by Mike Webb

Created on: March 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 22, 2009

This is the same battle cry that we hear from the White House on down, we need to raise taxes to fix our deficit! Illinois residents have to work harder to fix their own deficit, the government just wants to increase taxes so they can spend their way into more debt. The governer wants to pass legislation as fast as possible to try and fix the problem rather than promote incentives to bring in more business to the state. Most corporations will pass any tax hike on down to the consumer, with the economy in a rut, this isn't the time to put more of a burden on the people of Illinois. I believe we are already sharing the pain, no need to add insult to injury.

I am not in favor of putting more tax dollars into the hands of the state government for them to just swindle it away in their pork projects and back door policies. When will politicians realize that it's the people of the state who make the economy grow and not the government? More taxation will only drive big business out of the state or force them to close and ward off any new ones wanting to start here. Why not drop the tax base and be the first state to do so? Go above and beyond what other states are doing and lower the tax base for Illinois so it will drive other businesses, falling over each other, to get to our state and plant their business here.

I have been an Illinois resident for all my life, but this state needs to get it's act together and be a role model instead of a juvenile delinquent in the political arena. I own a small business and it takes a lot of my time just to make sure my taxes are in order. I struggle to make a profit because of all the expense incurred through owning a business. More taxes will not help me stay in business and with that I will not be able to contribute to the government's bailout.

We all have to cut back, I believe the state government should take it's time to assess the situation deeply and find those projects, so desperately needed by the government, that aren't necessary and throw them out. It seems like we are always rushed into making a decision that seems so dire that it's do or die. I feel the government is really out of touch with the people of Illinois and believe it's their own money to do whatever they want with it and there are no consequences to those government officials when things go wrong. We have gone from a country with taxation without representation, to taxation with bad representation! Find a better way Mr. Quinn, this isn't the answer the people of Illinois are willing to accept.

Give us the ability to grow, don't stifle our enthusiasm with more taxes. Do your job and bring the state out of this without more taxes and I'm sure you'll be the Governor when the next election rolls around.

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