While Mr. Martire presented a very cohesive presentation, I would hardly characterize it as unbiased. As an old cliche says about statistics, you can bascially make them say whatever you need them too. At times national stats were used, then local stats, then correlation charts based on narrow parameters all in the name of making a particular point at a particular time.

To Speakingthetruth, unless you have some sort of superhuman understanding, SB2288 and HB750 are so packed full of legislative loopholes you could drive a truck through them. The State is robbing from their current funds.

To Mr. Dalton, 2/3 is a 67% increase, and while the abatement of roughly 20% might be given to certain areas for property tax relief, Mr. Martire stated himself that there are no guarantees that new legislation could not eliminate the abatement in the future, thus leaving us with the 67% increase in personal income tax without any property tax relief at all. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think our illustrious state government has shown even a hint of restraint when it comes to taking more money out of us.

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but our economy is already in recession and is headed for a deeper one, therefore those “revenues” the State is chomping at the bit to take out of us are going to cause an even greater burden on those of us who pay taxes. By the way, have you given any consideration to the renters in this state that would be hit with the full 67% without an abatement of any sort?

If you would like a solution, I have one. Our government should REDUCE THEIR SPENDING in other areas so they can properly meet their infrastructure obligations and fund the schools appropriately. Living within their means…what a novel idea.

A way to reform education is to throw it all in one pot. You live in Illinois and are in grade x? You have y dollars spent on you, whether that’s in Chicago or Lake Forest or Peoria. The monies will be divided by district based on the number of students in the district. The districts will have to remain accountable disperse money based on the number of students at each school. No more differences in class size based on how much money your parents make.

It’d help many municipalities, such as ours. No more having people not wanting to live in a certain place because they’re scared of the school district. It could be the start of the end of a vicious cycle that hurts cities and towns.

John, Thanks for backing me up :)

TDM, I respectfully disagree :) You can also argue that an 80% tax on someone earning a million dollars is easier to bear than a 5% tax on $40,000.

As for school districts, I think that should remain a local issue. That’s the beauty of the American system. We distribute power and responsibility, and push things down to the lowest possible level so that people at the grassroots have a say.

Chicago is the 4th richest city in the world on a per capita basis, and they can’t fund their own school district? If Chicago’s school district needs money, let them raise taxes from their own district not the rest of the state.

If politicians go around saying they want to reduce the burden of property taxes, it means they’re going to raise taxes somewhere else. How many taxes do you have? If it’s not income taxes, it’s going to be sales taxes or something else. But most likely it’s going to be income taxes.

It’s like if a few weeks ago, a politician was asked if they would support a federal bailout. Even if the bill isn’t mentioned, you can assume that if they say they support a federal bailout, they’re talking about the bill that’s on the table.

If Schmitz and Munson are not supporting SB2288, but are still calling for “school funding reform” I want to know what they’re talking about. Are they going to build casinos? Do more lotteries? Where is this money going to come from?

The concept of a straight and equal substitution of higher income taxes offset by lower property taxes is a good one in my opinion. It would help reduce the inequity between poor school districts and wealthy ones.

I think most Illinois residents agree; it is a politically popular idea. The problem is that Bills like SB2288 aren’t straight & equal. Too many Illinois legislators are corrupt, wanting to increase spending for their lobbyists.

I won’t cry over the loss of our “Flat Tax” system in Illinois, should that ever happen. The burden of a 5% tax on a $40,000 family income is a lot harder to bear than a 5% tax on a $400,000 family income.

I don’t know about you, but I was raised to believe that when you “assume” something, it makes an a@# out of you and me…next time, I would suggest verifying support or opposition of something by an elected official or someone running for office BEFORE you write it. I would stay away from words like “assume” or “assumption”..just a thought…