Beneath the "Purple and Gold!"

[wiu712]

High School students attend ‘Discover Western’ on the WIU campus.
From WGEM-TV News:
https://wgem.com/2020/02/17/high-school ... iu-campus/

Governor Pritzker will give his Annual Budget Address at Noon on Wednesday (Feb 19).

[wiu712]

Admissions holds first "Discover Western" of the Spring semester.
From the Western Courier:
https://westerncourier.com/47072/news/a ... -semester/


Governor Pritzker's Budget Address regarding Higher Education:

For more than a decade, our state universities saw significant declines in enrollment. But today, because of the important investments we made in MAP grants and school funding, for the first time in many years, applications are up at our public universities — and some schools, including UIUC and Illinois State, are seeing an increase in applications not just from in-state students, but out-of-state too.

Investments in our universities are giving people and companies from all over America, and the world, new reasons to choose Illinois. Just last week, I announced that with the support of businesses and philanthropists, the state will invest in University of Illinois’ new technology hub called Discovery Partners Institute. With it, we’re supporting nearly 50,000 new economy jobs in the next ten years, with an economic impact of $19 billion. Integral to DPI’s success is the Illinois Innovation Network, which will radiate across the state to 15 other university campus hubs from Chicago to Rockford to Peoria to Edwardsville. We’re investing in workforce development, innovation and R&D all across our state.

DPI is already succeeding. Azriel Alvarado was born here in Illinois, and then moved to Panama with his parents when he was very young. He never lost his Illinois roots though, and dreamed of attending the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign to study computer science.

Azriel set his sights on their world-renowned engineering program, moving home to Illinois to attend Oakton Community College and settle back into his life in the United States. After two years, he was accepted as a transfer student into the U of I engineering school and hasn’t looked back. Azriel says most people don’t imagine community college as the path to academic success. But he learned that the most popular way to do things isn’t always the best way to do things. He’s now studying as a DPI City Scholar and intends to set down roots and become a computer scientist here in Illinois.

Azriel is just one example of how investing in our state can attract and retain invaluable talent. Azriel is here today, and I’d ask him to stand so we can recognize your terrific achievements.
Making college more affordable for in-state high school students ought to be among our state’s highest priorities. My budget proposal for next year aims to make community college tuition free to all MAP-eligible students whose families make under $45,000 a year.

Today we have two students here whose families and communities will be stronger thanks to their hard work and our investments in MAP grants. They personify exactly why we need to set aside MAP funding especially for community college students. Lincoln Land Community College here in Springfield is lucky to count them among their student body.

When Lauren Hernandez was 12, her 6-year-old sister was diagnosed with cancer. After watching how hard the nurses worked to help her sister every day, she felt drawn to the healthcare profession. When her sister passed away a few years later, it cemented Lauren’s conviction to become a nurse. Today, Lauren is married and the mother of a beautiful baby boy – and MAP grants are covering the portion of her tuition that she couldn’t afford. She’s the first person in her family to attend college. She’s working overnight shifts at St. Francis Hospital. And she’s why our future as a state is so bright. Please give Lauren a round of applause for her hard work and commitment.

I also want to introduce you all to Brandon Ihlenfeldt, who earned his GED at Lincoln Land and is in the final semester of his H-VAC program. He’ll graduate this spring with a degree and the ability to do work that he loves. Brandon is also a husband and a father, and after a full day at work at Illinois National Bank and a full evening at school, he finds time to spend with his family. But he knows that an education is the key to being able to get a good job to support them. Without MAP grants, he would’ve had to take on loans and debt, with two young children. For Brandon, this is an opportunity he wouldn’t have had otherwise; and it’s an opportunity you all made possible by expanding the MAP grant program. Please give a round of applause to a great family man and a hard worker, Brandon Ihlenfeldt.

There is no more critical investment we can make in the future of our state than in our bright and ambitious young people, like Azriel, Lauren and Brandon.

