Beware Of Large Men Bearing Gifts

Over the weekend, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker got out his checkbook.

It’s a big checkbook.

He donated to a committee called “Vote Yes for Fairness.” He gave $5-million dollars. That’s chump change to a billionaire. He is---in fact---the only donor to the group which advocates Illinois change to a graduated income tax system. You are going to get a chance to vote on it next year. Pritzker wants to convince you that this won’t cost you more while making the state solvent again. Totally believable from a billionaire who had all of the toilets taken out of his Chicago mansion in order to cut his property tax bill by $300-thousand dollars.

I’m not buying what this guy’s selling.

Cut spending.

There’s a novel idea.

Reform the pension system. You’re only $200-billion behind on those payments.

Make no mistake, the proposed Graduated Income Tax Amendment to the Illinois Constitution is the Governor’s top priority. It is so important to him, he’s willing to shell out $5-million dollars to get it passed. And he’s willing to look into a camera and tell you it isn’t going to cost you more. And anyway---it's fair. How can you be against that?

Here’s a more disturbing fact. The Governor might only have made a first installment on paying his way to a new tax system. A reporter asked him if there would be more Pritzker cash going towards the fair tax.

He wouldn’t say.

Beware of large men bearing gifts.