Illinois is in a crisis about funding public transportation. I’ll try to briefly explain this for those of you not in Illinois. The latest legislation awaiting the governor’s signature calls for a .25 percent increase in the sales tax in Cook County to fund transit. The increase is .5 percent in other counties. But the governor wants to add even more to the bill. He wants senior citizens to be able to ride transit free.
Another break for seniors? Ridiculous. I hear there truly are poor seniors out there somewhere who I’m sure could benefit from something like this. I don’t know any though. All the seniors I know have gobs of money. Why do they need anything free? This bothers me enough, but let’s move on to the more important part of this, the tax increase.
I just went shopping at Carsons in Mt. Prospect and paid sales tax of 8.75%. Tax on my lunch in Schaumburg is 10.5%. If this bill passes, both of those will increase another .25%. When does this stop? So I am forced to declare, Illinois, you lose. Wisconsin and Michigan, you win! Does it occur to these law makers that many of us can make our purchases in neighboring states with lower tax rates? I recently started doing this, and now I will continue even more diligently. At 6% in MI verses the 8.75% here, I saved $27.50 in tax on my recent shopping sprees in Birch Run. I did a quick search, and the highest sales tax rate I found in Wisconsin was 5.6%. I am in both those states often enough, so I will now do my non-urgent shopping there. I am really going to try to buy only food in Illinois from now on. Usually there is plenty of room in my car, so I can load up when I am visiting Michigan. I can’t save Michigan’s economy single-handedly, but I’ll do my best to give it a microscopic boost! Now who wants to go on my spring Birch Run trip with me?
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I am there for you on the shopping trip~!! I probably won't be able to help you save Michigan's economy as I am a victim of it, but I will shop with you. As for the free stuff for seniors.....I agree......Old white (men - especially) need to be paying!
I'm up for Birch Run too. Any time soon?
Now for my soapbox. I've spent my entire professional career working with the Medicare and Medicaid populations. I hope that I can see their world from two perspectives: those who take advantage of the system and those who desperately need it to survive. I can also relate from a personal experience having lost a beloved aunt a couple of years ago. We found 20 cents in her wallet and prescriptions that had not been filled in months. All the while she was rejecting help from family. She had to make choices about medicine and food to survive Michigan winters and her gas bills. Funny she chose to stay warm - yet froze to death after a fall on her porch. I have also been berated by irate seniors clearly with bountiful financial resources, yet who demanded their "fair share" of what they perceived to be their Medicare benefits (in reality - their demands went well above coverage limits). A thought would be a senior transportation system based on financial need. Actually, the longer seniors can live independently in the community getting to the doctor, pharmacy or grocery store, the cheaper it is for society as a whole. Nursing home care is hundreds of dollars a day.
Ok so, I'm done. Can we go to Bronners too?
Mary Ellen,
Later discussion in Illinois has mentioned a means test for the free transportation. I am all for helping people be independent longer, so I would favor that for those who need help.
How about Birch Run and Bronners in late March or early April? As long as it does not conflict with the Spartans in the NCAA tournament!
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