In conversations and Facebook comments I see a recurring disturbing concept, job killing tax hikes. As we all know Illinois recently raised the income tax to help cover our growing debt. With the increase we are still better off than some states. I Googled it so we know it to be fact. (joking) I would like to offer an alternative to this, job saving tax hikes.
In our area we know that we are dependent on state payments to make many of our economic engines go. Did you know that in Illinois last year we laid off 17,000 teachers? I doubt we will loose that many more because the income tax or corporate tax went up. I'm no economist but we may get some jobs back now. Maybe a whole slew of public sector employees will be put back to work. That's not all. Many of our businesses depend on state payments to survive. I think we Southern Illinoisans should realize that we are paying a cost to help save our own economy. I would like to suggest to all that we demand accountability from our legislators for our money. After all, they got us into this mess.
Another tax expense I am happy to help pay is the life sentence of Raymond Martin. I wrote not too long ago about a former teacher getting only probation for selling drugs. I was disapp
ointed but I feel a little more confident in our justice system now. I would like to point out that on TV 3 news last night, only one person in Gallatin County was willing to speak on camera about the conviction. It seems that sadly they are still concerned for their safety in a county that desperately needs time to heal and improve.
In our area we know that we are dependent on state payments to make many of our economic engines go. Did you know that in Illinois last year we laid off 17,000 teachers? I doubt we will loose that many more because the income tax or corporate tax went up. I'm no economist but we may get some jobs back now. Maybe a whole slew of public sector employees will be put back to work. That's not all. Many of our businesses depend on state payments to survive. I think we Southern Illinoisans should realize that we are paying a cost to help save our own economy. I would like to suggest to all that we demand accountability from our legislators for our money. After all, they got us into this mess.
Another tax expense I am happy to help pay is the life sentence of Raymond Martin. I wrote not too long ago about a former teacher getting only probation for selling drugs. I was disapp
ointed but I feel a little more confident in our justice system now. I would like to point out that on TV 3 news last night, only one person in Gallatin County was willing to speak on camera about the conviction. It seems that sadly they are still concerned for their safety in a county that desperately needs time to heal and improve.
