Quincy Reporter

Quincy conservative activist Mecki Kosin argues voters are being sold a bill of goods when it comes to the progressive tax favored by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“This is just another scam, just like the lottery that was supposed to be for the schools and we see what happened with that,” Kosin told the Quincy Reporter. “It seems every time you’re promised something in Illinois that revolves around taxes it never comes to be.”

Kosin isn’t shy in expressing her concerns about the so-called fair tax don’t end there.

With veteran state Sen. Terry Link (D-Indian Creek) also becoming the fourth Democratic lawmaker who strongly backs the plan to now find themselves facing criminal charges, Marter argues there clearly are other reasons why taxpayers should reject the proposed tax like the plague. Facing tax evasion charges, Link joins former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, who faces up to 10 years in prison, and state Sen. Tom Cullerton, who has been hit with 41-count indictment on embezzlement charges. One-time state Sen. Martin Sandoval has already plead guilty to taking $250,000 in bribes from SafeSpeed, a red-light camera vendor.

“The fact that these people are now facing criminal charges tells you a lot,” Kosin added. “Someone stands to benefit from this; it’s just not the common people. I can’t see how anyone can trust just handing over more tax money to lawmakers when you just know it’s going to be misused. You just wonder how deep the corruption goes.”

And then there is longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan, who finds himself implicated in an ongoing federal corruption probe involving ComEd in which its alleged bribes were steered to several of his close associates as part of a pay-to-play scheme aimed at currying favor with him.

“I can’t see how anyone would be OK with any new tax given everything that’s happening,” Kosin added. “Residents need relief; we’re already driving people away on so many levels.”