The 2015 Illinois budget absurdity and
hypocrisy knows few bounds. Yes, there was no vote to raise taxes, making the 5
percent rate permanent. That will make for easier re-election campaigns for
supermajority Democrats. Yes, the $100 million in taxpayer funds House Speaker
Michael Madigan had proposed to sweeten the bid for an Obama Presidential
Library never was approved.
But, back to
absurdity and hypocrisy. Here are the facts to remember:
1. The state is more than $5 billion
behind in paying its bills.
2. It has the worst credit rating of any
state.
4. There was not enough support for
raising taxes, nor was their enough support for a doomsday budget. Still,
lawmakers approved a $35.7 billion budget.
5. Madigan and Senate President John
Cullerton acknowledge that this budget borrows $650 million from special funds
that will drive up the bills taxpayers ultimately must fund.
6. This budget postpones paying $380
million state worker health insurance bills that taxpayers ultimately must
fund.
7. This budget diverts $650 million in funds that had been going to pay
down unpaid bills that taxpayers ultimately must fund.
8. Yet, lawmakers voted to start paying
themselves again for 12 furlough days they had been taking. In other words,
they boosted their own pay by $3,100 to $67,836 per lawmaker. Most actually are paid closer to $78,000 for their
part-time jobs because most of them get another $10,000 for committee
chairmanships.
9. In the spending plans approved before
politicians adjourned was $10 million to renovate the Uptown Theatre in
Chicago.
10. There was $35 million to build a grade
school in Madigan's district.
11. There was $500,000 for a car racetrack
near St. Louis.
12. There is a bill that could allow Chicago
Mayor Rahm Emanuel to raise cell phone taxes by $1.40 per month.
13. The budget includes $50 million in
funds for Chicago Public Schools and another $50 million in back pay owed state
workers.
14. There's money authorized, according to
the Chicago Tribune, for more Capitol renovations, for the Glen Ellyn Park District, a Puerto
Rican Cultural Center, a Little League in Blue Island, windows for a Chicago
church and more.
15. Both Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and
Republican nominee Bruce Rauner already are using the budget crisis to try to
raise campaign funds and support. Quinn wanted a permanent tax increase. Rauner
has refused to provide details for how he would solve the crisis.
And how are we,
the taxpayers, going to pay for all of this spending and borrowing and
postponing of bill paying? "While a vote on our tax rates has been
deferred, rising costs and pressures will force the issue at a later
date," Cullerton said.
Yes, absurdity and hypocrisy in the
2015 Illinois budget knows few bounds. And we, the taxpayers, will get the
bills.
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