Letter: 'Tax breaks' are effort to buy votes

Gov. Pritzker is claiming to be a savior of Illinois taxpayers by temporarily suspending two taxes and giving refunds of two others with direct payments to us. But let's look at the real value of these tax breaks.

The 1% suspension of the sales tax on food for a year beginning July 1, 2022, is going to save us $1 for every $100 spent for groceries. The six-month gas tax suspension is 5 cents per gallon through the end of 2022, meaning you will save $1 each time you fill up with 20 gallons. So, maybe you can save $5 a week depending on your family size and driving habits. Helpful, but not life saving.

Every income-tax payer will get a one-time $50 income tax refund, more for families, and homeowners will get a $300 property tax refund if they live in their house in Illinois. These are more substantial refunds, but over the course of a year, they represent maybe an average of only $40 a month.

There is a proposed Illinois constitutional amendment to be voted on this fall. It is designed to guarantee collective bargaining rights and eliminate right to work laws.

Fifty percent of municipal/state workers are union members. In total, union members represent only 20% of the total Illinois workforce. Most importantly, the projected cost of this amendment to taxpayers is an estimated $2,149 property tax increase over the next four years.

Consequently, the amendment favors a relatively small percentage of the state but all of us will have to pay for it. This is in addition to of the estimated $2,200 of tax increases we are already paying since Gov. Pritzker took office.

The governor is trying to buy your vote while reaching into your pocket.

Steven Koivula

St. Charles