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The Illinois state corporate income tax continues to be understated by reporters and politicians, according to Jim Tobin, the president of one of the nation’s largest taxpayer groups, Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“The total Illinois corporate state income tax rate of 9.5% includes a base rate of 7% and another 2.5% on top of that, which was added by constitutional amendment in 1980,” says Tobin, “The additional tax was called a ‘personal property replacement tax,’ which purportedly replaced a 19th-century tax that was not even being collected.”
“But the government game of misrepresenting the actual corporate income tax rate is perpetuated by a press that is either lazy, sloppy or part of the conspiratorial group who would drive taxes even higher.”
“Let’s not forget that the Chicago Sun Times, who consistently understates the corporate income tax rate, also supported Gov. Quinn’s 67% income tax surcharge increase.”
“I guess if the press can’t ask the hard questions of the lawmakers, such as what’s the plan for fixing Illinois’ financial house of cards, it’s up to us to ask why not?”
“It is also reasonable to ask how much responsibility lazy or incompetent press bears in the state’s financial and corrupt cesspool when they fail to do basic diligence, much less responsible, investigative journalism.”
The facts are readily available at the non-partisan Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C., “The Illinois corporate state income tax rate, raised from 7.3% to 9.5%, rose from being the 21st highest overall corporate tax rate in the country to 4th highest.”
“This is the third time since October we have provided this information to all members of Illinois Press.”
The first report is HERE, released October 10, 2013. The second report is HERE, released March 31, 2014.
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CHICAGO—High taxes and corruption go hand-in-hand in Illinois, according to Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Illinois is easily the most corrupt state in the union,” said Tobin. “The previous front-runner, Louisiana, is now a distant second. And the mother-lode of corruption is the Democrat machine of Cook County, which runs roughshod over the entire state.”
“Illinois’ high taxes are driving small and medium businesses out of the state. But the Springfield Democrats don’t care; all they care about is pampering the unions who are their financial benefactors and who own these legislators in the General Assembly.”
“Brian Costin, writing in the May 16 issue of Illinois Corruption Watch, put it well when he wrote:”
When it rains it pours in Illinois. We found 45 different news stories relating to Illinois corruption in just the month of April. They continue to pile up in the first half of May, with 28 new news stories on corruption already. This includes tales of patronage hiring (again), using public resources for political campaigns (again), a politician who has to pay a $550,000 federal corruption fine and a story about secret waitlists on veterans at an Illinois VA Hospital.
“The so-called pension reform bills passed by the Ill. General Assembly are just window-dressing, and even these ‘reforms’ are being challenged. A coalition of labor unions asked a court in Springfield to prevent a new state law aimed at curbing Illinois’ public employee pension debt from taking effect next month until questions about its ‘constitutionality’ have been resolved.”
“According to St. Rep. Michael W. Tryon (R-66, Crystal Lake), Article VIII of the Illinois Constitution is clear in its mandate that appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year. In February, the House unanimously adopted House Joint Resolution 80, which set the FY15 revenue estimate at $34.5 billion. The total appropriations approved on Thursday exceeded that estimate by close to $3 billion.”
“Illinois has over $187 billion in unfunded government-employee pensions, some of the highest taxes in the country, and is run like a banana republic by machine bosses, Michael J. Madigan (D), House Speaker, and John J. Cullerton (D), Senate President. Until these leaders and their minions in the House and Senate are thrown from office, Illinois will continue to spiral around the drain and some day will literally go bankrupt.”
“How many elected and appointed Illinois politicians have to go to jail before we learn that we can’t send unchecked, copious amounts of cash to be administered by these criminals? As taxpayers, we must stop the life-blood that perpetuates the Illinois cartel; we must cut off the money supply and demand sane and moral tax policies that respect the taxpayers’ right to keep their own money and make their own decisions about how it is spent….or not.”
“And we start by firing every politician from Gov. Patrick Quinn down to every village administrator who thinks taxpayer money is theirs for the taking.”
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Taxpayers United of America (TUA) recognizes outstanding journalists who shed light on the ongoing, difficult process of true reform in the government pension and compensation systems.
“Reform isn’t a one step process, and in order to keep the government bureaucrats moving in the right direction, it takes strong leadership, profound activism, and responsible journalists to keep the pressure on,” said Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“Please view the excellent report from Diane Moca of CBS 58 in Milwaukee on the convenient loopholes in the government pension double dipping ‘reforms’ that features interview excerpts of me and our executive director, Rae Ann McNeilly.”
“In his article with Rae Ann’s comments, Wisconsin Reporter, Ryan Ekvall, investigates the empire-building of state-level government bureaucrats siphoning hard-earned tax dollars from local control to enrich a bloated team of cronies, whose role or accountabilities are generally unknown.”
“We must never let up on the pressure. Your support of our work and the journalists who continue to take our work to taxpayers are key to continued success.”
“Please attend the May 15th meeting of the Brown County Taxpayers Association where I will be speaking on the ongoing need for reforms in Wisconsin.”
Thursday, May 15, 2014
12 noon to 1:30 PM
Titletown Brewery
200 Dousman Street, Green Bay, WI
This is on the west side of the river and right across the street from the Neville museum, in the old Northwestern Railroad Station. Map is available HERE.
Jim Tobin
