Pony Up....Again

Once again, Illinois democrats making it economically impossible for the middle class to remain in the state:

• SPRINGFIELD — After months of negotiating through one of Illinois’ toughest budget seasons in years, state legislators on Friday unveiled a $55.2 billion spending bill that Democratic leaders say bridges an estimated $1 billion shortfall in part through increased gambling and tobacco taxes, along with controversial cuts to immigrant health care.

  The budget proposal — revealed about 30 hours before a key state constitutional deadline to pass it — largely follows the spending priorities laid out earlier this year by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, coming in about $200 million lower than his February proposal, officials said.

  It includes more than $1 billion in estimated new revenue through heightened “sin taxes” on some casino games, tobacco and vape products, as well as through an amnesty program intended to collect more money from tax delinquents.

We don't know how these morons keep missing the Econ 101 lessons every single year:

• when the "sin" taxes rise, most smart people cut back on their spending;
• the other smart people go shopping somewhere else....like Wisconsin or Indiana or other nearby states.

That $1 billion in "new revenue" is completely imaginary, as in there is zero chance Illinois will see that amount at all. It's a fantasy.

We were especially amazed at this objection from the Latino caucus:

• And it follows through with the governor’s proposed savings of some $400 million by cutting the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program — a politically perilous reduction that threatens health care coverage for nearly 33,000 people between the ages of 42 and 64 in Illinois without legal status. [emphasis added]

$400 million just for ILLEGAL ALIEN medical care from Illinois taxpayers who are already on the hook for $158 BILLION and after Trump won a growingshare of the Latino vote.

One bit of good news is that the Bears didn't get any of tax breaks they've been trying to grift. And legislators got a 5% raise as they drove nails in to the coffin that is the worst run state in the midwest.