Taxpayers To State Comptroller Hynes: Read Your Own Web Site!

CHICAGO—The president of Illinois’ largest taxpayer organization today charged that State Comptroller Dan Hynes is attempting to drum up support for increases in state taxes by implying that revenues from the sales tax and corporate income have been decreasing. Hynes told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times that these tax collections “will continue to decrease.”
“Hynes’ false statements are contradicted by the figures on his web site,” said Jim Tobin, President of National Taxpayers United of Illinois (NTUI). (http://www.ioc.state.il.us/) “He needs to read his own web site. For the first seven months of fiscal year 2008 (July 1, 2007 to Jan. 31, 2008), sales tax revenues increased from the same period in the previous year, from  $7.029 billion to $7.237 billion, an increase of 2.96%.”
“For the first seven months of fiscal year 2008, revenues from the corporate income tax increased from the same period in the previous year, from $1.425 billion to $1.486 billion, an increase of 4.44%.”
“Total state personal income tax revenues for the same 7-month periods increased from $5.456 billion to $5.884 billion, an increase of 7.84%.”
“For the first seven months of fiscal year 2008, revenues from the Federal Government increased from the same period in the previous year, from $7.390 billion to $7.793 billion, an increase of 5.46%.”
“Total state revenues for the same 7-month periods increased from $57.558 billion to $64.947 billion, an increase of 12.8%.”
“It is spending that is out of control,” said Tobin. “Taxpayer dollars continue to pour into Springfield and local governments in ever-increasing amounts, and yet our elected representatives continue to campaign for higher taxes. A good example of wasted money is the $500 million tax increase for the CTA, which is a financial black hole that will not be made viable even with some concessions by its overpaid union members. Most Springfield politicians don’t have the guts to cut spending, betraying the voters who put them into office.”
“Rather than swallowing the nonsense about state revenues being down, I invite the media to check out the comptroller’s own web site. I hope the media wake up and demand some straight answers from the state’s would-be tax raisers.”
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