We can back tax hike if reforms are passed

If the governor and the legislative leaders of Illinois cannot reach an agreement this week, massive cuts in the governor's proposed budget will be made totally $8.5 billion. Among these cuts would be a 75 percent reduction in funding for the Department of Human Services.

As a resident of Illinois with a child with disabilities, I am outraged, but somehow not surprised by this latest act of incompetence. Again and again our state government has proved its poor stewardship of our tax dollars. I have no doubt that this latest crisis is meant to distract us from the blatant corruption that plagues our elected officials and their misuse of the office to which they have been elected. We were naive to believe that change was inevitable after the indictment of our former governor for deliberate and unbridled abuses of power.

Now we are to be held hostage by the threat of massive budget cuts unless we acquiesce to increased taxes. Services for the disabled in our state rank 51st in the nation and we are contemplating drastic cutbacks in this area.

We should be ashamed of our failure to support programs that enrich the lives of our disabled residents and enable them to live in the community with their families. I have already received communications urging me to contact my legislator In support of a tax increase to prevent these and other cutbacks.

I suppose this is exactly what our officials are hoping for. I will gladly support a tax increase if all - and I mean all - of the recommendations of the Illinois Reform Commission are enacted as stated in their report.

Sharon Lanera

Palatine