I would have supported the amendment for progressive taxes but I hate how they screamed that TAXES WILL GO DOWN FOR 97% of people. I'm an accountant. The first $10,000 of income would be taxes at 0.20% lower rate than the current rate and then 0.05% lower from $10,000 to $100,000 and then rates would get higher.
So. That 97% of people had a chance to save a yearly maximum of $65 under this plan. It was literally written just to be able to say "your taxes went down".
You want to be fair? Fine, do 1% for the first $10k. 2% up to $40K 3% up to $75K, 4% up to $100K and then 5% up to $250k, 6% up to $500K and 7% above $500k.
something that mattered.
Also, I refused to vote for that amendment because if we pass that one then I wanted the amendment to be able to re-examine pensions to have been put to a vote. They refused to even put that one to a vote.
The current pensions as they were passed 15, 20, 30 years ago are a mess and totally jacked up. People shouldn't be working at $65K salaries and then retire and suddenly make $80K that goes up up up every year. Just can't afford that. I'm not saying gut the pensions, but bring things back down to earth and make them in line with how most other states run their pensions. Illinois just gave everyone anything they wanted in pensions for decades to save a few dollars up front in bonuses or raises. It totally sucks if you arent getting what you were promised, but having studied this a lot the state literally *CANNOT* pay all these pensions. It just can't work. People will leave before they ever squeeze enough money out to pay them, and for everyone that leaves the rest have to be squeezed that much more. Eventually it would just default. Save it before that time.
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So I was out biking with Jesus last week...
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