On October 6th, the Library hosted Senator Pat McGuire, Chair of the Illinois Senate Higher Education Committee, along with a panel of Moraine students, in a discussion on how Illinois colleges are facing the impact of the current budget crisis. During the Q and A, the focus turned to sources of revenue and taxes. The point was made that while the terms progressive tax and flat tax are often thrown about, many people don’t actually know what they mean.
During the discussion, Senator McGuire referred to a couple of resources for differing views on tax information: the bipartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability and the nonpartisan Civic Federation of Chicago. In addition, the independent Tax Policy Center offers a Briefing Book (a “citizen’s guide” to the federal Tax System) and the Treasury Department Resource Center’s website has a page on The Economics of Taxation. But for a more direct explanation on the progressive tax vs. the flat tax, check out this Forbes article from Kelly Phillips Erb, aka the Taxgirl.
Finally, if you are a part of the Moraine Valley community (student, faculty, or staff), you have access to the SIRS Researcher database, which offers background and an array of viewpoints on the taxation issue through its Essential Questions. Looking for more? Visit a Moraine Valley Library (or the Library’s Ask A Librarian webpage).