[Newspoetry] The News-Gazette

[DL Emerick]

I've been more or less living in Urbana for the last year,
intending an indefinite residency.
 
The News-Gazette has become a daily with me.
 
It's not a bad newspaper,
just one run with some biases.
 
Evidence.  It's everyday printed.
 
Take Sunday's headline story by John Kasich.
 
The body of the story was sensible,
after you got past the misleading leads,
and ignored the lop-sided comments about taxes,
and the objectless objections to "spending too much" --
the income taxes of Illinois,
the ones we should have raised long ago,
to pay the debts we were incurring,
much of which we owe to those who were or are employed by Illinois.
 
We finally raised them, as we had to do -
And which only a fool (ie, a Republican, perhaps) would deny.
 
But, the way Kasich started his article is what concerns me, for its
misleading, thus deceiving, emphases.
 
He mentions a woman, with gross income of $30,000,
Paying state taxes of $560, and suggests her taxes will rise by $840.
 
Well, that's misleading.
Her taxable state income couldn't have been more
Than 3% divided into $560, or something like $18670 -
And hence, 2% more is just about $373/year -
Or maybe $7.20 a week.
Not nearly even half as bad as Kasich portrayed her plight.
 
Yes, it is painful to pay taxes, and the more they are, the greater the
pain.
 
But, taxes are just, if they pay a fair share.
 
Illinois could be more just if it were to tax progressively,
So that the rich pay a higher percentage than the poor.
On the theory that greater disposal income is a luxury,
to be higher taxed, justly, or else the money just goes to waste in
frivolous choices.
 
So, that's my rant.
 
Not at all poetic, this kind of justice.
 
I'll brood on that, my lack of artistry,
Maybe even rise to a higher plane,
And wax "poetic" if ever I can.
 
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