Do better
Monday, May 20, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Politifact…
Referring to a graduated income tax, Pritzker said “states with a fair tax create jobs and grow their economies faster than we do.”
To support that claim, a Pritzker spokeswoman pointed us to five states — two with large populations and three that border Illinois — that levy their income tax at graduated rates and saw greater economic growth than Illinois over the past five years, according to federal data.
But that tiny sample overlooks what else those datasets show: GDP and employment increased at faster rates than Illinois’ in nearly every other flat-tax state as well, along with a number of states that levy no income tax at all.
Experts told us a graduated income tax is not likely to solve Illinois’ every economic ill, as Pritzker suggested, nor drive workers and businesses away in droves as critics of his proposal predict.
We rate Pritzker’s claim Half True.
#FacePalm
Dude, try to stick to the facts.
- OneMan - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
The daily mail I get from Think Big is doing it’s part to stimulate the recycling sector in Illinois.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:36 pm:
sins of omission are forgivable
- wordslinger - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:39 pm:
–Referring to a graduated income tax, Pritzker said “states with a fair tax create jobs and grow their economies faster than we do.”–
Lay off the Rauner snake oil on “creating jobs” and “growing the economy”. The concept is simple enough without resorting to that nonsense.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:45 pm:
Creating jobs and growing the economy is nonsense? Learned something today./snark
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:53 pm:
“Experts told us a graduated income tax is not likely to solve Illinois’ every economic ill, as Pritzker suggested, nor drive workers and businesses away in droves as critics of his proposal predict.”
Do you need to be an expert to know that?
- Cheryl44 - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:56 pm:
I don’t think the governor is trying to convince anyone a graduated income tax will solve everything. It’s part of the plan, not the whole thing.
- wordslinger - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 2:58 pm:
–Learned something today./snark–
Louis, when you claim to learn something, I just assume it’s snark. No need to call it out.
Perhaps you can share the economists who subscribe to and write on the proposition that governors “create jobs” and “grow economies?”
It’s political spin, but that’s not how economics works.
- SAP - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:13 pm:
Stick to: The Fair Tax gives us a way to pay our bills without hurting our economy.
You can even say: My predecessors bought it, now I’m going to pay for it.
- Suzzz - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
If you take the Governor’s exact statement he’s not wrong. The BGA just clearly added other things to his statement to evaluate. The governor didn’t say every state, he said states with a fair tax. That’s why he got a half true, which considering the track record of these “fact checkers” seems like a fine outcome to me.
- 44th - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
“fair tax” on top of sky high property taxes, sales taxes and assorted fees = the rent is too damn high.
- Gooner - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
Does anyone really believe that the proposed graduated tax will create jobs?
It never occurred to me that it might.
The strongest argument for it is fairness.
When the Gov. sticks to that issue, he can be persuasive. When he tries to act like it will do more, he loses credibility.
- City Zen - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:37 pm:
States that tax retirement income create jobs and grow their economies faster than we do? Tell us more, Pritzker spokeswoman.
- Steve - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:45 pm:
Illinois had less pot holes and better public schools before 1969 when the Illinois state income tax didn’t exist.
- 47th Ward - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:52 pm:
===when the Illinois state income tax didn’t exist===
And some of us were younger and happier back then too.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 3:57 pm:
“It’s political spin, but that’s not how economics works.”
If you say so. You need to tell this to our current Governor. Somehow, a “I’m not a job creator and have no plans to grow the economy” doesn’t sound like a winning message at election time.
- City Zen - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 4:01 pm:
USA Tax Trade Machine:
Minnesota: Income tax structure and $900 per pupil to even out the difference in education funding
Illinois: Property tax levy
This Trade is Successful
- wordslinger - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 4:09 pm:
Louis, maybe you’re not the message expert. Your guy, who claimed he was a “job creator” and would “grow the economy” didn’t break 40%, the worst defeat of an incumbent Illinois governor in 100 years.
- Perrid - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 4:19 pm:
Louis G Atsaves - just because it’s not a winning message doesn’t mean it’s not true. People want to believe that Presidents, and even Governors, can just flip a switch and grow the economy. Promising that wins votes. But there’s very little evidence it ever works.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 4:57 pm:
But there’s very little evidence it ever works.
Christopher Berry and Anthony Fowler from University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy would agree with you.
From Capitol Fax April 9: Berry and Fowler found no evidence that governors matter for economic outcomes in their states. Although governors differ in their abilities or appetites to raise and spend money, including federal aid, those differences don’t translate into differences in state income and employment.
It’s hard to believe but maybe it’s true. Economy is everybody. There is only so much one guy can do.
- Tim - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 6:27 pm:
Stick to the facts? A Democrat? Not likely. They are experts on the borrow, spend, rinse, part of the equation. Not very good at all in balancing a budget.
- Really? - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 6:32 pm:
Turns out that having lots of cash doesn’t make one a good politico, regardless of party stripes. Fascinating.
The last guy an unmitigated disaster. This guy off to a glacial start. Kirk Dillard looking like the Dream Team.
- Tim - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 6:33 pm:
Borrow, tax, spend, rinse, repeat is what I meant to say.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 6:39 pm:
===Stick to the facts? A Democrat? Not likely.===
Narrator: This isn’t Facebook.
The pension and deficit crisis goes back to Jim Thompson, so it includes the following GOP leaders as well;
Jim Edgar
George H. Ryan
Lee A. Daniels
Pate Phillip
All, including… Phil Rock, Michael J. Madigan, Rod Blagojevich, Pat Quinn, John Cullerton…
It’s a bipartisan mess.
I cite Dave McKinney in Crain’s, Daniel Vock in Governing, and Rich Miller in multiple outlets.
And… you’re welcome.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 6:43 pm:
Bruce Rauner wanted to burn down Illinois.
There was no want to save Illinois.
- Blue Dog Dem - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 7:32 pm:
The beauty of the progressive tax is that it will be measurable fairly quickly.
- RNUG - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 8:17 pm:
== The pension and deficit crisis goes back to Jim Thompson, … ==
Actually, Dan Walker if we are talking since the flat income tax.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 20, 19 @ 8:31 pm:
- RNUG -
Stand corrected.
- tomhail - Tuesday, May 21, 19 @ 7:41 am:
Who was the 1st governor to skip a pension payment? Thompson?