Proposed tax hikes are unreasonable

CHARLES FISHER had this letter published in the November 16 Quad-City Times AND November 19 Dispatch/Argus. "We have learned a number of interesting things regarding the proposed Rock Island County tax levy increase, and none of them are good. For well over a decade, the county board has been using funds budgeted for the Health Department and the Hope Creek Care Center to cover shortfalls in the Social Security and pension funs for county workers. Further, board salaries have been paid out of tort/liability funds. Now the board want more revenue from voters. ..... The Rock Island/Milan School Board also want an increase "just in case" of a property tax freeze. ..... The officials behind these increases are likely lending an ear to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, who recently claimed that "our taxes are dramatically lower than all the states around us". This is balderdash. Illinois' average state tax burden of $3,008 per capita and average property tax of $1,985 exceed any neighboring state, and Cullerton likely knew it as he claimed the opposite. ..... It also bears repeating that Rock Island has the most expensive schools in the area, and the worst performing. The 2011-12 expenditures for District 41's 6,582 students was $69,115,982 or $10,500 per student. For this money, only 28.8 percent of the high school students can demonstrate math proficiency -- the worst in our community. ..... If elected officials continue to help themselves to the voter's checkbook, then the voters should help themselves to a new slate of candidates in the next election. Overindulgence has reached its limit."