Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Your Cell Phone Bill Enriches The Boss


I found an article posted on the Illinois Policy website to be most interesting. Did you know you pay the highest taxes in the nation on your cellphone? And the person you need to thank is the state’s reigning emperor, House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Illinois state and local wireless tax rates exceed 22-percent, the most in the United States. Throw in 911 fees and the cost soars over 30-percent.

Three years ago Madigan helped engineer a bill with 911 fees that were very favorable to AT&T. Then Governor Rauner used his amendatory veto to strike the boost in fees, but Madigan had the girth to overturn the veto.

Since then, the feds have been investigating the relationship between AT&T and Madigan. It seems a significant amount of money has been sent the Speaker’s way via campaign donations. The figure is around a quarter million dollars. It is more than the company has given to any other lawmaker.

The Chicago Trib has reported there are many former Madigan staffers now on the payroll of AT&T.

It all smells. This is the same thing that occurred at Comm-Ed. The feds haven’t been able to indict Madigan for that multi-million dollar scam and I have my doubts they will for the chicanery at AT&T.

I wish I had more faith in a fair system of government, but I don’t.

As I have said before, I think Madigan will continue to rule. But make no mistake….it comes at a cost to every Illinois taxpayer.

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