-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Quentin Fulks is the Chairman of Vote Yes For Fairness, a ballot initiative committee working to pass the Fair Tax in Illinois. Presented here, without comment, is his case that "drastic" out-migration is due to the unfairness in our tax system, which would be fixed by a progressive income tax, and that "it's clear that taxes are not the reason people are leaving Illinois."
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.
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
A reminder that this site has zero tolerance for antisemitism, racism and gay slurs. Zero. No warnings. Violate the rule and your gone, which we just did to one commenter.
We will be bombarded by ads as the year goes on to vote for the progressive tax. My concern is what will be dangled in front of us to entice us to vote for it? Many will tricked into voting for it especially if there is a promise of lowering property tax’s even a small amount like 1%. There will be no reforms in exchange. My biggest concern is if NOT passed what will Plan B be? There is always a plan B in this state. Always! Will implementing Plan B whatever it is make us regret that we didn’t… Read more »
They will probably threaten to raise the flat tax, which could very much backfire.
Anything they’ll do short of significantly reducing the massive, unfunded liabilities will backfire.
Probably a combination property/sales tax hike. Remember the LT in Full Metal Jacket? “It’s a big $&^% sandwich and we’re all gonna have to take a bite.” That’s living in Illinois in a nutshell.
We already know the game plan. Tell voters that THEIR taxes will drop and the guy they envy, HIS taxes will rise. As Wirepoints has shown, this is so much a lie that it produces physical pain, but it will BE the message, and it will be shrill and deafening. We already live in Idiocracy. A 1% increase in sales tax is “sold” as “a penny for [public safety, was Winnebago County’s lie.]” I guarantee you that half those who voted for it thought it was just going to cost them a penny, not a penny on every dollar they… Read more »
What a crock !! Just the same-old, same-old answer by a democrat — RAISE TAXES. It’s never: 1) decrease govt spending, and 2) get rid of govt ee unions, and 3) amend the state constitution, and 4)freeze all DB govt ee pension plans, and 5) cut pensions X% because otherwise Chicago will be bankrupt in 5-10 years with pension funds running dry. All 5 need to happen, to improve ILL’s finances. This guy Quentin ignores the FACTS that more tax revenue would likely just go towards the underfunded pension plans, or if any money DID make it into the “classroom”,… Read more »
Wow, this article is way off-target in a number of areas. Also, I didn’t think it was possible to write an article with this subject without talking about the massive, unfunded pension and health care benefits liabilities, but there ya’ go.
How the hell did this man come up with this story, taxes are not the reason people are leaving. Then whats the reason, that’s why me and my wife are leaving sure isn’t the weather mister. Illinois is a very sick state on life support with the plug being pulled very very soon.
“Fair.” Obviously this means something different to Mr. Fulks than it does to me. To me, “fair” would be a head tax, you know, the kind where everyone who gets the state’s services pays the same $ for the state’s services. I pay the same for a Big Mac as does Mr. Fulks. My guess is that he thinks I should pay MORE for a Big Mac than he (or some designated “special person”) pays. Progressive taxation is anything but fair. That creeping socialism (let others richer than me pay for the stuff I want) is embedded in Americans’ minds… Read more »
Was this written by a toddler? His reasoning lacks any insight or analytical thought.
It sounded to me like it was written by Pritzker, based on a quick google search it appears it was.
“Quentin Fulks is the Chairman of Vote Yes For Fairness, a ballot initiative committee working to pass the Fair Tax in Illinois”
“Gov. J.B. Pritzker just pumped $5 million into the “Vote Yes for Fairness” committee that’s out pressing for a graduated income tax amendment to the state Constitution”
Where I come from we call this ‘propaganda’.
The man’s just talking his book. Who do you think “consumes” most of the taxes paid (I’m thinking “social services” and “community outreach programs” and the like.) He knows that the “team” he identifies with will not be paying the taxes. A progressive tax system is the closest thing yet available to “reparations.”
Diversity + Democracy = a racial headcount. Those with more melanin are the single most certain democrat voting block.
Total nonsense. Fulks completely ignores the abundant data presented in Wirepoints and many other places regarding who is leaving Illinois. The number of $100k plus 1040’s that have left is staggering. It is not the poor and disadvantaged and those who think there is no opportunity here It is the wealthy who pay nondeductible property and state income taxes, and who get little or nothing for it. And it is prosperous young people who don’t like the idea of getting stuck over their working life times paying for exorbitant public union benefits. But at least he doesn’t blame it on… Read more »
Illinois has a lot of plaintiff representing trial lawyers. Most if not all are Democrat party machine backers. Court cases from across the nation are held here at nominal costs to the plaintiffs because the taxpayers foot the bills for the trial administration, Judges and so on. So lets be fair where fair is due. Put the sales tax upon the settlements so that the taxpayers can recoup some of the vast mount of sums expended by the taxpayers for the benefit of outsiders. After all it’s only fair that everyone pays their share and what better way for the… Read more »
Expecting laws to be passed to hit lawyers’ parasitism is like expecting people on the sex offenders registry to lobby for women to carry guns. There’s a reason that among professions, law is grossly over-represented among legislators.