Just talked to Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman Andrew Gasser and he told me that his hosting service has had to take his web site down because there had been 20,000 attempts to break into it.
Since he is featured in the Chicago Tribune article today in opposition to the 377 tax hike referendum, which gives voters the opportunity to raise their taxes $60-90, I thought I put up his latest article.
But, first, here’s what the Sunday Tribune said,
“Critics of the proposal have been outspoken, if few in number. Andrew Gasser, an Air Force Veteran and a Republican precinct committeeman in Fox River Grove, said the tax will hurt poor and middle-class homeowners struggling to survive the recent housing bust and recession.
“Gasser said he has compassion for those with disabilities but questioned why they warrant a special tax, when many families also face financial strins while caring for loved ones with a host of other ailments.
“‘There’s a responsibility we have as a society,’he said, ‘but at the same time, government cannot do it all. People just can’t afford it.'”
Gasser’s latest article–with a table of the high tax counties that has been downloaded 15,000 times–points out that McHenry County is the 19th highest taxed countie in the United States of America.
Here it is:
McHenry County 29th Most Expensive County… in the United States
So it only makes sense that we raise taxes more so we can be number one.
McHenry County homes are the 26th highest in the country.
McHenry County is the 29th worst county in America to live when it comes to taxes.
Why on earth are people wanting to raise them higher?
No one in our state denies our government is broken, badly broken. So why on earth would we raise taxes more? Fear not McHenry Lake, DuPage, and Kendal counties are worse than us but Kane is nipping at our heals.
How many of our senior citizens who live in Fox River Grove, Cary, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, McHenry, Marengo, Spring Grove, or Woodstock can afford another tax hike?
How can the struggling poor and the over burdened middle class afford another tax hike?
But it gets better! Tax day, April 15th, right? Wrong.
Do you wonder why hard working people are fleeing Illinois?
We have to work longer to pay our tax bill.
Citizens who reside in Illinois have to work until April 25th to pay off their tax burden. Compare that to all the neighboring states:
– Wisconsin April 20th
– Indiana – April 13th
– Iowa – April 9th
– Missouri – April 8th
– Kentucky – April 6th
And just as a side note I would point out that Illinois has more taxing bodies than any other state around us. Heck, even California is better than Illinois. Are we not paying attention to the economic reality we are facing in Illinois? Are we just living in some fantasy world where we think we can tax and spend our way to prosperity?
Just look how bad our sales tax is here in Illinois:
Yep – Illinois leads the way in sales tax too.
Yep – Illinois leads the way in sales tax too.
Illinois is the 10th highest income tax rate at 8.2 percent. Now look at our surrounding states:
– Missouri is 14th at 7.49 percent
– Indiana is 20th at 7 percent
– Iowa is 25th at 6.81 percent
– Kentucky is 36th at 6 percent
– Wisconsin is 41st at 5.43 percent
Tell me, where would you want to open a business? Where would you want to live? Where would you want to raise a family?
We are in a financial crisis. Not just in the United States, not just in Illinois, but in McHenry County. So many of us complain about our taxes going up every year. How many of you know someone who has left the state?
I have one (former) constituent who left the state because she could not afford the taxes on her house she owned outright in Fox River Grove. How is that right? Her American dream is shattered. She had to sell her home.
There aught to be no shame in voting NO against this proposition. There aught to be no anxiety over what other people might think of a NO vote. How much is enough? How much does the poor and the middle class have to pay to satisfy political correctness? Vote NO on Tuesday.
Finally – while everyone plots political strategy quietly in emails and phone calls, while everyone likes to run around calling themselves “tax cutters” and “reformers”, all the counties on the first graphic above are run by “Republicans”.
Go figure.
Thank you Cal for staying on this one.
We are very fortunate to have residents such as Andrew willing to step up to the plate to attempt the instillation of some common sense.
His description of the issue is very concise.
Shame on the McHenry County Board members who voted to place the issue on the ballot!
I’ve beaten this outrageous Tax drum for years on these blogs.
My favorite, simple query to every Pol: ‘How do you explain this’? Never, has anyone attempted to answer, why McHenry County is so ‘special’, when it comes to our rediculous rate of taxation.
With the exception of the Assessor, who blurbs such gems as: ‘it’s for the kids’ or “it’s that new Bond Issue that passed” or “it’s that State multiplier” equalizer, quantifier, whatever (nothing like a little transparency in taxation, right?).
But let’s take Andrew’s ‘one (former) constituent’ commentary, to it’s factual sad reality, that this is all the result of decades of bad Public Policy.
In the past two decades, over 400 K Tax Returns have fled the State (that’s Tax Returns folks, not just people).
Taking with them, nearly $ 40 B in AGI.
Isn’t that the taxable amount that the Illinois Budget shortfall has been the past few years?
Big winners were our neighboring states Wi. and In.
So how does Springfield and Pols in this State react to this over the years?
Constantly look for new revenue streams.
D.J Traeger
Note that AZ and Tenn were #1 and #2 for SALES TAX yet were #43 and #48 for total tax for tax freedom day. Overall the taxes are lower.
The sales tax is a fairer way in that EVERYONE pays something, not just property owners.
I actually own in AZ and pay under $1000 in property tax on a 3 bed 1400 SF townhome.
There is minimal tax or none on food and medicine and basic necessities.
Back here in Illinois I was paying over $7200 for a 2000 SF modest ranch house with most going to the schools.
$600 dollar a month to live in my own home that had been paid for for 20 eaers and ZERO kids in the schools.
Other with 6-8 kids and rent pay nothing.
Then people wonderf why there is suck an exodus of people leaving for southern states with lower cost of living.
How soon until there are no payers, just takers.
Illinois needs to end the high property taxes and replace it with a consumption tax. (sales tax).
The elected officials will refuse because who will pay for the people that REFUSE to work and maybe Chicago will have to start paying for its own problems not begging off the other 101 counties outside Cook.
How many levels of government in Illinois?
All these taxing bodies.
In AZ there is the State, the County and the city with well defined responsibilities.
Government actually works down here.
Ooops. Meant to say D.J Traeger is correct.