Lawmakers sold 20 new taxes and fees as necessary to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges and balance the budget. Instead, taxpayers will be funding dog parks, swimming pools, snowmobile paths, a vacant theater and pickleball courts.

Illinois’ business tax climate would rank ahead of only California and New Jersey under a progressive tax. Hurt small businesses, and you hurt the jobs market.

Most business is mobile. Most of Illinois is close to another state. Add a progressive state income tax and watch businesses such as Piasa Motor Fuels cross the bridge to Missouri.

Godfrey voters decided Nov. 6 to dissolve the village’s duplicative township, a measure that officials had been weighing for nearly 20 years.

Alton Township was on the chopping block Nov. 6. While neighboring communities consolidated unnecessary layers of government, Alton residents will keep their township.

Alton voters will face two referendums that could eliminate government layers at both the township and county levels.

A referendum asking voters whether to dissolve Godfrey Township will appear on ballots Nov. 6.

Taxpayers across Illinois oppose a progressive tax but many state lawmakers still refuse to stand up against House Speaker Mike Madigan’s progressive tax push.