Cities and villages across the state are raising taxes or implementing new ones for a variety of functions, from attracting a fast-food restaurant to catching up on rising pension costs.
The new taxes are planned to pay for road maintenance and improvement as well as general use. As is the case in communities throughout Illinois, pension costs are crowding out other spending in Oswego.
After years of splurging with revenue boosted by temporary federal aid, future deficits over $5 billion await the Illinois state budget. It’s time Illinois state leaders learn from past mistakes and manage other people’s money responsibly.