Metro East Sun

Doug Jameson wonders what became of common sense and deductive reasoning.

“If you’re seeing droves of people leave your state and all of them cite high taxes for doing so, wouldn’t you think that part of your plan for keeping them home would include lowering taxes,” Jameson told the Metro East Sun. “That lets you know just how dysfunctional Springfield has become, not only aren’t we doing that, we’re actually having to debate if we should be raising taxes again.”

With the backing of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, some lawmakers are now pushing a statewide property tax increase that would hike taxes by roughly 50 percent over the next 30 years to pay off the state’s pension debt.

Rep. Jay Hoffman

The DuPage Policy Journal reports the plan is expected to increase annual taxes on a home valued at $500,000 by approximately $5,000.

Again, Jameson, who is running against Rep. Jay C. Hoffman (D-Swansea) in the 113th House District, fails to see the logic.

“To raise property taxes will only drive out more people and exacerbate the problem of financing,” he said. “With all this taxing on people, what politicians are doing is like taking a rubber band and stretching it at both ends to see how long it is before one side snaps. It’s not a viable solution to anything and ultimately all it will do is cause more pain.”

At 2.67 of a home’s value, Illinois homeowners already pay the highest property tax rates in the country, according to the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI).

IPI also reports the taxing spree might not end there, as Ford, Lake, Kane, Frankfort and Will counties will all have a 1-percent sales tax referendum on the ballot this November.

In Will County, the added revenue is earmarked for local school districts, with more than a dozen schools endorsing the referendum. For some Will County residents, the increase would put their overall tax burden in the same vicinity as the10.25 percent rates in Chicago, home to the highest combined sales tax rate in the country, IPI states.

In Frankfort, the sales tax rate would jump from 7 percent to 8 percent.

“Clearly this is not what the people of Illinois want, but the thing is we can’t really have a serious discussion about changing anything until we’ve removed (House Speaker Mike) Madigan from power,” Jameson said. “He is the one factor that remains unchanged over the financial decline of this state. We need to remember the residents of Illinois should not exist to support the government, the system needs to be there for us.”

The 113th House District includes Madison and St. Clair counties.