Vote NO 2 TAX APRIL 7th

Vote NO 2 TAX APRIL 7th

Friday, February 28, 2014

IS MONEY THE ANSWER?

Is providing yet more money to our schools the answer to helping our children achieve? Let us compare the K-8 figures of two adjoining school districts. Consider Hampton School District 29 which has operational spending per student of $8,363 and instructional spending of $4,654. Compare those expenses with adjoining East Moline District 37 which has operational spending of $10,563 per student and instructional spending of $6,042 per student. Also consider that the older portions of Hampton Elementary were built in 1870!Now let us compare how well students perform on the ISAT state standards test. In East Moline District 37 only 41% of students meet or exceed the Illinois state standards.In Hampton District 29 73.3% of students meet or exceed Illinois state standards!Of course other factors influence these ISAT test scores but it should be obvious to all that MONEY ALONE IS NOT THE ANSWER! VOTE NO on April 7th!

Thursday, February 27, 2014

RAISE TAXES?

People are leaving Illinois. Moving companies confirm that Illinois is one of the top "outflow" states. Businesses are leaving Illinois. Prudent Illinois shoppers spend their money in adjoining states. Motorists get fuel in adjoining states. Cigarette smokers go to Missouri or Kentucky. Why is this? ILLINOIS TAXES ARE TOO HIGH! Governors of nearby states overtly lure Illinois dollars to their states where taxes are lower. What is the response by Illinois politicians? RAISE TAXES EVEN HIGHER! The Illinois State Legislature is debating to make the "temporary" income tax increase permanent; adding a graduated state income tax; adding a tax on every ounce of soda pop. The Illinois State Legislature is also planning a second capital bill, only debating which taxes to raise to pay for it. And here in Rock Island County voters are being asked to add another 1.00% to almost all of our purchases. Sheer brilliance! Already thousands of Rock Island County motorists go to Iowa for gasoline where they can save roughly 30 cents a gallon. Now we want to add another 3 or 4 cents to the cost of gasoline in Rock Island County? How would you like to own a gas station in Rock Island County near a bridge where you can watch the Illinois cars pass you by on there way to Iowa where the price is so much cheaper? Or own a franchise restaurant knowing you have to charge a 10.00% sales tax where an owner of the same franchise across the river only charges 7.0% sales tax? YOU DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF ILLINOIS BY RAISING TAXES! VOTE NO ON April 7th!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Ever hear of displacement?

Proponents of the Rock Island County sales tax increase assure the voters that this tax revenue can only be used for facilities, it can not be used for salaries or administrative expenses. Where have we heard this before? Almost every tax increase and new gambling expansion in anyone's memory has always been earmarked for education. Taxes go up and up, state sponsored gambling grows, but the new revenue merely displaces money previously budgeted, money that is thus diverted in ways voters would not approve, and there is little added money where voters intended. Rock Island County voters should be aware of this history. Yes, the revenue from the sales tax may indeed go, as promised, to facility improvement but school boards could divert money that was previously allocated for facilities into feeding the bureaucracy and little additional money will actually be devoted to facility improvement. VOTE NO April 7th!

Look across the river

Compare sales taxes in Rock Island County with those across the river in Scott County. If Rock Island County voters approve the increases the sales tax for most purchases in Moline and Rock Island, where most Rock Island County business is located, will rise to 8.50%; the sales tax on prepared food and liquor will rise to 10.00%! THE SALES TAX ON PURCHASES AT STORES AND RESTAURANTS IN SCOTT COUNT IS ONLY 7%! How could Rock Island County voters even consider giving Scott County merchants such a huge advantage?