Vallas finally enters the arena
Wednesday, Apr 2, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday trotted out his running mate Paul Vallas to hammer Republican challenger Bruce Rauner’s position that the state income tax rate should rolled back, saying doing so would result in huge cuts to education and spikes in local property tax rates.
Vallas, the former Chicago Public Schools CEO, contended that lowering the income tax rate would leave at least $1 billion less for school districts across the state – a situation Vallas said would be “absolutely devastating.” […]
Rauner argues the increase should be allowed to expire as scheduled, but so far has not detailed how he would make up for the revenue loss beyond saying there’s room to cut in the state budget.
Vallas said that stance is disingenuous, and accused Rauner of “deferring the tough questions until after the election.”
* Sun-Times…
“I know the impact that major cuts have on the education budget,” Vallas said at a downtown hotel, repeating his credentials as a school superintendant for 17 years. “And these type of draconian cuts which is what would occur if the rates were reduced under the Rauner plan, would have a devastating impact. There’s no way around it.
“Either you don’t understand the budget or in effect, you’re deferring the tough questions until after the election,” he said. […]
Vallas, who also ran school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans and Bridgeport, Conn., said Rauner’s proposed income tax rollback to 3 percent would result in more than a billion dollars in cuts to education funding. Chicago Public Schools alone would lose some $233 million, according to the campaign’s analysis.
“No district will be able to absorb that impact without borrowing, which is bad, finding some way to raise property taxes, which is even worse, or going out and making draconian cuts to critical programs,” Vallas said.
* Video…
* As noted earlier, Rauner’s campaign sent “Quinnocchio” to the Vallas event. The campaign then responded to what Vallas had to say…
“Pat Quinn broke his promise, raised taxes and still cut education funding by $600 million,” Rauner campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf said in an email. “Paul Vallas laid off 130 public school teachers and staff while pocketing over $310,000 in taxpayer money for himself. Misleading the voters has been a hallmark of Quinn’s for the last four years and with that kind of record, it’s no surprise the Quinnocchio ticket is now making things up about Bruce.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 2:29 pm:
So nice of him to finally grace us with his presence.
I like Vallas, and he obviously came to this agreement with Quinn in advance of agreeing to run with him.
But it still seems disrespectful to Illinois voters.
- Johnny Q. Suburban - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 2:38 pm:
Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve heard Vallas mentioned by name I forgot how bizarre and baffling the choice to make him Lt. Gov was.
- Chi - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 2:39 pm:
What is Sanguinetti’s position?
- Gunderstank - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 2:47 pm:
Who?
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 2:48 pm:
I’ve always liked Paul as a scrappy guy with the full force of the 19th ward behind him. Even those supporters always knew Paul’s an acquired taste with an expiration date that isn’t long term. Parents loved him when he told them he’s a cult figure for “C” students. Once you let him start speaking, it’s hard to control what he says. Chris Christie is reserved by comparison. So it begins.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 3:25 pm:
“Vallas pocketed over $310,000 in taxpayer money”.
Seriously??? Thats not even THREE DAYS pay for rauner.
But, hey, keep going w that, if you dont think we will notice the irony. OMG, a chief exec made in a year? what rauner made from state employee pensions in less than 72 hrs
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 3:26 pm:
Perhaps Rauner could respond with a plan, rather than a personal attack?
- olddog - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 3:53 pm:
@ Anonymous 3:26 — Rauner’s plan for education :
“(Public school students) are not my problem. Charters exist to save those few who can be saved, not to serve all kinds of kids.”
Q. What should our society do about the kids your charters don’t want?
Rauner: I don’t know and I don’t care. They are not my problem.
http://dianeravitch.net/2014/01/16/candidate-rauner-in-illinois-supports-charters-lower-minimum-wage/
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 4:01 pm:
Vallas said that stance is disingenuous, and accused Rauner of “deferring the tough questions until after the election.”
Kind of like how Vallas deferred ANY questions until after the primary election?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 4:53 pm:
=== Perhaps Rauner could respond with a plan rather than a personal attack ===
You are kidding, right?
If I were running communications for Rauner, there would be a swear jar on my desk. Except instead of dropping in a quarter for expletives, Rauner would have to drop $50K in every time he took a position on an issue.
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 6:20 pm:
Woo-hoo! Now THERE’S that feisty ‘ol Paul Vallas we all remember and got wobbly knees listenin’ to…! So love him or get picqued by him, WATCH OUT–’cuz when ‘ol Paulie is passionately driven by, deeply committed to, and gets rollin’ on an Educationally-Related Cause like THIS one, there’s really no stoppin’ this Locomotive, ‘cuz he’s like that Sparkin’ old Bowling Ball already headin’full speed ahead and straight down the center of the Alley toward those poor 10 Pins for the Strike…!
Guess Paul’s packin’ up in Connecticut and back where he finally beLONGED all along for the Big, and with HIM it sure ain’t gonna be a QUIet, Election PUSH onto Victory in November…!
- Just The Way It Is One - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 6:23 pm:
That was supposed to be spelled “piqued” up above…! Sure the ‘ol TEACHer Vallas wouldn’t approve of spelling that’s off…!
- Walker - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 6:55 pm:
And you thought Quinn could ramble aimlessly!
- Come on Glenn - Wednesday, Apr 2, 14 @ 10:19 pm:
Since we’ve got this all on the table, why hasn’t anybody noticed the huge elephant in the room know as administrators and coaches salaries and benefits, shocking where I live
- door gunner - Thursday, Apr 3, 14 @ 7:59 am:
Prediction : Paul will turn out to be the star of the election
- Redux - Thursday, Apr 3, 14 @ 9:22 am:
“Rauner has said trims to the Medicaid health program for the poor would help make up the revenue gap.” Whether this would make up the gap or not, I do not know, but doesn’t that kind of sum it all up?