Our tax dollars at work in Springfield

Illinois is broke. Our leaders cry for more ways to raise money. Higher taxes, new taxes and video poker are just a few of their suggestions.

Cut costs? Heaven forbid, the state has the leanest operating costs of any state in the union already, so they say. There is simply no place to cut, they tell us. They did decide to eliminate $100 million set aside for affordable housing. The very same Senate bill includes $250 million set aside to refurbish legislative offices in Springfield. That's right $250 million so these part-timers have fancier digs that they will occupy a few weeks out of each year. This comes at a time when homeowners are putting off needed home improvement because of reduced wages and lost jobs. Business owners are delaying needed improvement projects because of lack of business. Many of which are struggling just to survive. Since these legislators find these offices unfit to occupy we should replace them with people who have a different set of priorities, priorities ones that include citizens of Illinois.

Ron Flowers

Elk Grove Village