Hiking taxes is RICo, state leaders' only answer?

CRAIG HOLLISTER made the following points in this hard-hitting letter published in the November 1 Dispatch/Argus which apparently hurt the feelings of some liberals and union supporters. ..... marks paragraph breaks. "According to Illinois Policy.org Illinois state government takes in more tax dollars per person than every neighboring state: $3,008 per person in Illinois, $2,717 in Iowa, Indiana $2,583, Indiana $2,583, Missouri $1,846. Illinois local governments collect more in property tax revenue than in every neighboring state: $1,985 in Illinois, $1,479 in Iowa, Indiana $994, Missouri $870, Kentucky $716. ...... Illinois residents pay the second highest effective property-tax rates in the country. ..... Illinois and Rock Island County are losing residents and businesses and have serious financial problems. What is the answer from the politicians. ''''' Raise taxes! ...... Rock Island County is seeking a 16.8 percent increase in property taxes. A huge increase is inevitable in the state income tax, it seems the only quibbling between the Democrats and Republicans is how large an increase and whether a few sensible restrictions on state employee unions can be enacted. ..... Locally, we can be certain that the one percent sales tax for school construction which the voters, in their wisdom, rejected three times will again appear on the ballot. A hint to our politicians. People are not leaving because taxes are too low. ..... Why are our taxes so high? To fund nearly 7,000 units of local government, far more than any other state. ..... Why does Rock Island County have 10 school districts plus the Regional Office of Education, with their bloated bureaucracies, in a county with only 22,000 students? ..... Why do we have township government in urban areas? ..... Illinois doesn't need higher taxes. ..... Illinois needs to cut wasteful spending."