So my budget proposal adds another 20,000 new scholarship students overall, on top of the 10,000 additional MAP grant and AIM High scholars you funded this year. And we will continue rebuilding our universities and community colleges with a 5 percent funding increase which, among other things, allows the University of Illinois to provide free tuition for students whose families make less than $67,000 per year.

[wiu712]

Gov. JB Pritzker used his second budget speech Wednesday to promise more money for education, child welfare, and public safety while adding a very big “but” to his list of spending priorities for next year.

That “but” was that a large portion of those spending increases could be reduced or outright disappear if voters don’t approve his signature graduated income tax proposal in November.

If voters approve the graduated tax, it would take effect Jan. 1 and generate an estimated $1.4 billion for the state through June 30, 2021, the end of the next fiscal year.

If voters reject the graduated tax, adjustments will have to be made to Pritzker’s proposed budget. That would mean that the proposed increases for universities and community colleges would not materialize.

[vatusay]

I don’t know about anyone else on this board but Im counting my lucky stars my wife and I don’t clear $1 million a year! Would hate for my tax rate to go up 3%!

[ST_Lawson]

I don’t know about anyone else on this board but Im counting my lucky stars my wife and I don’t clear $1 million a year! Would hate for my tax rate to go up 3%!

If I was pulling in 7-figures every year, I don't think I'd mind paying a little bit extra. As it stands right now, we make less than 1/10th that combined and are perfectly comfortable.

[rocki]

Gov. JB Pritzker used his second budget speech Wednesday to promise more money for education, child welfare, and public safety while adding a very big “but” to his list of spending priorities for next year.

That “but” was that a large portion of those spending increases could be reduced or outright disappear if voters don’t approve his signature graduated income tax proposal in November.

If voters approve the graduated tax, it would take effect Jan. 1 and generate an estimated $1.4 billion for the state through June 30, 2021, the end of the next fiscal year.

If voters reject the graduated tax, adjustments will have to be made to Pritzker’s proposed budget. That would mean that the proposed increases for universities and community colleges would not materialize.

Fine. Make the adjustments. If you can't figure out this goes WAY beyond taxes, you need to wake up. I'm not voting for a "fair" tax - the flat tax is good by me. (4.95% of 6 or 7 figures is more than 4.95% of 5 figures, I don't care if you are using common core math). Kiss my grits, Pritzker.

[Tere North]

Gov. JB Pritzker used his second budget speech Wednesday to promise more money for education, child welfare, and public safety while adding a very big “but” to his list of spending priorities for next year.

That “but” was that a large portion of those spending increases could be reduced or outright disappear if voters don’t approve his signature graduated income tax proposal in November.

If voters approve the graduated tax, it would take effect Jan. 1 and generate an estimated $1.4 billion for the state through June 30, 2021, the end of the next fiscal year.

If voters reject the graduated tax, adjustments will have to be made to Pritzker’s proposed budget. That would mean that the proposed increases for universities and community colleges would not materialize.

Fine. Make the adjustments. If you can't figure out this goes WAY beyond taxes, you need to wake up. I'm not voting for a "fair" tax - the flat tax is good by me. (4.95% of 6 or 7 figures is more than 4.95% of 5 figures, I don't care if you are using common core math). Kiss my grits, Pritzker.

But, you wouldn't be paying 4.95% of 5 figures.
The first 10k you make would be would taxed at 4.75%
Anything you make from 10,001 to 100k would be taxed at 4.9%
Anything you make from 100,001 to 250k would be taxed at 4.95%

So, even if you make 250k, you'd see a slight decrease because the amount 100k and under would be taxed at a lower rate.

Plus, your property tax credit goes up from 5% to 6%.

The jump is at 250,001 to 500k, with that amount at 7.75% (single cut off is at 350k) and 500,001 to 1M at 7.85%, and over 1M at 7.99%.

[rocki]

Gov. JB Pritzker used his second budget speech Wednesday to promise more money for education, child welfare, and public safety while adding a very big “but” to his list of spending priorities for next year.

That “but” was that a large portion of those spending increases could be reduced or outright disappear if voters don’t approve his signature graduated income tax proposal in November.

