Protect taxpayers from spending whims

"Trust us" is the current message of Pritzker, Madigan and Cullerton. "Illinois needs a fair graduated income tax; it will solve all our problems."

Pritzker and Co. state that the new graduated income proposal will generate $3.4 billion more than the current flat income tax. This will meet their political spending needs, but does it meet future taxpayers' needs?

Do we trust them to do the right thing or will they do what they always do? How about their ethics with tax issues?

Their private law firms reduce corporate real estate taxes and their plumbers remove their toilets. They pass those costs on to the taxpayers. Let's have a graduated income tax constitutional amendment that protects us from their future spending whims.

This amendment would guarantee that the tax rate can't increase in the future and states how it must be spent. Using the increased difference ($3.4 billion), 50% goes to paying off pensions, 25% goes to paying off state creditors and 25% goes to the general state budget. When the pension and state creditors are paid off, then the remainder goes to the general state budget.

As a retiree I don't pay a state income tax. But I will still vote "no" to any constitutional amendment that does not include taxpayer protection from political spending whims. I urge you to do the same for our children's and grandchildren's future.

Richard Niemaszyk

Elgin