Eastern Illinois University The Keep September 2013 9-13-2013 Daily Eastern News: September 13, 2013 Eastern Illinois University Follow this and additional works at: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2013_sept Recommended Citation Eastern Illinois University, "Daily Eastern News: September 13, 2013" (2013). September. 7. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/den_2013_sept/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2013 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in September by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TAILGATING SEASON BITTER RIVALS Check out this week’s issue of the Verge for pre- The Eastern football team squares off against views of this weekend’s upcoming events. Illinois State in the 102nd meeting of the Page 1B Mid-America Classic. Page 8 WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM HE DT ailyEastErn nEws Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 “TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID” VOL. 98 | ISSUE 20 STATE | FINANCE EntertaINMENT | DVORAK CONCERT HALL Legislator advocates progressive income tax By Rachel Rodgers Special Projects Reporter @rj_rodgers The state of Illinois looks for revenue in all of the wrong places, preventing higher educa- tion from functioning properly, a state repre- sentative said Thursday. Addressing a crowd of about 50 professors, annuitants and community members, State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson promoted the adop- tion of a progressive income tax in Illinois, which would require an amendment to the state constitution. Illinois currently applies a flat tax where all income levels have an equal tax. A progressive tax proposes tax on income to be measured on a graduated rate, meaning lower rates would apply to lower income levels, and higher rates would apply to higher income levels. Jakobsson, representing the 103rd district encompassing Champaign and Urbana, ar- gued that years of spending cuts to services, SetH SCHROEDER | THE DaILY EASTERN NEWS especially education, and the unfunded pen- Musician Pokie LaFarge performs with his band Thursday at the Dvorak Concert Hall in the Doudna Fine Arts Center. LaFarge is originally from sion liability growing north of $95 billion Bloomington but is currently based out of St. Louis. calls for improvement in the state’s revenue system. “I think one of the solutions to this is not Old style musician swings Dvorak away just passing some kind of a pension reform bill, but we need to look at our entire revenue By Marcus Curtis that complimented the ragtime-styled ty with his jokes and interaction with Ryan Koenig on harmonica, wash- situation in the state of Illinois because that’s Entertainment Editor music performed. the audience in the concert hall. board and snare, Adam Hoskins on our problem,” she said. “Our real problem is @DEN_News There were four men and one One woman in attendance was guitar and Joey Glynn on upright our revenue, or lack there of it, I should say.” young woman behind LaFarge on celebrating her birthday, and Dwight bass. Jakobsson introduced House Joint Reso- Multi-genre artist Pokey LaFarge stage. The men in the band were Vaught, the director of the Doud- Feoranzo on clarinet and TJ lution Constitutional Amendment 33 with rocked the Dvorak Concert Hall in dressed in old-style clothing that in- na Fine Arts Center led members in Muller on cornet were the two addi- the goal of it passing in the General Assem- the Doudna Fine Arts Center Thurs- cluded fedoras, cowboy hats and sus- the audience in a happy birthday sing tions to the band. bly by Spring 2014 so it could be placed on day. penders. The young woman, Chloe along for her. The six artists on stage energized the 2014 general election ballot. The proposal The sight is a young man with his Feoranzo, was adorned in a powder Vaught said singing happy birth- the crowd with their solo perfor- is currently in Rules Committee. hair slicked back, draped in a well-tai- blue dress. day to her would prep the audience’s mances throughout each of the songs. Accompanying Jakobsson was Ralph Mar- lored black suit, complimented with LaFarge started his performance vocals for the sing-alongs LaFarge It was LaFarge’s original song, tire, the executive director of the Center for two-tone black and white colored off with popular country and blues would later encourage them to par- “Sweet Potato,” that got the best reac- Tax and Budget Accountability, who present- dress shoes. That man is LaFarge. songs that instantly rowed the audi- ticipate in. tion from the crowd with the smooth ed different data sets on state economic fac- The wardrobe of the band mem- ence. Every member of the band, in- bass sounds. tors including Illinois budgeting, spending, bers presented an old-fashioned style He also showed off his personali- cluding his original three band mates, The