The progressive tax’s structure fails to account for inflation and includes a marriage penalty for 4 million Illinoisans. It is designed to creep farther into taxpayers’ wallets.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security troubles included scores of unemployed unable to get benefits, nearly 32,500 Social Security numbers exposed and now benefits theft. A simple fix used by many online retailers could have prevented the thefts.
"My argument is they’re not fulfilling their contract because they’re more focused on politics and political activism than they are on benefits."
IDES estimated unemployment rate remains artificially low because it fails to count nearly 238,000 Illinoisans who have given up trying to find a job.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sees no patronage problem in his administration – not that there’s no patronage, just that he apparently doesn’t see it as a problem.
Despite the hardships small businesses face from COVID-19 restrictions, Pritzker continues to push for a tax increase on them.
"We’re down 40 to 50% in customers and income and it’s not really flying back. We have a little overhead compared to restaurants. We can withstand it longer, I hope."
Some activities allowed under the state’s Phase 4 reopening plan have been pulled back.
"We’re very hurt, we’re disappointed and we’re frustrated with what has happened with the city. We don’t want to pack up and leave. We have too much invested."
Pressure continues to build to repair Illinois’ broken ethics laws, as more Democrats demand reform and more lawmakers face corruption charges.
Teachers’ unions have provided lots of campaign cash to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who’s been implicated in a bribery scandal. Teachers who don’t want their money sent to a corrupt system can opt out of the union.
Pritzker’s progressive income tax amendment would hurt small, minority-owned businesses the most.
Four long-time Illinois General Assembly members who pushed through the “fair tax” referendum have been charged with crimes. A fifth faces a bribery investigation.
The state’s government unions have heavily funded the election committees run by longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan – who then uses his influence to pass union-friendly bills.