Rauner ending hope with vulture model

Manufacturing a crisis has given governors the green light to slash programs, threaten bankruptcy, destroy unions and blame public workers for all their state's economic woes, just like Bruce Rauner did immediately after he bought the governorship and took office.

For the record, Illinois is the fifth richest state in the U.S.

Rauner's vulture model is to starve our state of much needed revenue, social programs and workers of decent wages while focusing only on making Illinois a "right-to-work" state. More than two-thirds of corporations doing business in Illinois don't have to pay any income taxes, a result of loopholes created and supported by corporate lobbyists, our legislators and Rauner. Make them pay income taxes and close up their loopholes. Period. Closing loopholes and paying income taxes would bring in billions to close our budget shortfall. Even the Illinois Supreme Court recently told legislators and Rauner to raise revenue.

Today, Rauner is using the budget crisis to blackmail legislators into supporting his anti-worker policies. He refuses to raise revenue unless the legislators bow to his anti-collective bargaining, anti-worker agenda. He is paying off lawmakers who support his agenda and punishing those who stand against it. Guess who will suffer?

Rauner is destroying any hope for all working people and families in Illinois. While Rauner protects the corporations from taxation, Illinois is becoming more and more toxic and those who see this are moving out.

Joni Lindgren

Elgin