Why is it Chicago Democrats’ first instinct to tax us more rather than eliminating wasteful spending and using existing funds more responsibly?
Is it that they don’t respect us? Is it that they don’t care?
Whatever the reason, we see it again with a new Senate proposal to double the gas tax forcing us to pay the second highest gas taxes in the nation. We pay the highest state and local tax burden in the country, and now politicians are going to make it even worse.
This is on the heels of the discussion of the “Clean Energy And Jobs Act” that would undercut the state’s economy, hike energy costs for consumers, while also pursuing the goal of removing at least one million gasoline vehicles from the road.
So which one is it? Do they want you to drive so they can tax your gas, or get off the road to save the environment?
If cars and trucks that run on gas are removed from the road, where will the funding they need for infrastructure come from?
What taxes will they raise next? Or is the money they claim is desperately needed for infrastructure really earmarked for something else?
A recent poll done by AAA, found that when asked if they would pay more taxes or fees to improve the transportation system, “74% of Illinois residents said no” and “the same percentage does not think existing funding is being used appropriately.”
You would think Speaker Madigan, Gov. Pritzker and the Democrat majorities would start getting the hint: No one trusts you.
But they don’t care because they don’t need your trust. They aren’t there to represent you. They are there representing special interest groups whose campaign cash means more to them than your livelihood or your vote.
Families are tired of handing over their money to the state that has no proven record of managing taxpayer money efficiently. Just look at the state’s pension debt and backlog of bills.
Illinoisans already feel the load of the highest state and local tax burden at the pump, when they open their property tax bills, and look at their paychecks.
Legislators in Springfield should look elsewhere for infrastructure funding and not further into your pocket.