other crowd-popular songs in- borrowing and acquiring revenue. DVORAK, page 5 Martire said three key changes need to oc- COUNCIL | ILLINOIS Board OF HIGHER education cur to repair the fiscal condition of Illinois: extinguishing the pension debt with periodi- cal payments, bringing stability to the tax sys- tem by expanding the tax base to include con- Reps lobby for student map grants sumer services and establishing a progressive income tax. By Jarad Jarmon college students who are financially in Quinn froze the salaries for the state each college April 2. “The bottom line here is clear; Illinois Student Governance Editor need. representatives until they come to a Eastern will be lobbying separate has a fiscal system that simply doesn’t work @JJarmonReporter The representatives from each resolution like passing the cost to the from IBHE-SAC on Oct. 25 or Nov. in a modern economy,” Martire said. “It is school meet every other month to go universities. 1, but the date has not been set yet. short-changing core services and frustrat- The Illinois Board of Higher Ed- over issues involving higher education Gurick attended the first IBHE- Eastern plans to lobby for increased ing the state’s ability to invest in really im- ucation Student Advisory Council and plan what and when they will SAC meeting of the semester on Sat- appropriations for higher education, portant things that do drive long-term eco- plans to confront climbing student lobby for every other month a differ- urday. MAP grants and funding for a new nomic growth like public education and in- debt, underfunded tax appropriations ent university every month. Gurick said he hopes at least 10 to sciences building. frastructure.” and pension reform over the course of Mitch Gurick, the student execu- 15 Student Senate members join him Gurick said only 50 percent of The University Professionals of Illinois Lo- the year. tive vice president, said the pension next time at the meeting. those who are eligible for MAP grants cal 4100 sponsored the presentation, and Ann This council consists of student system reform is a big priority for IB- “It would be more effective,” Gu- receive them. Fritz, the UPI president and a biological sci- representatives from Eastern as well as HE-SAC, especially Eastern. rick said. “More people can be broken “It is on a first come first serve ba- ences professor, said lacking state support af- other public and private schools with- The pension system is $83 billion because the capitol is so large.” sis,” Gurick said. fects all citizens of Illinois, including stu- in Illinois, who are planning to lob- in unfunded liability. At the meeting, school representa- Gurick said the sciences building is dents facing higher tuition and lower sources by for such things as Monetary Award “They need to come to some type tives set dates that they will be lobby- on the backburner in terms of impor- of funds and professors fighting to keep their Program grants and more school of resolution with that because that ing. tance compared to increased funding. pensions from being diminished. funding. is the worst in the nation right now,” Each of the representatives were Higher education appropriations A MAP grant is financial aid that Gurick said. broken up into subcommittees have not increased since 2002. TAX, page 5 does not need to be repaid for Illinois Currently, Illinois Governor Pat They will be lobbying on behalf of GRANTS, page 5 2 THE DAILY EASTERN NEWS | NEWS FRIDAY, SEPT. 13, 2013 Local weather Making a list, checking it twice TODAY SATURDAY Mostly sunny Mostly sunny High: 71° High: 73° Low: 45° Low: 53° For more weather visit castle.eiu.edu/weather. The Daily easTern news “Tell the truth and don’t be afraid.” The Daily Eastern News 1802 Buzzard Hall Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL 61920 217-581-2812 217-581-2923 (fax) News Staff Editor in Chief Special Projects Seth Schroeder Reporter [email protected] Rachel Rodgers Managing Editor Dominic Renzetti Verge Editor DENmanaging@gmail. Stephanie Markham com Verge Designer AMANDA WILKINSON | THE DAILY EASTERN News News Editor Alex Villa Karina Saldanas, a sophomore sociology major, unpacks a sack during the ROTC training lab in McAfee Gym Thursday.The battalion Bob Galuski used the training day to make sure every member had essential gear for a four-day lab training next week. DENnewsdesk@gmail. Advertising Staff com Account Executive Associate News Editor Rachel Eversole-Jones SCREENING | PovertY Samantha McDaniel DENnewsdesk@gmail. com Faculty Advisers Opinions Editor Editorial Adviser Emily Provance Lola Burnham Film to explore impoverished families [email protected] Photo Adviser Online Editor Brian Poulter Sean Copeland DENNews.com Adviser By Samantha McDaniel the things shown in the film represent erty is and looks like has been clouded ty in Charleston and Coles County and DENnews.com@gmail.