Cut Spending in Illinois? Nah, We Will Just Raise Your Taxes-But You Won’t Know It

Unfortunately, the people of Illinois voted for this crap.  Governor Pat Quinn is trying to get through an increase in state income taxes.  However, that’s too transparent.  So, now he is moving to confiscate 6.25% from each and every internet purchase you make. From the Internet Retailer:

“Illinois would levy taxes on Internet purchases under a plan that won final General Assembly approval today with an 88-29-0 vote in the state House. The law would make Illinois the latest state to try to squeeze revenue from online retail purchases, though other states have faced court challenges and the threat of lawsuits after trying to collect taxes from web sales. And some online retailers have simply cut off affiliates in states that have passed similar laws.”

No reporting on this in the Chicago Tribune or Chicago Sun Times. Like this isn’t news? Here is the Trib copy off their website. It’s not even the top story.

“Gov. Pat Quinn and top Democrats today are pressing forward on a major income-tax increase and a $1-a-pack hike in cigarette taxes, according to lawmakers briefed on the plan.

The personal income tax rate would rise from 3 percent to at least 5.25 percent, lawmakers said. Of the tax hike, 2 percentage points would be temporary, lawmakers said. The amount tracks with what the Tribune reported today.

The money would be spent on stabilizing the state budget, paying down bills, boosting school funding and providing property tax relief.

The proposal, details of which are in flux, is being discussed behind closed doors as lawmakers attempt to pass the legislation through both chambers before a lame-duck session ends next Wednesday.

Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, said the black caucus has reached a deal with Quinn and House Speaker Michael Madigan on the tax hikes. But other lawmakers are skeptical that all of the details are locked down.

Davis warned it’s unclear if this will be the plan called for a vote, saying additinoal meetings must take place, including running the proposal past the entire House Democratic caucus.

“For the Black Caucus, we have always maintained that any revenue enhancement propsoal has to set aside dedicated money for education and property tax relief, and now they are part of the plan,” Davis said.”

And from the Chicago Sun Times

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Quinn and the Democratic legislative leaders have struck an agreement to raise the income tax on individuals from 3 percent to 5 ¼-percent and raise the state tax on cigarettes by $1 a pack, sources said.

The moves, if they pass the House and Senate before next Wednesday, could erase the state’s expected $15 billion deficit, generate a $700-million-plus windfall for schools and grant property tax relief, sources said.

The tax increase, which would represent the first time the income tax had been raised in roughly two decades, would be temporary and need to be renewed by lawmakers and the governor, though the duration for that temporary period remained fluid, sources said.

Quinn disclosed the deal with House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) during a closed-door session Thursday afternoon with members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, its chairman told the Chicago Sun-Times.

“What the governor has laid on the table — we’ve talked to the Senate black caucus; we’ve talked to the House black caucus — and we are pretty much in consensus that our two main points are being fulfilled, education funding and property tax relief. We’re OK with the mechanisms to get there,” said Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood).

Davis said Quinn described the tax plan as an “agreement” he had reached with Madigan and Cullerton.

The governor and leaders agreed that details of the plan would need to be presented to members of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses. The three top Democrats intended to meet again Thursday night to do any fine-tuning on the plan and settle on a schedule to begin moving it through the General Assembly.

Spokesmen for Quinn, Cullerton and Madigan declined comment on details about the plan.

Sounds like the same guy wrote the press release for each paper. No wonder they are both going broke. The lead story in the Trib was Bill Daley becoming Chief of Staff. In the Sun Times it was Mayor Daley’s son’s partner being indicted.

Somehow a quiet 6.25% tax hike on all internet goods seems more important than either of those stories.

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