So Gov. J.B. Pritzker lambastes Republicans in regards to his new budget for forcing him to make cuts instead of allowing his tax hike. Yet the defeat of Pritzker’s tax hike should be put on his and Democrats’ shoulders.
No tax hike can offset the over $200 billion in unfunded public-sector union pensions. Illinois residents in the private sector had to move to 401(k) plans decades ago. Meanwhile, our Democratic leaders pumped up union pension benefits, and those union leaders and members awarded them with support at the polls. Since the politicians couldn’t pay for the pensions, they did not fund the plans, causing Illinois to go deeper in debt.
As a Republican, I would support a tax hike, if politicians would move the unions to a 401(k) plan. But union leaders, who really run the state budget, find this unacceptable, so we have only Pritzker lashing out against the GOP, when the real opposition is Illinois voters.
— Ken Nelson, Chicago
Criticism without alternatives
The editorial “The two linchpins to Pritzker’s budget: D.C. and Democrats” (Feb. 18) was filled with derision and deception. The editorial board classifies the graduated tax as a tax hike despite the data proving otherwise from states that have had this tax for years. The board claims that dropping the tax break to businesses that fund scholarships to private schools is a wrong move, yet many private schools in Illinois are religion-based. Is this tax break even legal as it ties public money to sectarian purposes?
Corporate interests have played around with their “depreciation fees” for decades in order to save tax money, but homeowners whose houses have appreciated have received no tax breaks. And the board feels it is unfair to stop this practice?
The real problem with this editorial and with the Republican Party in general is that both are great at blasting new ideas but have no new ideas of their own. I would love to hear proposals about how they would balance the Illinois budget. Then-Gov. Bruce Rauner had no budget at all for 2 1/2 years. When his own party’s leadership finally came up with a plan, the governor withdrew his support at the last second. This was not leadership. This was not budget planning.
The next editorial should take the best proposals from both parties and call it a plan.
— Jan Goldberg, Riverside
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No greatness in divisiveness
I just read John Kass’ column about Rush Limbaugh (“Death puts hole in conservative America’s heart,” Feb. 18) that characterized him as a “great American.” I would agree wholeheartedly if I felt that greatness included unrepentant racism, sexism, hatred and divisiveness.
As a believer in free speech, I’m glad I live in a country where someone like Limbaugh has the right to say the hateful things he did. However, when I think about great Americans, I look to those who worked for the unity and betterment of humankind like Jane Addams, Martin Luther King Jr., Jonas Salk, Abraham Lincoln and so many others who made our country and the world better for all.
— Jim Hirsch, Chicago
Thankful for large tax refund
Like letter writer Larry Craig (“2017 tax cuts helped us,” Feb. 12), the 2017 tax cuts helped me too.
As a not-wealthy 84-year-old grandmother on Social Security, paying taxes has always been a challenge. With the 2017 tax cuts, for the first time in years, I received a sizable tax refund. That money was not squandered but placed in my rainy day fund for unexpected expenses, like the replacement of a broken hot water heater.
— Lillian J. Smith, Dyer, Indiana
U.S. attorney purge and Trump
Remember four years ago when then-President Donald Trump asked all U.S. attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama to resign? There was outrage among many Democrats, even though most every president — including Obama and Bill Clinton before Trump — routinely does the same thing since U.S. attorneys are political appointees.
Well, President Joe Biden just did the same thing and nary a peep. What hypocrisy. It’s another example of Trump being treated differently and worse from day one in comparison to other presidents.
To be clear, what Biden just did is normal and proper, same as Trump in 2017. But the reaction sure was different.
— William Choslovsky, Chicago
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