PrintJanuary 19, 2011
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's Tax Hike Blarney
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) should save his tax hike blarney for St. Paddy's Day. The barely reelected Quinn, along with a compliant and eager Democratic legislature, raised taxes dramatically on Illinoisans at the close of the recent lame duck session. Seems Democrats in Washington and Springfield like to ram through unpopular legislation either in the late of the night (ObamaCare) or at the end of a session, cutting short debate to squelch public opposition.
Be that as it may, Quinn has taken to the pages of the Chicago Tribune to defend the Democrat "fix" to Illinois' budget woes. The fix, as is always the case with Democrats, has nothing much to do with seriously reforming and downsizing government. Smaller government and a vibrant private sector will spell doom for too many Democrats' careers. Democrats simply don't intend to put big government out of business because it would put them out of business.
Instead, Illinoisans get the goodly Mr. Quinn making the feeble argument that state taxes are still comparable or lower than surrounding states; hence, Illinois is still attractive to businesses. Of course, the nearsighted Mr. Quinn seems not realize that there are plenty of states outside the Midwest that could be attractive to Illinois businesses sick and tired of paying higher tax bills, contending with needless government red tape, and putting up with the legendary and pervasive corruption that not only graces Chicago but Springfield as well.
Places like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Idaho, and Georgia -- among others -- are lower tax states. Red tape is minimal. Government is kept on a short leash. Governor Rick Perry, most notably, should invite Governor Quinn down to sunny Texas for a little tutorial on how a dynamic, successful state operates. But such would be little more than a junket for a hack machine pol like Pat Quinn.
The real burr under Quinn's saddle is newly elected Governor Scott Walker's public invitation to Illinois businesses to mosey up the road to Wisconsin. The Republican Walker, along with the new Republican legislature, are a conservative bunch. Walker and Republican legislators intend to make Wisconsin business-friendly. That means lower taxes and a lot less government.
Pat Quinn's carping about Wisconsin is reminiscent of the old crows who used to run East Germany. It must have galled the hell out of East Germany's dictators to look across the graceful Berlin Wall to see West Germany -- free, vibrant, and prosperous.
Luckily, there are no walls between Wisconsin and Illinois -- or any states, for that matter. Businesses are free to come and go as they please. Illinois is losing a congressional seat this go-round due to near stagnant population growth. Expect more productive Illinoisans to vote with their feet in the coming decade.
Wisconsin looks as good a place to go for Illinoisans as any, where the state motto "Forward" is about to take on a whole new meaning.
