Tax-and-spend talk never changes

I read the Jan. 5 article “Illinois wants online retailers to collect sales tax” and was once again appalled by an Illinois politician.

Senate President John Cullerton is quoted in the article as saying, ”it’s not a new tax. It’s just a way of collecting the tax.”

As far as I know, retailers pay a state sales tax (if the state has one) as well as state and federal income taxes. The sales tax is paid to the state where the retailer is located, as is the state income tax.

The federal income tax is paid to the federal government.

So when Sen. Cullerton says “It’s just a way of collecting the tax,” which tax is he talking about? He doesn’t even know.

I see articles all the time where Sen. Cullerton talks about raising the state income tax as well as liquor and cigarette taxes.

Yet I don’t recall reading any where he talks about reducing and controlling spending.

As if Sen. Cullerton’s comments weren’t bad enough, we also have Department of Revenue spokesman Mike Klemens saying, “Illinoisans already owe taxes on all the stuff they buy online. But because some retailers don’t collect it, many people probably don’t know what they owe. For that reason, the state collects very little of the $150 million it thinks it should be bringing in via online sales.”

Mr. Klemens, since when does the consumer owe a tax on purchases made? Consumers pay sales tax on almost everything they purchase, but that tax is owed by the retailer and passed on to the consumer. It is not owed by the consumer.

Again, I have to ask, which tax is he talking about? It is not the consumer’s responsibility to collect and pay sales tax, is it?

Tax, tax, tax and spend, spend, spend.

That is all the likes of Sen. Cullerton, and nearly every other Illinois politician, know. They have absolutely no clue how to live within a reasonable budget.

Jerry Pech

Round Lake Beach