As someone who straddles the political fence, this is my thoughts on how Illinois’ financial mess could be fixed or at least eased somewhat. I think the pain should be spread among all of us. Political mismanagement by both parties has created this mess and both need to clean it up.

Among the state’s problems is an almost nine billion backlog in bills and a hundred billion pension debt. (It supposedly goes up with bad or good economics.) To solve the backlog, paying the bills should be first priority over all non-emergency infrastructure repairs and any new projects until bills are current.

The pension fix may require a quick decision from the Illinois Supreme Court or an amendment to Article XIII, section 5, so all state pensions over $40,000 would be subject to state taxes. The tax would be added to the mandated yearly payment. Additionally no new retiree shall be entitled to more than one state pension. Teachers, for instance, need to be allowed to get full Social Security as 43 other states allow as compensation for their pension being taxed. They pay into Social Security in their private sector jobs but can’t receive full, if any, Social Security if they stay in Illinois. Many teachers are burned out and retire at forty-two after 20 years and most by fifty-two after 30 years.

Everyone knows that our State needs massive infrastructure repairs and new facilities so I think the state gas tax should be raised fifteen cents before Congress raises it twenty-five cents. Until we go to Oregon’s mileage based tax, revenues will decrease due to high fuel efficiencies and electrics. As I close in on a million miles driven, I think it is a fair tax.

These ideas should be a basis for righting the ship of state.