To the editor

    I read your article supporting a progressive income tax for Illinois (Alan Ortbals’ February column). With respect, I would like to simply make a response.
    As a young high school student in my current events class, we were told about our progressive federal tax code. I remember raising my hand and asking why everybody doesn’t pay the same rate.
    I asked why Nelson Rockefeller had to pay 70 percent-plus on some of his dollars and my parents only had to pay 10 percent or so. It seems to me the ONLY really fair tax is one that is the same for everyone.
    You can protect the bottom income earners but when a tax rate kicks in, everyone should pay the same rate. If you make more, you pay more, BUT you pay the same rate. That is what is fair.
    We all benefit from the basic provisions that our state taxes provide: roads, police protection, security, our court system, etc. Property taxes pay the bulk of education costs locally.
    Higher income folks don’t get more protection, more roads, etc.. We all are provided the same. I strongly feel the only “fair” tax is one in which all people pay the same rate. Again, if you make more you pay more, but you pay the SAME rate. That is the most fair and ethical approach to tax. Our costs of government provisions should be shared equally as we all receive the same benefits. If we receive the same benefits, we should be sharing the costs equally with an equal tax rate.
    Moving the tax rate to a progressive rate is NOT a fair or ethical approach to addressing the revenue issue. Probably not a sound economic move either as it deters growth and probably push more people/businesses out of Illinois.
    Thank you for the Illinois Business Journal. Enjoy reading it and been kept up to date with ongoing info.
    Respectfully,

OTTO DAECH
Collinsville