The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability: “A Bi-Partisan, Data-Based Watchdog of the State’s Tax Policy, Health-Care Capacity, Education Funding, and Unfunded Pension Liability…”

“Illinois fiscal problems have been growing over the last 30 years… The state’s fiscal crisis is due largely to the structural deficit which has been created by an unfair, outdated tax system. A ‘structural deficit’ exists when a state’s mix of taxes do not generate enough revenue growth annually to continue funding current service levels into the future, adjusting solely for inflation and population growth and assuming a normal economy. This is the problem in Illinois. It means that, even if the current budget were balanced, the economy expanded as it did pre-Great Recession and Illinois did not improve or increase any existing services or provide any new services, the state would still run a deficit in its General Fund…

“CTBA supports a constitutional amendment that would allow a graduated income tax rate structure… This one reform would both help address the state’s fiscal problems and make the state’s tax system fairer…

“CTBA is also promoting an expansion of the state’s sales tax base to include consumer services, and re-amortizing the current unaffordable repayment schedule covering the state’s unfunded pension liability…

“[CTBA is] also promoting measures to target new, significant and refundable tax relief to low-and-middle income families to create tax fairness, decrease income inequality and support the income of poor and low-wage earning families…

“CTBA has [also] worked for education funding reform in Illinois since the organization’s inception. Education reform has been a major priority at CTBA because Illinois ranks 50^th in the nation in the amount of school funding provided by state revenues. Nationally, states annually provide an average of 47.6% of the funds for education. In FY2011, Illinois provided 27.6%. Inadequate funding is forcing schools across the state to take drastic measures, including increasing class size, reducing staff, continuing use of outdated textbooks and cutting extracurricular programs…

[Ralph Martire, Executive Director of CTBA, has debated these issues. He has also offered rebuttals to the public pension slashing arguments of Ty Fahner of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Laurence Msall of the Civic Federation, John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute and others].

“As the state continues its pattern of both cutting spending on education, health care, human services and public safety, and failing to satisfy its extant pension responsibilities, [CTBA’s] proposals to eliminate ongoing deficits and [their] participation in the public debate are all the more critical. The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability depends upon you. Please do all you can to help…

“The work CTBA takes on is often difficult and controversial, but without reforming tax policy in a fair, sustainable manner, Illinois will never be able to invest in creating a better future for everyone. Help CTBA make a difference. Please donate now. Thank you.”

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from CTBA:
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability is a preeminent source for objective, honest, reliable, and relevant information and analysis of local, state, and federal tax and budget-related issues.  

CTBA Services and Capabilities:

As a bipartisan 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, CTBA focuses on research, analysis, and policy development in the core areas of

• Fiscal Policy (Tax, Budget, etc.)
• Education
• Healthcare
• Human Services
• Workforce/Economic Development, and
• Public Pension Systems