Fritz Pfister

Sangamon County officials estimate a $1.6 million budget shortfall for next year. The call is going out by the liberals in our community to raise taxes instead of the pronounced holding the line.

Let’s examine the upward pressure on taxes the liberals are endorsing or have endorsed that impact tax payers in Sangamon County.

Increase county sales tax 1% for schools that would raise over $20 million annually.

District 186, $252 million building project with source of funding unknown.

State income tax increase of 1 to 2 percent.

Bush tax cuts to expire for top two tax brackets, capital gains taxes increase 30%, dividend taxes increase, marriage penalty reinstated, and child deduction cut by 50%.

Obamacare taxes, regulations, and mandatory insurance purchases.

Costs of new Financial Regulation bill passed on by banks and businesses.

The liberals say each are only small increases, however the cumulative impact would drain tens of millions from the private sector to government at a time we are in recession. This would extend the recession and increase unemployment. Technically we are not in a recession, and that’s good if you are big government or a crony capitalist. I say as long as over 14 million Americans are out of work there is no recovery, and yes Virginia we are still in recession.

Kudos to Sangamon County for being fiscally responsible, a rare commodity at any level of government today.