I’m continually amazed at Illinoisans’ willful ignorance about the Fair Tax amendment, as expressed in a letter to the Sun-Times earlier this week. The amendment question is whether Illinois should move from a flat income tax to a graduated tax, as is the case in 31 other states.
The higher rates would apply only to incomes over $250,000. This affect only 3% of Illinoisans. And if legislators wanted to tax retirement income, as the letter-writer said, they could have done that a long time ago.
If the Fair Tax Amendment does not pass, the flat rate likely will be raised even more, and property and sales taxes will need to be raised.
Beth Najberg, Near North Side
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Shortened baseball season working
With our beloved White Sox and the crosstown Cubs both headed to the Major League Baseball playoffs, I read the always-succinct Steve Greenberg’s most recent column with a huge grin. He addresses the naysayers who belittle the shortened 60-game baseball season: “Speaking for this pair of teams headed for the postseason: Kiss our asterisks. Sixty is the new 162.”
Christine Craven, Evergreen Park
Only now is Trump in a rush
If Trump follows the same timetable in nominating a successor to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg that he has followed in delivering his still-unrevealed program to replace the Affordable Care Act, only his own people have anything to worry about. This speaks volumes to his priorities.
Curt Fredrikson, Mokena
Breaking the Supreme Court
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has broken the Supreme Court. He started breaking it when he denied a confirmation vote on President Obama’s nominee to the court, claiming it was too close to an election. He finished breaking it when he announced the Senate would vote on President Trump’s nominee quickly because it is close to the election.
The Democrats will shatter the court again if, after gaining a Senate majority, they begin packing it.
Bob Barth, Edgewater