If voters approve the graduated tax, it would take effect Jan. 1 and generate an estimated $1.4 billion for the state through June 30, 2021, the end of the next fiscal year.

If voters reject the graduated tax, adjustments will have to be made to Pritzker’s proposed budget. That would mean that the proposed increases for universities and community colleges would not materialize.

Fine. Make the adjustments. If you can't figure out this goes WAY beyond taxes, you need to wake up. I'm not voting for a "fair" tax - the flat tax is good by me. (4.95% of 6 or 7 figures is more than 4.95% of 5 figures, I don't care if you are using common core math). Kiss my grits, Pritzker.

But, you wouldn't be paying 4.95% of 5 figures.
The first 10k you make would be would taxed at 4.75%
Anything you make from 10,001 to 100k would be taxed at 4.9%
Anything you make from 100,001 to 250k would be taxed at 4.95%

So, even if you make 250k, you'd see a slight decrease because the amount 100k and under would be taxed at a lower rate.

Plus, your property tax credit goes up from 5% to 6%.

The jump is at 250,001 to 500k, with that amount at 7.75% (single cut off is at 350k) and 500,001 to 1M at 7.85%, and over 1M at 7.99%.

Dream on. You open up the IL Constitution to amend this, and you're looking at a Pandora's Box of "stick it to the citizens" legislation. I'll pass.

[vatusay]

Gov. JB Pritzker used his second budget speech Wednesday to promise more money for education, child welfare, and public safety while adding a very big “but” to his list of spending priorities for next year.

That “but” was that a large portion of those spending increases could be reduced or outright disappear if voters don’t approve his signature graduated income tax proposal in November.

If voters approve the graduated tax, it would take effect Jan. 1 and generate an estimated $1.4 billion for the state through June 30, 2021, the end of the next fiscal year.

If voters reject the graduated tax, adjustments will have to be made to Pritzker’s proposed budget. That would mean that the proposed increases for universities and community colleges would not materialize.

Fine. Make the adjustments. If you can't figure out this goes WAY beyond taxes, you need to wake up. I'm not voting for a "fair" tax - the flat tax is good by me. (4.95% of 6 or 7 figures is more than 4.95% of 5 figures, I don't care if you are using common core math). Kiss my grits, Pritzker.

But, you wouldn't be paying 4.95% of 5 figures.
The first 10k you make would be would taxed at 4.75%
Anything you make from 10,001 to 100k would be taxed at 4.9%
Anything you make from 100,001 to 250k would be taxed at 4.95%

So, even if you make 250k, you'd see a slight decrease because the amount 100k and under would be taxed at a lower rate.

Plus, your property tax credit goes up from 5% to 6%.

The jump is at 250,001 to 500k, with that amount at 7.75% (single cut off is at 350k) and 500,001 to 1M at 7.85%, and over 1M at 7.99%.

It’s kind of amazing/sad how often I have to explain how tax brackets work to my co-workers, friends, and family.

[rocki]

Fine. Make the adjustments. If you can't figure out this goes WAY beyond taxes, you need to wake up. I'm not voting for a "fair" tax - the flat tax is good by me. (4.95% of 6 or 7 figures is more than 4.95% of 5 figures, I don't care if you are using common core math). Kiss my grits, Pritzker.

But, you wouldn't be paying 4.95% of 5 figures.
The first 10k you make would be would taxed at 4.75%
Anything you make from 10,001 to 100k would be taxed at 4.9%
Anything you make from 100,001 to 250k would be taxed at 4.95%

So, even if you make 250k, you'd see a slight decrease because the amount 100k and under would be taxed at a lower rate.

Plus, your property tax credit goes up from 5% to 6%.

The jump is at 250,001 to 500k, with that amount at 7.75% (single cut off is at 350k) and 500,001 to 1M at 7.85%, and over 1M at 7.99%.

It’s kind of amazing/sad how often I have to explain how tax brackets work to my co-workers, friends, and family.

Do tell.