Springfield - How it works, and how to fix it - Silent No More!

Illinois Senator Dan Duffy will discuss how the legislature in Springfield works, which will be followed by a panel discussion about what we can do to change how Springfield works.

If you are concerned about the dramatic increase in personal and corporate income taxes without any constraints on state spending and debt, here is a chance to learn what you can do about these or other state and local issues.

Speakers on the panel will include:

Joe Calomino - Americans for Prosperity, Illinois State Director

Bruno Behrend - The Heartland Institute

Carol Parisi - The Great Awakening 

This is the second anniversary of the famous rant by Rick Santelli of CNBC which triggered the Chicago Tea Party.  This "Silent No More" movement grew in 2009 to confront an arrogant Congress which was passing massive "stimulus" spending and expansion of government programs far beyond what voters had been led to expect in the 2008 election. 

The legislature and Governor in Springfield have similarly disrespected voters after the 2010 election by passing much larger tax increases than any of the candidates had discussed a few weeks earlier.

While raising our taxes dramatically, they have failed to address the fundamental spending and debt problems of the state.  They used education as an excuse for the tax increases, but in reality our schools will not get any more money.  Instead, our schools are facing major budget cuts and  taxpayers are facing more tax increases while the Illinois economy is becoming so unfavorable that even New Jersey is now trying to attract Illinois companies to relocate there.

It is time to get organized to put a stop to this behavior in 2011, and to change the legislature as necessary in 2012.  As with the opposition to the legislative atrocities coming out of Congress in 2009 - 2010, it is time to be "Silent No More" and ensure that our state and local officials show more respect for taxpayers and focus on the limited role of government.