the most, cops next. When the pension funds were making plenty of money in the stock market, cities reduced their contributions and spent it on things like...cameras! Now they are faced with HUGE contribution increases, right at the time when they don't have the money. Stay tuned...
I now live in Arizona. NO tax increase here, they just cut the budget and lay off non-essential personnel. No police or fire are laid off but many from social services( whatever that means).
old retired guy
He can raise my taxes when he lowers the amount of FREE money,etc. the useles are given. And while he is at his stealing from the working stiffs, he best tell his pal Richie this is not a sanctuary state. End welfare and all the rest of the bullsh&&, then we can talk.
Here's a thought - e-verify the welfare rolls, food stamps and Section 8 rolls. (I stood behind a woman in line who paid for junk food w/ food stamps, spoke no English (the Jewel clerk had to get a translator) and then paid for the beer w/ a $100 bill.
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Hell that's nothing in almost every store on the west side they purchase cigaretts, beer, and anything else they want and the clerk rings them up for X amount of milk instead.
it's against the law to buy beer and cigarettes with a link card
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It's also illegal to sell dope all day but they do that too. It's not like they have to get a real job they get everything given to them (from your taxes).
OT: change to live with???
AIG gets 170 million fron the Messiah for bonus to their boss execs??? so now as tax payers we are paying AIG's for their failures? how does the Messiah not know where/what that money was for, now as President he says there is nothing the government can do to get this back??? what kind of bonus would these people of gotten without this bail out? yes sir, change is on the way, but for who???
Anonymous said...
it's against the law to buy beer and cigarettes with a link card
3/16/2009 04:38:00 PM
Yes, it is, but that is why the la ilega pulled out a $100 to pay for the beer. Jewel will enforce that, but as has been mentioned, some smaller stores may not.
It does amaze me to see non-English
shoppers loading up on groceries and then whipping out the link card or the W.I.C. coupons. Since I do not know each person's story I have never said anything (perhaps buying for a parent, relative, friend, etc.) maybe we should all start to speak up, but I am guessing the free-loaders have no shame, so they will not care.
But maybe I will feel better to speak out instead of just gritting my teeth and biting my tongue.
everyone knows its 70 cents on the dollar on the westside.
I have the perfect solution -
Withdraw Chicago's olympic bid, and start doling out those stock-piled monies.
RE: You made it here - you can spend it here. Or just send a portion back.
Before you flame this post - better go see how many other states already have this inplace. If they are going to raise MY taxes - I want them to start taxing these overblown pensions everyone's collecting.
3/16/2009 04:25:00 PM
**********************************
So what you're saying is that because I worked in Chicago, Illinois, I have to retire here as well? It doesn't matter where I earned it and since we have had residency requirements as a condition of employment, I'm sorry but I don't think that I should have residency imposed as a condition of receiving my entire pension.
Watch for Ritchie to enact a City Income tax of 1 or 2 percent.
The precedent has been set,,,,,and time to fuck over working people one more time.
Meanwhile, liberals tax and spend and conservatives borrow and spend. See the big difference? Oh yeah, conservatives have your best interest at heart and they don't believe in socialism; NOT.
Get a friggin clue you idiot. BOTH parties are the problem. But keep voting for the Republicrat party (they are both the same).
3/16/2009 05:22:00 PM
I'll take my chances with the Republican Party any day before I ever cast another Democratic vote you softball. The "Free Market" system (Read Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations) is what made this country great and the masses at least benefitted from the residual effect...... only when the Democrats started injecting government into the system did we all collectively begin to get screwed. But you just keep putting your faith in Stroger, Daley, Madigan, Burke, etc....
Didn't blojo warn us about this?
"Madigan, Jones, D'Amico, Cullerton": Don't forget Edgar and Ryan.
Sadly, the Combine is bipartisan.
What's really needed is a house-cleaning to eliminate the multitude of useless commissions and boards, and a strict pension cap. There are retired teachers collecting six-figure pensions.
Also, pensions have been widely used as a channel for de facto graft. There needs to be a thorough audit and review of current pension claims, to locate all the double-dippers and such, and clawback their loot.
Quinn, for all his reformist pretensons, won't go anywhere near that: easier to stick the taxpayers again.
Just a Civilian
WHY DO THEY ALLWAYS NEED MORE MONEY IF THEY ARE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB? VOTE THESE @$$ WIPES OUT, AND DALEY HAS TO GO BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG TIME................
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