GOP governors hurting middle class

This letter is to thank the Illinois voters who chose Pat Quinn. Every state that has elected a Republican governor has regretted it. In Florida, Rick Scott campaigned on the elimination of the corporate income tax. He is paying for these tax breaks by cutting public sector jobs. Once again, the rich benefiting off the backs of the middle class.

Wisconsin’s Gov. Scott Walker inherited a budget surplus when he came into office. In less than two months, Walker has turned a $120 million surplus into a $140 million deficit by passing bills that benefited the rich. Two examples: slashing state income tax for the top 1 percent of earners and rolling back the capital gains tax paid by the state’s wealthiest people. Section 16.896 of Walker’s budget repair bill authorizes the sale of state-owned power plants to private industry without the solicitation of bids. Who will benefit from that?

Republicans in Ohio have proposed a bill that, like Wisconsin, strips unions of collective bargaining rights. Michigan’s governor tried the same thing, but the protests were so huge he withdrew the bill.

Republican governors have declared war on the middle class. While giving tax breaks to corporations and the uber wealthy, they are attacking us. I just want to say “thank you” to the voters of Illinois for sparing us the curse of a Republican governor.

John D. Morgan

Arlington Heights