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'Fair Tax' not the way to fix Illinois finances

As we get close to the November elections, every Illinois voter will have the chance to vote on the proposed "Fair Tax Act." Finances in Illinois need help, but this is not the way to do it. Every voter, Republican or Democrat, should vote no and here is why.

First, many people think they are voting for the Gov. Pritzker plan, but you are really voting to allow elected state lawmakers and the governor to set any level of rates they deem fit. When the tax revenues come in and the amount is not enough, you can count on the rates going up.

Not to pick on Gov. Pritzker, but published data shows that he paid Illinois state taxes of 2.36% and 3.89% in 2017 and 2018, respectively. My point is that while everyone has the right to minimize their taxes within the rules, you can bet that the persons at the top end (such as the governor) will have an army of tax advisers finding legal ways to lower taxes.

But this means that not enough taxes will be raised by Gov. Pritzker's proposed higher rates at the top end, which guarantees additional tax increases at the lower income levels down the road. Plus, now this tax act will give control to the politicians, such as Michael Madigan, to decide how much extra we pay.

And what about down the road? We will have given this power to future governors and future state legislatures?

All this adds up to voting no on the "Unfair Tax Act."

Bill Hogan

Libertyville

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