A budget plan that protects all

Humble suggestions from a common voter: Maintain all current taxes and levels. Close all tax loopholes. End all TIF's of five years or longer. Limit all future TIFs to three or five years (they are supposed to be incentives to businesses not permanent advantages to profit margins).

Issue permissions for an additional five to ten casinos; these to be run by partnerships of local and state government for new job opportunities with net profits split equally between the local and state government. If the casinos have to be run by private entities, 50 percent of net profits to the private entity and 25 percent of the net profits to each of the local and state government.

All government pensions of $100,000 net per year (including to elected officials) to be taxed at current Illinois state tax rate. This could be applied to all local and state education employees as well.

A graduated tax plan for individuals, corporations and businesses - those with net income or profits of $1 million or more to be assessed and additional 5 percent tax; $5 million or more net income/profits assessed an additional 10 percent tax; $10 million or more net income/profits assessed an additional 15 percent tax; $15 million or more net income/profits assessed an additional 20 percent tax; $20 million or more net income/profits assessed an additional 25 percent tax; $25 million or more net income/profits (and this would be the top assessment) be assessed an additional 30 percent tax.

These suggestions should go a long way to address budget problems and sustain funding to social services and pensions without making cuts to the poorest and most needy of our citizens.

Gov. Rauner and state legislators, please put political considerations to the side and pass a state budget that addresses all pertinent issues. Hank McDonald

Round Lake Park