Gov. Quinn is doing the right thing by raising taxes. This deficit can no longer be ignored. After Jordan Harp’s article ridiculed Gov. Quinn’s plan to raise Illinois taxes, it later said, “Quinn likes to blame the last guy to hold his office for the debt the state faces.” That’s a bit hypocritical because the reason why he is raising taxes is so that the bureaucrats in Springfield can finally take charge of the budget instead of passing it from one administration to the other.

The article also said that the increased taxes would hurt businesses. The article specifically made an example of the Caterpillar company and the possibility that taxes may hurt them. Harp thought that instead of raising taxes, Quinn should stop government spending to get the budget under control. Once again a bit hypocritical.

When Quinn does shell out $26 billion on public works programs and another $1.3 billion on O’Hare expansion, who do you think will greatly benefit by provide the machines to do construction work on these huge projects. Maybe Caterpillar?

The point of increasing taxes while still spending is to thaw the frozen spending habits of investors who are too scared to spend a dime. Increasing the taxes is the right thing to do, especially when the people who will have to give up the taxes are nowhere near the poverty line. Unlike Jordan Harp, I appreciate what Quinn is doing for the state, and like 59 state senators, I would never take the corrupt and delusional Blagojevich over a hard working, level-headed Governor Quinn.

Craig Roper

Freshman in Engineering