Where is the outrage over this Income Tax hike? (Chicago: homeowners association, Home Depot)

[04JETTA]

Originally Posted by GettaJetta

For the sake of preventing a pointless argument with people I don't know and throwing a good thread off topic, I'm raising the white flag. We have disagreements, It would be best we didn't discuss them at this time.

I like your user name

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ofcjim40

The garbage man/woman is up at 4 am, busting their butt doing a job most would pass on. Rain, snow, no matter the condition they are out there making a difference. Proper sanitation is one of the main things that separates progressive countries from the third world. So because some guy is ready and willing to bust his butt doing a thankless, dirty but very important job, some Yale grad should automatically make more and should be economically superior to the average everyday working man, I don't think so! Sorry you view us "public servants" as a lower caste and that we should have to scrape by and that we should expect meager wages and give up all employee protections. I'm not some Serf in a kingdom begging for table scraps.

Agreed.

[tonythetuna]

Watch out! Mike,Pat, and John are coming for more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


"Less than a month after shepherding a major income tax increase through the legislature, House Speaker Michael Madigan on Monday said it's time to do some more "heavy lifting."

The powerful Southwest Side Democrat said lawmakers need to address a series of issues, including proposals for "new revenue for the capital program.""

Speaker Michael Madigan wants heavy lifting on construction money, cutting costs - chicagotribune.com

[tonythetuna]

Here is a good way to drive out even more business from Illinois:

"Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood) introduced legislation that would raise Illinois’ $8.25-an-hour minimum wage by 50 cents plus the rate of inflation annually until it reaches its “historic level.”"

"If the proposal gains traction in the Legislature this spring, it would help offset the impact on low wage earners of the 67-percent increase in the individual income-tax rate that took effect in January."

Minimum wage would go to $10 under Senate bill - Chicago Sun-Times

[aragx6]

^Other than the service industry (and I doubt many Mickey D's will close in Illinois over this), very few places pay minimum wage to begin with. You suggest it's bad for business -- which businesses do you anticipate that would be?

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by GettaJetta

As for this Wisconsin dude, he's making a fool of himself. Yes some small manufacturing firms might go elsewhere but I don't see too many large companies shipping to Wisconsin.

Now, thanks to Scott Walker canceling the Wisconsin high speed rail project, it looks like Illinois will be taking about 1,000 jobs from Wisconsin. He is truly an idiot.

[johnvsmith]

Originally Posted by ofcjim40

Also, just to clarify. MOST Police and Fire pensions have NOTHING to do with the State. They are paid in to by the municipality, NOT using State money. My pension is paid for by the residents of Bolingbrook as an example. So my pension in not burdening the State's finances like some politicians are trying to have you believe. The burden is on the municipality, and it's up to them to manage it right. The bloodsucker to the State for pensions is these double dipping corrupt politicians that will work 2-3 state jobs throughout their career and collect a pension for each one. I pay hundreds of dollars a check into my pension, much like people do with a 401K. Hell, with the amount of money I pay I might be better off with a 401K in the long haul. But if decent pensions and health care is taken away from emergency services, who would even consider the job? It sure as hell isn't for the working hours, damage to the physical and mental state, holidays worked, events missed and some members of the public trying to kill us.

Thanks for inform me, everytime I read the news they say police and fireman pension is eating up all the money, so i guess my anger was misplaced.

[ofcjim40]

Originally Posted by johnvsmith

Thanks for inform me, everytime I read the news they say police and fireman pension is eating up all the money, so i guess my anger was misplaced.

And that's exactly the point. These scumbag politicians are trying to make the Public Safety Worker the bad guy. It's disgusting. Most people don't know that the majority of Police and Fire WON'T get social security. The pension is all we have. The reason why pensions are such a gaping hole now is because the politicians weren't making the payments into the funds. They were giving themselves raises and funding their pet projects. I find it funny when Rahm talks about pensions. Hey idiot, the politicians have a far more generous healthcare and pension program than any cop or fireman.

Let's look at not the greatest analogy I have ever come up with. Lol. The pension program is like a grocery story. The working man's pension in fruits and veggies. Well all the store manager (politicians) does is stock the grocery store with prime cuts of meat. They sell the meat cheap to friends, give some away, take some for themselves, etc. They neglect to keep up with the fruits and veggies, they take the product from the farmer but give him an IOU and claim they'll pay back. After running the store like this for years they owe a ton of money. The store is ready to collapse. They don't want to cut back at all on
the meat, so what they do instead is now triple the price of the fruits/veggies. Bananas are now $5 a pound and a can of corn is $7. Now the people are outraged at the cost and demands answers. You know what the store owner does, blames the FARMER for the high cost of the fruits/veggies. The farmer is now called greedy and is blamed for the high cost.

So basically the moral is, if these damn politicians kept their word we wouldn't be in this mess. They bankrupted our pensions to pay for their own projects and take care of their own, but now WE are the badguys because we are saying, "hey idiots, I did my part, I busted my butt for 30 years, I paid my 9% of my salary every check into my pension, you broke your promise". People need to educate themselves on this, stop buying the word of the corrupt and realize the little guy (cops/fireman) are getting screwed.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by aragx6

very few places pay minimum wage to begin with.

That has changed in Chicago over the last year or two. I always look at the Help Wanted ads whether I have a job or not. Most of these places that used to pay $12-$13 starting out, have been advertising at minimum wage or not much higher in the last year or two.

You don't get it. Every time the minimum wage is raised, it lowers or freezes pay for people between $5 and $10 an hour above it.

Originally Posted by aragx6

^Other than the service industry (and I doubt many Mickey D's will close in Illinois over this)

You do know a majority of jobs in the U.S.A. are in the "service industry" now don't you? You also know that copywriters,plumbers,accountants,garbage men,etc. are all part of the service industry don't you? The service industry ain't just McDonald's and Walmart workers.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by Attrill

Now, thanks to Scott Walker canceling the Wisconsin high speed rail project, it looks like Illinois will be taking about 1,000 jobs from Wisconsin. He is truly an idiot.

"Details were not available regarding how many jobs Talgo would create in Illinois or where the assembly plant would be located."

Luring train-maker from Wisconsin 'quite a coup' - Chicago Tribune