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Equity and Stability
in Education Funding
Illinoisans across the state are frustrated with their property taxes. But our property taxes are high because the state has failed to live up to its obligation of funding K-12 schools. Although our state Constitution clearly says “the State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education,” state support accounts for only 25-30% of school funding. No one can blame cities and municipalities for increasing their property taxes to make up the difference for the benefit of their school children.
Fair Approach
to Budgeting & Taxation
Part of the reason our schools are so underfunded is that our approach to taxation is outdated and doesn’t provide the state enough revenue to adequately support essential services like our public schools. When we wrote a flat income tax into our Constitution in 1970, the typical CEO made just about 20 times the annual salary of the average worker. Today, that difference has widened to over 300 times the average worker’s salary. The result is a regressive tax system that disproportionately burdens those with middle class incomes. A graduated income tax could add up to $2 billion of revenue for the state per year, allowing us to invest in our K-12 schools, community colleges and state universities as well as begin to address our debt and deliver much needed property tax relief.
Part of the reason our schools are so underfunded is that our approach to taxation is outdated and doesn’t provide the state enough revenue to adequately support essential services like our public schools. When we wrote a flat income tax into our Constitution in 1970, the typical CEO made just about 20 times the annual salary of the average worker. Today, that difference has widened to over 300 times the average worker’s salary. The result is a regressive tax system that disproportionately burdens those with middle class incomes. A graduated income tax could add up to $2 billion of revenue for the state per year, allowing us to invest in our K-12 schools, community colleges and state universities as well as begin to address our debt and deliver much needed property tax relief.
Investment
in Long Term Care
&
Protection
for our Aging Population
By 2030, one of every five Illinoisans will be over age 60. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, we need to be ready to provide quality, affordable choices that facilitate aging with dignity. This requires not only building institutions like assisted living and nursing homes, but designing a system that supports aging at home. The vast majority of people prefer to stay in their own homes and sleep in their own beds, but our current system pushes people to institutions. Jill believes we need to pay home health workers a living wage. Those who care for our aging parents and grandparents deserve financial security. And our parents and grandparents deserve the stability provided by familiar and trusted health care workers. We also need to provide supports such as paid leave and tax breaks for family members who need to take time away from their careers to care for family members.
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