Our Tax Dollars
Enough is Enough!
I do not support a tax increase. Instead, I pledge to you that I will go through the budget line by line and eliminate waste so we can better appropriate funding toward essential human services and education. Many current elected officials have said that "We have cut the budget to the bone!" I challenge this statement. I will utilize my knowledge and experience as an independent business consultant to review each line item on the state budget, and propose a better plan to a balanced budget without denying those in need of essential services, without sacrificing education, and WITHOUT passing it on to the taxpayer.
Create Jobs!
Creating jobs is the only way to broaden the tax base and the only sensible way to increase state revenues. Economic growth is the only means through which our state can be fixed.
Medicaid Reform
One way to avoid a tax increase is to make our Medicaid system more efficient and cost-effective. I am a strong proponent of managed care systems. Many tax-paying residents in Illinois are currently in HMOs and PPOs. Switching Medicaid to a managed care system is projected to result in a 20% annual savings. As Medicaid costs Illinois $13 billion annually, this measure will result in $2.6 billion in annual savings. Governor Quinn's proposal to increase personal income taxes by 33% and corporate taxes by 21% is anticipated to draw a combined additional $2.8 billion of state revenue annually. Switching to managed care will not only essentially eliminate the need for a tax hike, but it will also make Medicaid more efficient, sustainable, and will provide better care for participants.
Reduce Elected Officials' Salaries
I also support cutting the current salaries of elected officials by 10%. We cannot ask the people of Illinois to make sacrifices if their elected officials are not willing to as well. I will support legislation calling for a 10% salary cut for all elected officials, including all legislators and statewide constitutional officers. The tax dollars freed by the 10% pay cut will be used to pay the state deficit until there is a budget surplus.
My pledge
My pledge to you is that I oppose any tax increase that unnecessarily burdens the hard working citizens of Illinois and will work diligently to advance policies that encourage entrepreneurship, reward hard work and investment while opposing policies that unnecessarily restrain our small businesses in the job creating sector.