SIX repeat SIX BILLION

Here it is. Crain's:

Contending that Illinois business doesn't pay its fair share of the cost of government, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is crafting a sweeping revamp of the state's corporate tax system that would cost business as much as $6 billion a year.

Hat tip Reverse Spin with more commentary. But that will just be a drop in the bucket, so we're all next.

And there's evidence we'll get hit anyway of course:

Mr. Johnson, the former revenue director, raises another concern: research indicating that about 70% of the cost of levies such as a gross-receipts tax either are passed on to consumers or forced onto workers in the form of lower wages, he says.

And Michigan just got rid of this kind of tax because it made their businesses uncompetitive. Worst of all, this tax is not being used to pay down debt, but to start yet another new program we can't afford.