-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
In its “economic average” report, Yelp found about 5,100 Illinois-based business listings on its site have either temporarily closed or will permanently shutter.
Most of the closures, 4,400, were listed as Chicago-based businesses.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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I closed my business for good after 14 years. Too much uncertainty and Government in my face. I have to fight a different way now, and fight I will. Wait until the Governor’s Tax Proposal passes, and the state starts taxing pensions. May God Help us.
Raise Taxes,
Luxury Homes in Florida have been going up in price.
While Illinois is going down the tubes, all the filthy rich cops, firemen and teachers are driving up home prices in Florida. They are laughing all they way to the bank.
Illinois “Land of Slavery”
Not funny but we drove down to the inlaw’s condo in south FL and been here a month and Ive seen at least 10 Illinois plates on luxury cars that also have a fire dept sticker or logo on them since Ive been here. Must be nice, just saying….
I want to be a filthy rich cop, teacher and firefighter too.
No work, no pay. Real simple. Teachers have had at least 5 months off and many schools will not open in the fall. No work, no pay.
No pay = no union dues. Kick’m in the balls!
I have yet to hear about any property tax breaks for closed businesses or homeowners. In fact property tax’s are being increased due to raises because contracts have to be honored. Palatine school district has a 10 year contract with at least 40% increase in wages for teachers plus little if any increases in healthcare costs. How can anyone expect to pay their tax’s with limited or no income? And to make matters worse those who have or will eventually walk away from homes or businesses who are in Ptell counties tax’s will be increased for everyone else so no… Read more »
Nobody in Springfield cares, never did never will. Time to pack up and leave, yes I know it’s easier said then done but every taxpayer in Illinois is doomed there’s no way around it.
I totally agree but we as taxpayers speak only with individual voices which are not heard by the pols. But if somehow,someway we can unite in a collective voice they have no choice but to listen. When people riot or loot it is always as a group rarely done by one person alone and if caught they are just a criminal. Where to go is the problem. What is going on here is or soon will be everywhere. Look at http://www.naturalnews.com today and look for Must See by Mike Adams about the Yugoslavian woman giving us a warning that the… Read more »
True, we the taxpayers need to unite and be heard as a whole, one voice one person doesn’t work. And also true we’re to go is another issue, staying put may be the answer for now until things settle down.
The only way taxpayers can survive here is to unite in litigation: tax objection lawsuits against corrupt local taxing bodies. When you look at school board activities in depth (read budgets, consent agenda expenditures line-by-line, etc.) and compare to statutory regulations you will find a great deal of illegal tax-taking and tax spending. The problem is that it is nobody’s job to provide oversight or enforce compliance with the law, when it comes to civil law violations by taxing bodies. Everyone assumes that they (taxing bodies) “must be in compliance with the law, or someone would do something “. Well,… Read more »
Correct. Over at http://www.taxpayersunitedofamerica.com Jim Tobin organized a tax protest in Berwyn over the school district increasing their budget $5M. Just search Berwyn and it should be first article. We need more protests like that around the state.
Problem is Susan will county makes it very difficult to file a tax objection yet alone a lawsuit. Also appealing your property taxes in will county, Joliet Illinois assessors office, is extremely difficult,frankly you need to be a lawyer and that doesn’t work all the time either. But I do agree with you about the school districts, were I’m at valley view 365u just spends and spends no oversight or anything out here. Nobody ever objects to these 300 400 a dollar yearly increases or shows up at there board meetings. One person such as myself can not accomplish very… Read more »
Tax objection lawsuits are difficult by nature: one needs to find clear violations of law, the monetary amounts of malfeasance must be enough to persuade a lawyer to take case on contingency, and class action status is disallowed. Appealing assessment is difficult, yes. But more damaging, there is no mechanism to appeal underassessed properties of political class insiders. This inequity drives up the tax rate overtly, and it drives tax rate even higher when equalization factors are calculated. Tell me, would you and your neighbors be interested in a website which allows us to post rewards for evidence of actionable… Read more »
Without a doubt susan