Madigan (Chicago, Springfield, Downs: middle-class, fit in, how much)

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Madigan: Downstate, suburbs, need to pay up - Southtown Star

Thoughts anyone??????

My thought .. yeah right

[linicx]

Before they start talking like that they they should start by reducing their own salaries and let voters decide every four years how much and when they get a raise. So far they've targeted and taxed every discretionary income for residents except luxury items.

When is the last time you heard Springfield talk about a fair tax on jewelry, furs, luxury cars, luxury boats, second homes, and income properties? The one-size-fits-all-middle-class-and-poor tax gets very old, very fast. There is something intrinsically wrong when persona like Buffet and Pickens complain their secretaries pay more taxes than they do. There is something wrong when a millionaire can lobby congress so they can avoid paying an $800,00o tax bill earned on a multi-million dollar net income.

The dirty deals and the lying politicians is why I hate politics.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

You summed this up pretty much (perfect).


You are right when was the last time we saw a tax on the wealthy person?

the reason is glaring , because we do not have special interest groups in d.c. and springfield.

We do not have friends across the aisle and to think there is no bi- partisan politics!

Sure is bi- partisan when it comes to voting the raises and benefits in for themselves.

I guess they just separate their ideas when it comes down to the other agenda!
or when pushing their parties own agenda.

[linicx]

I suppose as long as we continue to elect those who insist on voting only along party lines we will have this Check Mate in Spfd and Chi. The rest of the state doesn't matter. Jim Thompson did the same thing.

[chet everett]

Um, no. The recent proposal to screw the suburbs was killed for lack of support among suburban Democrats. It was not a "party line" thing. If that were true it would have passed...

[linicx]

Um, no? Enlighten me. No one in their right mind that wants a legislative seat in Illinois will vote against the collective will of Chicago or the suburbs. The rest of us do not have that advantage. .

Originally Posted by chet everett

Um, no. The recent proposal to screw the suburbs was killed for lack of support among suburban Democrats. It was not a "party line" thing. If that were true it would have passed...

[chet everett]

Madigan's proposal was such that it literally would have excluded Chicago from any increased responsibility to paying for the salaries / benefits of its municipal workforce / CPS teachers In the face of decreased state funds and exempting Chicago tax payers from any role in supporting statewide pensions that have been underfunded through decisions of Madigan and the rest of Democrats that have controlled the legislature for many years. There was a time when the GOP had enough votes for their to be more balance in Springfield. People forget that it was not that long ago that the GOP did control at least one of the legislative chambers and the Govenors seat. That forced more serious compromises to be created. While folks can rightly be critical of the "let's make a deal" mindset that Thompson had that saw large increases in general spending, the fact is the results of that spending largely was seen statewide ..

Either Madigan was disingenuous in making the proposal that so obviously would unfairly exempt Chicago or he woefully miscalculated how stupid suburban and downstate Democrats are. There are many legislators on the Democrat side of both the house and senate that represent districts that cover suburbs that would have seen absolutely no benefit in the proposed changes. I don't think Madigan is loosing his powers to "count votes" so I prefer to think the proposal was more of a sinister "trial ballon" to remind stubborn legislators on both sides of the aisle how unlikely it is that Chicago tax payers will be allowed to avoid any responsibility for the statewide employees pension mess. Many Chicago based jobs were created by decisions to have statewide funds spent in Chicago. I suspect Madigan wants to remind even his legislative allies of that...

Had the vote been along party lines the end result would have been voters in the general elections likely dumping legislators in districts that saw taxes increase and services decrease. The GOP would have gained seats in districts that have voters outside Chicago. That would have resulted in Madigan losing power, something that I am pretty sure he is not ready to do...

[cubssoxfan]

I also heard on 848 show on Chicago Public Radio that Chicago gets a disproportionate amount of Grant money and State aid money which negates the double tax liability of the Chicago tax payer.
Ah yes, Madiganistan: It's like a central Asian Republic. You think it's a democracy but it isn't!

[linicx]

The idea that "all for one and one for all" is smoke and mirrors, anyway. The representation is disproportionate. My county has two legislators. Cook County has how many? Grant money is free, and grant writing is not easy. The communities that wrote the best Grants get the most money. Whether or not the selection process is biased is highly questionable. Chicago gets a large chunk of its tax money returned to support its schools - so sayeth the State Treasurer.

I asked the state once exactly where tax money generated from Chicago taxes is actually spent. The answer was a mixes message. To the penny could not be determined, but, the state could write a program that could track it to the penny; taxpayers would foot the bill.

[Zoness]

Cook County is the seat of the empire and we are all vassal states out here being taxed and charged for ridiculous crap that we never see a dime returning down here.