Rain tax. Really?

[SkylarkPhotoBooth]

Originally Posted by paytonc

Just because the sewers and storm drains already exist doesn't mean they don't require substantial additional construction and investment.

Exactly. It's like saying you don't need to fund roads or bridges or public transportation or electrical grids where they already exist. This mindset is why our infrastructure is crumbling in the US.

[bobsell]

Originally Posted by SkylarkPhotoBooth

I think you're confusing "proof" with "vague hypothesis."

With the massive corruption in Chicago and Illinois, not only is it way beyond "vague hypothesis" it is deep in "proof" territory and heading toward "Captain obvious" territory.

[bobsell]

Originally Posted by SkylarkPhotoBooth

Exactly. It's like saying you don't need to fund roads or bridges or public transportation or electrical grids where they already exist. This mindset is why our infrastructure is crumbling in the US.

I believe they should be funded. What I'm saying is that they should stop continually hiking taxes/fees/charges to funnel more money to cronies (while at the same time not one new cent toward maintenance) - so that's the real reason infrastructure is crumbling.

[paytonc]

Just because you don't see stormwater systems' construction because it's mostly underground doesn't mean it isn't happening, or that it's not necessary, or that it's "cronies".

You have NO IDEA how huge the engineering projects are that keep Chicago even somewhat drained:
https://www.mwrd.org/irj/portal/anonymous/tarp

That's not "cronies" or "waste fraud and abuse." That's billions of gallons of filthy water that was dumped into publicly owned pipes from private land, which is now no longer getting dumped into drinking-water supplies.

And you have NO IDEA how much bigger floods have gotten just in the past few years.

Taxes are the price we pay for civilization. Systems that keep clean and filthy water separate are pretty important for civilization, and in my book, are worth paying taxes for.

[SkylarkPhotoBooth]

Originally Posted by bobsell

I believe they should be funded. What I'm saying is that they should stop continually hiking taxes/fees/charges to funnel more money to cronies (while at the same time not one new cent toward maintenance) - so that's the real reason infrastructure is crumbling.

So provide the proof that the tax is paying for cronies rather than the thing they claim it's paying for, and go after them. Illinois has some great government watchdog groups who eat this stuff up. Or, just accept that there are things that need to be funded by taxes.

[wase4711]

You are already paying a sewer bill, and a storm water sewer bill; how many more times do you have to pay for waste water removal???

[Cat777]

Originally Posted by paytonc

Just because you don't see stormwater systems' construction because it's mostly underground doesn't mean it isn't happening, or that it's not necessary, or that it's "cronies".

You have NO IDEA how huge the engineering projects are that keep Chicago even somewhat drained:
https://www.mwrd.org/irj/portal/anonymous/tarp

That's not "cronies" or "waste fraud and abuse." That's billions of gallons of filthy water that was dumped into publicly owned pipes from private land, which is now no longer getting dumped into drinking-water supplies.

And you have NO IDEA how much bigger floods have gotten just in the past few years.

Taxes are the price we pay for civilization. Systems that keep clean and filthy water separate are pretty important for civilization, and in my book, are worth paying taxes for.

None of that matters when you have massive corruption.

The things and problems you are talking about will be there regardless, even if you raise taxes and fees, because of the corruption.

All thowing more money at the problem will do iis give more money for corrupt people to steal, and all the problems that existed before will remain after.

Hence, under a corrupt society, crumbling infrastructure becomes a sunk cost. It can't and will never be fixed by heisting more money off taxpayers.

Deal with the corruption first, otherwise raising taxes and fees is just throwing good money after bad.