LaSalle Insider

This past monday at our council meeting we were treated with a presentation from the Illinois department of Agriculture with an assist from the United States Department of Agriculture.  It centered on the  Emerald Ash Borer, an insect apparently out to kill every Ash tree it can sink its teeth in.  Now I appreciate trees as much as the next person but the presentation really woke me up to how much tax money we spend on issues which are not of central importance in today’s economy.

Let me explain…we received before the presentation 22 pieces of literature about the insect.  I also received a nice pen,a magnetized  sticker,and a cloth carrying bag.  All material was printed in color and high gloss paper for the most part.  They included a nice green folder to carry all the information.

Add to the fact we had two people presenting who I am sure were on the payroll clock and you begin to see my point.  I am not blaming the employees here as I understand its their job to sound this alarm about this insect, but the cost of all of this has to be in the hundreds of thousands before its all finished.  There  is a web site for the insect as well and webinars people can view.

With a State in a 13 billion dollar hole and a federal government with a 2 trillion dollar deficit, isn’t it time we cut back on programs which are not vitally necessary to our daily lives?

Its time we furlough some State and Federal  employees and shut down some offices until we get our fiscal house in order.  Government has never  not found a way to spend every tax dollar we send them.  And currently they are spending dollars they don’t have.   The talk is to raise the State income tax rate to 5% from 3% and add another dollar tax to cigarettes.

You seniors will be paying regular payroll taxes on your social security  checks as well if they get their way….

And this is only the State changes….we haven’t even seen what changes there will be on the federal tax levels yet.  Isn’t it time we really made an effort to reel in all of this government we have created ?

On one of the fliers they refer to the Emerald Ash Borer as the “Green Menace”…I think the real “Green Menace” is government and how much green they are going through without our consent.  At the rate they are spending we will be out of money long before we are out of ash trees..what do you think?