During her decade-and-a-half as an incumbent politician in Springfield, Garrett has cast a number of controversial votes including (but not limited to): 2003: Voting for Gov. Rod Blagojevich's $10 billion borrowing plan (HB2660) 2005: Voting for the $2.3 Billion underfunding of the State's pension plans (SB27) 2007: Voting for 9.6% and 3.9% raises for members of the Illinois legislature (SB241 and HB3866) 2008: Voting for a 3.8% raise for members of the Illinois legislature (SB1102) 2008: Voting for Gov. Rod Blagojevich's $16 billion borrowing plan (SB788) 2010: Voting to increase Illinois legislative health care benefits by $11 million (HB3747).

Now that she's leaving she decides "someone" should do something. I say we amend our State Constitution to remove Article XIII — General Provisions, Section 5. Pension and Retirement Rights: Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State, any unit of local government or school district, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be an enforceable contractual relationship, the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.

The GM and Chrysler Bond holders had contractual rights that were supposedly protected by the US Constitution and look what good that did them.

"Garrett pointed out that local schools and universities 'don't contribute much' to teacher's pensions, suggesting that increasing those contributions could help ease the state's financial burden. 'We do think that schools and universities have to have a dog in this fight,' Garrett said."

Sure! Let's take the burden off the State and put it on the local school levies. That way our Real Estate taxes will go up to pay for pensions and benefits the State guarantees.

I guess Daniel believes in no taxes. He doesn't want nice things. He wants to be Greece. Why pay taxes? Let's have Illinois and the USA go to Hell.

Just as Mr. Krudop voted with is feet when he disagreed with the tax decisions of his neighbors, thousands of Illinois businesses and residents are voting with their feet and moving out of the state because of crushing taxes, overwhelming governmental debt and poor management. Comparing the use of taxes to an investment is like saying that early pregnancy termination is birth control... faulty premise equals faulty conclusion. I congratulate Mr. Krudop for being in a financial position where he is comfortable with paying higher taxes. Many of us are not that fortunate and it is time the politicians got their grubby hands out of our pockets.

Paying taxes improve levels of education and is an obligation and investment that helps add value to real estate. But paying taxes blindly without making sure that money is wisely spent is wasteful and does little to achieve this goal. To often the response heard here is the emotional one "it is for our children", but we should not lose sight that our aspirations for them can be accomplished without causing a burden on others by paying for a service without comparing price. A wise man said "Good people are generous without being wasteful; they are hard-working without being resentful; they desire without being greedy; they are at ease without being haughty; they are dignified without being fierce." Can we truly say it is fair to all involved that obtaining the best is done by simply writing blank checks?

Mr. Kim, that is a beautiful quote. Can you source it for us? Truly, words to live by.
Gary, run for State Office. Frankly, there is much more ability to do things in Springfield than locally, where you are essentially limited to supervising implementation and you are subject to state and federal mandates or even as a federal office holder, where you are one among very many. In Springfield, you can write laws and watch and expose cronyism. I agree that the State Constitution is a significant barrier but its worse, frankly. Any repeal will be challenged in state court, and the presiding judge is receiving a state pension. When you get it passed, don't forget to go directly to federal court and file for declaratory relief that it is constitutional.

Regarding investments, a good investment leads to production and increased wealth. A bad investment leads to consumption and a loss of wealth. Governments, no matter what level, produce nothing but confiscatory taxation which results in reduction of wealth and consumption of individual resources. Mr. Krudop may be convinced that government is better positioned and more knowledgeable regarding how MY money should be spent... I disagree. As I said before, it is time the politicians kept their grubby hands out of my pocket.

Actually Grandpa, it depends. National Security requires joint effort, a successful national defense requires collective action. I don't advise that you directly take on the Taliban, and a more successful intelligence apparatus may have prevented 9/11, who knows. The interstate highway system was a significant investment, and it required government action. So too, have certain recent investments in Detroit, and even on Wall Street, looked to have panned out though it may still be too early to tell, and the bankruptcy laws helped for GM (which will not be available on the repeal of the state constitution, though we may have to head there, but apparently, Rhode Island has had some recent success in reforming state pensions).. All or nothing statements aren't particularly insightful or helpful, but clearly, government is not the only answer, and frequently, not the best answer. Yet, I think its not helpful to view all taxes as confiscatory. Its always a question of the sweet spot--what is the right amount of government. Government should be the mechanism for us to do what we can't do for ourselves. And Grandpa, the part of government costing the most and rising most rapidly is Medicare, and I do believe we should get rid of major parts of that, particularly the drug benefits and benefits for those who have the means to pay.

We have become ungovernable because we are all looking at what is in it for ourselves, instead of what is best for the country and for our children. We need to understand, however, that taxes are the cost of civilization, and are not confiscatory if they are necessary. (So taxes for enumerated powers aren't confiscatory? Shouldn't use inflammatory language for arguments so readily conceded,) Taxes are the price of citizenship in the best country in the world.. Yesterday, the New York Times published a survey that said that most people would prefer the government to cut services, even if they are recipients of those services. I think we should take people at their word,and we need to start making some big cuts. But some government spending is investment, and we need to be making more of those expenditures. We spend too much across the board, in entitlements but through deductions as well, subsidizing home mortgages and other deductions utilized by interests that pay lobbyists. Simpson-Bowles should have been an opportunity to lower rates across the board and get to work on these issues, but it has not.
We should go after some big ones, where progress can be made: Medicare and corporate deductions. Medicare is not investment in the future; too much is being spent on seniors, through pensions and entitlements like Medicare and Social Security. Whether its state pensions or ordinary senior citizens, we are spending too much on that demographic. Chop, chop.

Unemployment in construction is 21.2%, I wish these guys would tell the truth. We all need to education ourself in this tough market only way is a degree or change your career.. search online for High Speed Universities for career advice

Grandpa, I love the Colbert quote. Wonderful to use a French quote on Valentine's Day; how gallant.
No one likes taxes, but would you fly on a plane without the FAA and air traffic controllers? You focus only on redistribution, and government does much more. Surprisingly, its redistribution efforts are a much smaller portion of government spending than most people who toss around the word "confiscate" ever choose to admit. My observation on the North Shore is that many who toss around the word confiscate benefit from the fruits of their successful parents' labors or at the very least, their parents' very ordered lives. Again, it is the sweet spot. How do we create fair taxation systems that promote fruitful labor? In some ways, the military is a wonderful mechanism for redistribution. Under our all volunteer system, the overwhelming majority of recruits come from the working class and all sorts of great skills are conferred and confers generous pensions, where this all started. Redistribution or vital government service? Black and white world views are not helpful in very grey worlds. I prefer the world view of the Bible story in which the owner of the vineyard pays the same to all the workers, no matter when they arrived. I believe my portion is fair. What others' receive shall not diminish my enjoyment of my fair portion or my obligation to support my country..