Do you think Illinois should extend the income tax increases set to expire January 2015?

It’s easy for us to decide that we don’t want to pay more in taxes, but if voting down extending the tax increase causes hundreds to lose their jobs, and big cuts in education, unemployment insurance, veteran’s services, paying for pensions and prison systems, and cuts in social services that are essential to communities all across Illinois, is it worth it?  I say that legislators should vote “Yes” to keep the tax increase, and “No” to budget cuts.  If they vote Yes, the income tax rate would stay at 5 percent instead of decreasing to 3.75 percent for individuals, and stay at 7 percent for corporations instead of decreasing to 5.25 percent effective January 2015.  Losing the tax increases would reduce state revenue next year by almost $2 billion.  With drug use, like heroin, meth and alcoholism, rampant in our society, we need to invest in the social networks of our communities, the networks that try to avert and fight crime, that try to save and assist families, the elderly, the disabled, the jobless, the children that would fall through the cracks without the networks in place.  These are not the areas in which we can afford to cut funds.