The State of Illinois is not a charity, though it may often be considered a charity-case.

State lawmakers have spent $15-billion that they don’t have and now they must make some dramatic decisions as to how the state can continue to afford to operate.  Illinois is starting look a lot like the Greece of America, trying desperately to bail itself out of a sinking ship.

But of all the terrible ways to pay off debts, Democrat lawmakers have chosen to steal money from charities. 

They call it “borrowing,” but Illinois Democrats have purloined $1.17-million that had been designated for various charities around the state.

When Illinoisans file their taxes, they have the opportunity to check a box which gives an extra bit of money to a local charity. This was envisioned as a way to enable easy charitable giving.

But, in an upsetting move, lawmakers have announced that they will be using that money, earmarked for charities, to cover their budget holes in the general fund instead.

Stephanie Record, executive director of the Crisis Nursery of Champaign County said: “My concern is that the taxpayers don't know that they're donating to charities that don't even get their money. It just seems really inappropriate to use charities to pull money in, and then pull that money out to pay for bills...This is crazy.”

The Democrat lawmakers argue that they are simply borrowing it, but The Eastern Illinois Foodbank says they have yet to receive funds promised them in 2009 and 2010 – were they just “borrowing” the funds then too?

Taxes are not charity. Illinois is chasing away jobs with their business tax climate, taking peoples’ hard earned money with their outrageous personal tax rates, and now taking money people directly promised to charities.

Many pundits across the county use Illinois as the proverbial example for corruption, but now Illinois is rightfully earning that title.