By: Diane Benjamin Illinois Democrats (math challenged) are again pushing for a progressive income tax to fleece high earners. See this story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_a03a425a-f088-11ef-966a-23bfc0c98a8b.html?a Since the left keeps trying to tax the rich simply because they earn more than average, they have no concept of what happens when that is enacted. Facts and a clear history […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wish the Wall Street Journal allowed people to read their opinions without paying, but they don’t. What they posted is enough to see where they are going however: https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-illinois-tax-crossroads-11601939583?mod=opinion_lead_pos1 That is pretty much all you can read without a subscription. Obviously the point is: The Progressive Tax is a terrible idea! […]
by: Diane Benjamin In my opinion voting in September for an election in November is lamebrained, dim-witted, and unintelligent. There will be “October surprises”, the presidential debates don’t even start until next week. The ONLY reason to vote now is to pretend you investigated all the candidates and have determined which ones represent your values. […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/17188/CAFR20-FINAL-DOC From Normal’s just issued financial statements as of 3/31/2020: Note the Long-Term total debt – $224,909,947. It increased more than $25 million in 1 year. What makes up that debt? $84,320,000 is bond debt, the IEPA loan doesn’t have interest expense. PDF page 31 Below is a chart showing the biggest […]
Ask Governor Take-Out-My-Toliets-To-Avoid-Taxes Pritzker if the rich are going to hang around to pay higher taxes. EVERYONE will be paying higher taxes because Democrats need your money! Eventually retirement income will be taxed. Of course the local far left (socialists) are for taxing the rich, basic economics is way to complicated for them. Watch who […]
By: Diane Benjamin Other items from Monday’s meeting could be covered, but I won’t! Links to all previous stories are here: https://blnnews.com/2020/07/08/story-6-normal-monday/ Isaac Thorne and Julie Hile made a presentation. Start with this screen shot: Thorne proved Pritzker’s budget is a joke by relying on a $5 billion bailout from the Feds AND the citizens […]
By: Diane Benjamin Those aren’t my words – Democrat Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs stated that. Of course he claims only the “high income” earners will be the victims. Since Democrats don’t believe in learning from history, somebody should tell them that people don’t hang around a state to get their money stolen by taxation. Every […]
By: Diane Benjamin Maybe the below will tell you why the public is encouraged to watch this meeting on-line instead of showing up. In an “emergency”, keep citizens from speaking. WEEK is the only media I’ve seen saying the virus has likely been here for some time: https://week.com/2020/03/20/mclean-county-reports-3-new-confirmed-cases-of-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR0txyysl-6hw6DFVEnpzQ_g8xkdJh7ESaf0Re0UoDVIsLaSu2wYe3l0ukg Packet for Bloomington Monday night: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1067&Inline=True Hey […]
By: Diane Benjamin Years ago ISU decided to tear down old dorms. This led to a plethora of private companies building housing for ISU students. Buildings went up all over Normal that contribute to the Town budget through property taxes. ISU has now decided to build a sophomore dorm. Are 2nd year kids living on […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23995 Agenda: https://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1059&Inline=True Congrats taxpayers! No employees are receiving Sick Leave Buy Back payments this time to spike their pensions. Don’t get excited though, you will be paying again: See PDF page 89 of the agenda. Denise Balagna will be receiving an extra $205.78 per month Joyce McKeon will […]
By: Diane Benjamin The below proves yet again why you should vote NO to the Democrats Constitutional Amendment for a progressive income tax. Pensions Pensions Pensions! Below are the top 31 pensions being collected in Illinois. Keep in mind, these people aren’t working for a dime they are currently receive. An organization called Taxpayers United […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are the same charts I used in the Bloomington Debt story: https://blnnews.com/2019/12/31/bloomington-debt-2/ Liabilities – Government Activities – Due beyond one year: Source 3/31/19 – $183,410,936 3/31/18 – $171,607,747 3/31/17 – 173,618,828 As of March 31, 2019 Source IMRF pension liability : $ 20,832,186 Police pension liability; $ 35,840,310 Fire pension […]
By: Diane Benjamin The charts below are from the Illinois Comptroller’s office – this is information Bloomington reported to them. Government Activity is the column to look at, especially liabilities due beyond one year. Since it is hard to read: Source: Liabilities 2018 – $221,260,896 2017 – $198,984,845 2016 – $216,297,608 What is this HUGE […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are all the people who filed for County offices. The ones in red boxes will be on the primary ballot, evidently retiring dem party chair Erik Rankin couldn’t stop leftists from competing to see who can be the most extreme. 2 races will have democrat primaries, only one republican. I wonder […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you didn’t attend the showing of “Scramble the SeaWolves” last night at the Normal Theater, you missed a great movie. It told the story of Navy helicopter crews who provided defense in Vietnam. Didn’t know the Navy had helicopters? Until this movie most people didn’t. The SeaWolves formed out of need […]
By: Diane Benjamin Today the Pantagraph printed a Letter to the Editor submitted by Roger Hellman. I’m purposely using his name. Although he doesn’t say what kind of gun legislation he wants to see, it’s obvious he would be delighted if every gun was confiscated. See it HERE Is the Pantagraph this clueless? Roger thinks […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois governor is pretending suckering citizens into changing Illinois from a flat tax to a progressive tax will solve all the state’s problems. It won’t come close, it will hasten Illinois’ decline as more people flee the state. The ones fleeing will be the producers, the ones that hire other people […]
By: Diane Benjamin WalletHub published a study of State taxation in March. WallettHub is Tari Renner’s favorite study to quote since in the past they have rated Bloomington as a great place to live. Those days should be over. https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416/#complete-rankings Including the District of Columbia, Illinois ranks #1 with highest tax burden! “Taxpayers in the […]
Lawmakers and special-interest groups across Illinois are trying to dupe Illinoisans into paying higher income taxes. They’re trying to convince Illinoisans that a progressive income tax hike is only a tax hike on the rich. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Need proof? Look at both progressive tax proposals on the table in […]
by: Diane Benjamin In 2009 they supported ObamaCare. How’s that working out for the country? Part-time nation, higher insurance costs, higher deductibles, businesses not hiring . . .the list of destruction caused by Democrats only passing this law is endless. Now they are wrong about supporting a progressive income tax for Illinois. Tax the rich, […]
by: Diane Benjamin Today there is a letter to the editor in the Pantagraph that Marxists, Communists, and progressives will love. The title is “Flat tax unfair to the poor”. I could start with “Life isn’t fair”, put the concept goes much deeper. History lesson: America has had a revolutionary effect on the WORLD! Through […]
Progressive income tax: Brought to you by Illinois unions 8/21/2012 by Paul Kersey Director of Labor Policy Illinois Policy Institute A coalition of progressive groups is beginning to coalesce around a proposal to create a progressive income tax in Illinois. Under their plan state income tax rates will increase as one reaches higher incomes, up […]
