As we've entered a new year, Illinois continues to move in the wrong direction thanks to Springfield. From The Northwest Herald:
"Land of Lincoln? Land of Larceny.
Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn of Chicago, House Speaker Mike Madigan of Chicago, and Senate Majority Leader John Cullerton of Chicago – see a theme? – shut Republicans out of discussions and then complained that no Republicans supported their monstrosity. They showed contempt toward their Republican colleagues and the millions of citizens they represent.
The governors of Indiana and Wisconsin appeared on Illinois radio stations soon after the vote and crowed about their states’ controls on spending and taxes – and welcomed businesses to move to their states, which many no doubt will.
Our so-called representatives said they had to lift another $7 billion from our wallets to fix Illinois’ $15 billion budget deficit, which has been years in the making. Yet in doing so they promised to spend $1 billion more on “education” over the next four years, demonstrating they don’t represent “us” so much as narrow constituencies that send Democrats campaign cash and votes.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s new governor, Scott Walker, has called government employees “haves” and private-sector workers “have-nots” and wants to take health insurance and pensions out of collective bargaining and rework the remainder of contracts with government workers. He also supports business tax cuts.
Because of our lawmakers’ disrespect for the state Constitution and the laws they enact – a disrespect that until Wednesday was bipartisan – Illinois has the nation’s worst unfunded pension liability, conservatively estimated at more than $80 billion. We also have the worst credit rating among the 50 states, and the worst budget deficit as a percentage of total spending.
Tax hikes almost always fail to generate the expected revenue, because people do what they can – including moving to other states – to avoid them.
Even if by some near-miracle Illinois sees the promised take from the tax hikes, the core problems remain. We’ll still have a multibillion-dollar deficit, climbing Medicaid costs, soaring employee pension and health insurance costs, rising debt loads, etc.
If tax hikes worked, there’d be no budget crisis: Illinois has repeatedly raised taxes, fines and fees. Tax hikes haven’t worked because lawmakers spend whatever money comes in and more.
In 1990, Illinois had 21 congressional districts. That’s about to fall to 18 because Illinois has lost population relative to other states.
The 2010 Census showed states with no income tax or other low taxes have enjoyed the strongest growth in jobs and population. Those states are gaining congressional seats at our expense.
Illinois ranks 48th among states in net population growth, job growth, and economic performance, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council. Expect Illinois soon to rank last in all those categories."
I will have to check if the recall option is available. We have to reverse course.
Background Reading:
Northwest Herald: Today’s Illinois more like ‘Land of Larceny’
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