Talk like this will definitely empty the money people out of the city, and it will happen immediately.
A City Council subcommittee overseeing the search for new revenue will report back in 30 days with ideas that include video gaming, expanded helicopter service to and from O’Hare and Midway airports and turning vacant downtown retail space into a haven for digital advertising.
Freshman Ald. William Hall (6th), Mayor Brandon Johnson’s hand-picked chair, also warmed to possibly leveling the tax playing field between the haves and have-nots by seeking legislative approval for a city income tax on salaries over $100,000 earned in Chicago or taxing stock holdings and personal liquid assets of wealthy residents.
Both ideas, as well as a digital advertising tax, were included in the $12 billion revenue smorgasbord outlined by the Action Center on Race & the Economy and the People’s Unity Platform shortly after Johnson took office.
The report was co-written by a member of Johnson’s transition team. Groups behind it had ties to the Chicago Teachers Union that Johnson served as a paid organizer.
“Billionaires and millionaires are not even paying taxes. … It makes no sense that a mother who’s making $45,000 to $50,000 a year working two jobs, robbing Peter to pay Paul, hoping that an iPad would keep her kids occupied, is paying more taxes than, you know, Ken Griffin and company,” Hall said, referring to the hedge fund billionaire who was Illinois’ richest man before moving his Citadel hedge fund offices to Florida.
“We have to make sure that there’s a fair distribution of taxes. Period,” said Hall.
FLEE!!
ReplyDeleteIf the city needs more money why can't they dismantle and scrap OEMC. It just a place where connected high ranking retired fire and police go after age 63. Serves no purpose what so ever but cost a lot.
ReplyDeleteAllow people the freedom to decide how they want to live because it is okay to prefer not to own a home nor a car. Perhaps using public transportation allows saving more money for whatever makes a person happy. If people prefer to earn higher income, they are free to change careers, learn to make things to sell, learn a new trade, and so on. Don’t raise my taxes because you want to help the poor, tell the poor how to get out of poverty if they are interested.
ReplyDeleteIs being poor defined as not being able to buy a large house with several bathrooms, not able to own a car like a Mercedes, not being able to shop at Neiman Marcus, not going on cruises, not having a private doctor, not able to dine at the Ritz, not able to send your kids to Harvard or Yale, and so on???
ReplyDeleteIf children are taught the above type of materialism, we have a serious problem in America because it is unrealistic. It is not necessary to give tax dollars to the poor because we need to define poverty and the causes.
I am not poor and enjoy keeping my money in my pocket by riding public transportation, cooking my own beans, vegetables, chicken breast, fish, nut butters, purchasing fresh fruits, boiling my water, and avoiding salty snacks, processed foods, sweets, caffeine, alcohol, that cause high blood pressure, prescription drugs, and other costly health problems. Money is saved by not owning a car that requires insurance payments, gasoline, car notes, etc. Money saved by not owning a house includes no real estate taxes, no mortgage payments, no trash costs, no homeowners insurance, no lawn care, no high utility bills, and so on.
Additional money can be saved on college tuition by teaching your children at home how to prepare for college and increase scores to get scholarships. Free tuition is also offered to students who are employed at a college or university.
Learning how to live a healthy lifestyle and earning a living that includes budgeting plus nutrition should be taught to children in schools from kindergarten to high school.
The point is for the mayor to avoid taking from the rich to give to the poor because Robin Hood’s philosophy would not work today in this age of technology and opportunities.