If sales tax passes, RICo must replace taxes lost to Iowa

BILL LONG had this humorous letter in the February 11 Dispatch/Rock Island Argus and the Quad City Times. "Want to increase revenue to Illinois and Rock Island County? Just reinstall the toll booths on the bridges between Iowa and Illinois. We will capture funds from all the Illinois residents who are consistently going over to Iowa to shop. Then we can increase the taxes some more in Illinois, that will increase the traffic and the number of tolls will increase and also our revenue! ..... This is a problem we have been dealing with over the years and adding another tax will only compound the problem. There is no instant solution to this problem, however we do know that increasing the sales tax in Rock Island County is NOT the answer. ..... Our schools will have to learn to function within their budget. They need to review the distribution of money allocated to physical assets and personnel. ..... The pending referendum for a sales tax in Rock Island County is old news and should be defeated again. Those pushing for its passage should be using their energy to find better ways to distribute the funds the schools are already getting. ..... We have recently made a substantial change in state leadership. They are in the process of straightening out our budget and the last they need is to burden them with another local tax. Let's give them the opportunity to do the job we elected them to do. I urge you to spread the word to your neighbors to vote NO on the school tax referendum in the April election."