Chicago Tribune issues warning for those Illinois tax hikers

Tomorrow that Illinois House is expected to vote on whether to override Governor Bruce Rauner's veto of Boss Madigan's massive income tax hike. Among those voting "Yes" were 15 Republicans--traitors, in my opinion.

The odds of an override are bleak, as the tax bill--with no reforms--passed with a supermajority.

But there is still hope. A fool's hope, perhaps, but it's there.

The Chicago Tribune, in an op-ed, issues caution to those plan to vote for the override.

•Can you assure your constituents you've delivered solutions to the problems that cripple Illinois and its economy, that alienate employers, and that drive our young people by the tens of thousands to other states?

•Have you delivered a no-gimmicks property tax freeze to even slightly offset the extra $5 billion or so that you'll take out of taxpayers' pockets?

•What about pension reforms? Have you tamed the beast that eats a quarter of the state's operating budget and crowds out so many priorities? Maybe you arranged for new hires to go into something other than a defined-benefit pension system?

•Did you deliver consolidation of those 7,000 local governments? Surely you grabbed that low-hanging way to reduce citizens' tax burdens, right?

There are other burdens facing Illinois, such as the lack of term limits--Madigan has been speaker of the state House for 32 of the last 34 years, as well as the state's anti-business workers compensation laws.

Decline and fall.