Don't be fooled by 'fair tax' promises

The politicians in the state of Illinois are hoping we will all shame ourselves by passing the fair tax amendment. They are asking the taxpaying citizens of Illinois to trust them. Don't be fooled.

Just like all the lottery proceeds will go to education. They did, but then the money from the general taxes that used to fund education were reappropriated to the general fund for politicians to spend.

Just like in 2011, the tax rate on all was raised by 67% in an effort to pay down the backlog of unpaid bills. More than $30 billion in additional taxes were collected during the three years of the tax. And the amount of unpaid bills did go down - from $7.9 billion to $6.6 billion. What happened to the other $28.3 billion? Your politicians spent it. By the way, during the same period, unfunded pension liabilities increased by $25 billion.

A real solution to the spending problem in the state of Illinois is not a fair tax amendment but a change to the pension benefits of the state workers. Every politician has known since 2008 that the only way out of the unfunded pension crisis in Illinois is to adopt a defined contribution plan (aka 401(k)-like plan) rather than a defined benefit plan for all new state employees. This would not require an amendment, only a change in the employment agreements for all new state workers. Existing state workers would receive their current benefit and, over time, the unfunded issue would be eliminated. Not just reduced - eliminated.

Or back an amendment to the existing pension benefit that would allow for a reduction in benefits to retirees.

Consider that the politicians are asking you to give them a blank check to design a tax from you, but are unwilling to propose an amendment that might reduce income to them.

Bill Surerus

Elgin