On Wednesday members of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce head to Springfield. They're scheduled to meet with House Minority Leader Tom Cross, Attorney General Lisa Madigan and others to talk about legislative priorities. What topics do you think ought to be on the agenda?
The Naperville business leaders say their priorities are Route 59 improvements, a so-called "tax swap" and a 3 percent payroll tax increase.
A proposal to increase income taxes and decrease property taxes - known as a tax swap - gets the thumbs-down from the chamber because it would shift control of more revenue from local authorities to the state.
Chamber members also will advocate against a proposed 3 percent payroll tax increase, which they say will allow the governor to burden small businesses with paying for his extensive health care plan.
Sound like a good agenda to you? Are they covering the most important points, in your opinion?
Forget about healthcare. We all have to supply our own clothing , food and shelter. The same should go for healthcare.
Let's fix the roads and improve traffic so I can get to work to pay my high taxes. Could we lower federal and property taxes so I can put some away for retirement please?
Speaking of transportation, what is being done to improve railroad crossings in critical areas around schools in the potential CN and EJE merger zone? What is the city doing to prevent this added burden to our already suffering transportation issues?
I feel the chamber has picked great topics for what the chamber represents. The continual increase in state income tax is troubling for all. The tax swap sounds great at first but when looking further, is it realistic that the state gov. will trade equitably? I doubt it! One day in the not so distant future the 55-75 year old voters are going to be fed up with ever increasing property/income/sales taxes and do one of two things. 1)revolt and get some needed change in state gov., or 2)move to a less expensive state such as Arizona,Texas,Arkansas,Missouri,or Florida.
I personally hope the overburdened tax payer picks # 1.
How about NOT going to Springfield? Biz LEADERS? What self-professed nimcompoop bestowed this title?
How about FOREVER ending this whole stinking mess known as LOBBYING?
And what will really get said behind closed doors? Will any of this be PUBLIC RECORD? Will we get transcripts to read of what was asked for and promises that were made by those who were lobbied? I THINK NOT! Just how much cash will change hands on this visit and flow into campaign coffers?
Now maybe I'm missing something here, but the last time I checked we still had a republic form of government. That is supposed to mean that the people we elect are supposed to REPRESENT US. If the people we elect are doing their job they should be talking to their constituents, visiting the area they serve so as to be aware of what is needed. In other words if they are doing their job they should know what is needed and they should not need to be "lobbied" to take action.
If our representatives are too lazy or too imcompetent to understand the issues of importance within the communities they represent then each of us should ask ourselves WHY ARE WE KEEPING THESE PEOPLE IN OFFICE?
Lobbying has always been a sneaky way of getting around majority rule. It is and has been filled with graft and corruption. If we want our elected representatives to be able to work in an environment that is free of graft and corruption then we must all work to change the legislative culture, climate, and environment.
I could throw a couple more logs on the fire....how about affordable health care, "pay-to-play" campaign finance reform initiatives, housing foreclosure(s) and unscrupulous, unlicensed mortgage brokers suggesting people borrow 110% of their equity on a 3 year ARM (like at "The Mortgage Exchange" or "own a condo.com"); how about border security, immigration and protection of one of the Midwest's greatest resources...Lake Michigan and the rest of the Great Lakes; how about answering the question, " did you think ethanol production was going to lead to doubling the cost of milk and bread?" What about NAFTA and it's effect on Illinois jobs...How about that for the agenda between lunch and drinks on the veranda.