Posted on 02/16/2025 7:41:40 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Illinois Governor J.D. Pritzker told reporters this week the big goal of his February 19 State of the State speech will be this message: speech
“If we balance the budget again this year, I believe people will finally see that Illinois can govern itself.”
Wow. What a concept. Every red state balances its budget every year, This isn’t putting a man on Jupiter.
Pritzker is looking at a budget hole of more than $3 billion, with mandated hikes in education and pension spending exploding the budget every day. He faces yet another looming teacher strike in Chicago (the teacher union is relentless) within the next six weeks, and a Chicago transit system that has a $770 million deficit with a ridership just over half its pre-COVID levels.
Last year, Pritzker raised taxes by $750 million to balance the budget. That led to a further exodus of jobs and tax refugees.
Adding to the misery is that taxes aren’t even going to pay for roads or bridges or public safety, but fat pensions for retired state workers. Illinois has four of the 10 worst public pension systems.
Our prediction is that Pritzker will come knocking on Washington’s door for a federal bailout. Trump should reply: drop dead.
Washingon State has a well-funded pension system? With their massive deficits, social welfare spending, and woke & DEI spending?
Trump: “Hey Jelly Bean, go pound sand.”
Illinois put its state pensions into its constitution, so it can’t make adjustments.
Gee what a shame
“Trump To State - ‘Drop Dead’”
And back then New York was a swing state.
Illinois schools are some of the worst in the nation while having some of the highest cost per student in the nation.
And the teachers are planing on a strike .
The deserve to be fired.
Any state, even the deep blue ones, can balance their budget. They just have to tax the boogers out of everyone, and hope it doesn’t create a giant human wave outbound.
Illegals work cheap. Just saying…
I reside in Hawaii, but am a citizen of WA state.
WA state law is pretty strict about
this subject.
These guys get paid first.
If they did not have that policy nobody would work for such a Democrat dominated state,
If the stock market collapses, how well are any of the pension plans funded?
Everyone should die 6 months after they retire.
Problem solved.
Why is it that SEVEN OF THE TOP TEN states that RECEIVE MORE THAN THEY GIVE TO THE FED are RED STATES?
You moochers are always trying to make us look bad on this board :)
YES... I AHTE blue states...even the one i’m in....but you rednecks couldn’t survive without our dollars :)
What...you think fixing tractors is where all the big money comes from and not wall street
you crazy sheep herders lol
Here in Connecticut, we’re no longer last. A couple more years, and we’ll be caught up.
One can only hope!
FORMER... Ill-annoy resident. *spit*
Born and raised.
The schizophrenic Ill GOP Party has as many backstabbers, as it has upstanding members.
Until the scum traitor backstabbers are replaced by MAGA or equivalent, the Republican Party will continue to lose elections and remain a minority in what should be a red state.
95 % of the state is rural/agricultural based.
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The apathy of the DISENFRANCHISED voters/voting base, is the issue.
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It can for new hires. The state created a tier 2 level for new hires 13 years ago. It is structured similar to SS and is probably worse. The state is currently in danger of running afoul of the SS safe harbor rules. If state employees don't pay into SS, the pension benefits have to be as good or better than SS.
“Why is it” is because maintenance of infrastructure like roads costs more per person in rural states, ditto for law enforcement, etc.
Cities exist because, despite many negatives, they are economically more efficient than rural areas.
However, y’all would starve without the rural areas. And, somebody has to stay sane.
Probably about 5 % of IL is rural/agricultural, based BY POPULATION...
...Depending on exactly how loose your definition of “rural” is. :-)
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