To the Editor: Illinois budget is a scam on the taxpayers

To the taxpayers of Illinois, you have been convincingly duped. Last December when Gov. Pat Quinn was pushing hard for a 67 percent increase in the state income tax, all Republicans were opposed. In a last-minute attack on you, the citizens of Illinois, the lame-duck Democrats crammed this legislation through with zero Republican yes votes. It was quickly signed into law by the governor.

“We need this,” said our governor, “to pay back-due bills.” Give us this tax so we can start whittling away on our unpaid obligations. To the consternation of many of us who knew better, the Democrat legislators said, “Yes.”

The 2012 budget was recently approved. Any guesses on how much of that budget is dedicated to past-due bills? If you guessed 10 cents, you are a dime too high. That’s right, after all the caterwauling about new taxes for paying bills, all the increased revenue in the budget is earmarked for new spending. Not one cent is scheduled to reduce our outstanding debt. For those who think backbreaking taxes and spending to infinity and beyond is a good thing, congratulations. For the rest of us, remember this when the Democrats run for office.

Dave Willis
Rockford

RockfordFrom the June 29-July 5, 2011 issue

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