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* Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno talked to Statehouse reporters today. Watch it via BlueRoomStream…
* She started out by making clear how much she likes and respects Senate President John Cullerton. And then…
What I heard is a lot of noise and distraction from what is really going on here…. All the Democrats want is another tax increase. All the chatter about bills filed, or not filed, again, distraction.
We are ranking near the bottom in absolutely everything… And yet the only thing the Democrats want to talk about is another tax increase.
Middle-class families want relief from the enormous taxes we have in this state.
The only ads I’m aware of occurred last week from the Democrat Party of Illinois into Republican districts.
If they’re so proud of what’s going on in this state, why aren’t they running ads?
[Rauner] is ready to take this thing to the people directly.
The Democrats have walked away from the table… Their demand is, we want a tax increase… That’s not going to happen without reform.
I think the governor has made it clear that he’s willing to compromise…. We come back on the last day of session to hear, ‘Hey, Republican governor just ought to raise taxes.”
I do think there is a realistic bipartisan path forward… But reform has to be real… [Illinoisans are] talking about being crushed under property taxes. They’re talking about jobs leaving this state.
It’s a different dynamic now. I think what we’re seeing is [the Democrats are] trying to behave in the same old way.
I don’t think there’s much point hanging around past this afternoon.
I think we all go home, take a break, regroup and talk again [about compromise].
[Cullerton has] always been more willing to compromise on issues [than Madigan].
[About working group failures] What the Democrat leaders didn’t do is send people who were authorized to negotiate.
posted by Rich Miller
Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:41 pm
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== [Rauner] is ready to take this thing to the people directly. ==
Yeah, that’s really worked well so far …
Comment by RNUG Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:45 pm
All involved;
Talking to the Press and not to each other is NOT the best way to go about this, and it’s not a good sign going forward.
All of you…
Comment by Oswego Willy Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:49 pm
===Middle-class families want relief from the enormous taxes we have in this state.===
The Bulls are going to hire Fred Hoiberg and the Governor is going to agree to a tax increase. Let’s get ‘em done already.
Comment by veritas Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:51 pm
I particularly noted Leader Radogno’s acknowledgement — at about the 8-min mark — of lawmakers’ gradual discovery that elements of the “Turnaround Agenda” enjoy less support than they originally anticipated.
Important moments of understatement in the midst of a press availability otherwise given to pronouncements that already have been made dozens of times.
Comment by Anonymous Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:52 pm
“Every party gets the Blagojevich it deserves.” — Joseph de Maistre (attributed)
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:53 pm
When a deal is finally consummated, we can be sure Sen. Radogno will be voting for higher taxes, her comments today notwithstanding.
Comment by nona Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 1:59 pm
Blago comparisons are the latest attempt at misdirection. The Dems want to stick the middle class with another tax increase to pay for a government that is broken.
Comment by The Gig is Up Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:04 pm
The working group failure was not so much a failure to send people “authorized” to negotiate as the position of the governor of my way or the highway.
If the govern
Comment by Huh? Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:09 pm
If the governor really wantedwanted to compromise, his positions would be a little more flexible.
Comment by Huh? Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:13 pm
A look into the crystal ball…
Republicans voted will be needed for tax increases. Well done everyone.
The impact of Ads blasting Democrats will have a short life cycle sine Rs will need to come back and vote for revenue.
But I tell ya, I’m sure not looking forward to Rauner’s $34 m of SCREAMING in the coming days.
Comment by Austin Blvd Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:22 pm
Partisanship over statesmanship.
Comment by Archimedes Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:24 pm
All Republicans want is to outdo one another in kowtowing to Rauner’s extreme agenda apparently.
And here I thought Rauner was a moderate??? (Same thing with Christine Radogno)
Comment by low level Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:28 pm
Such disheartening drivel from someone usually to be respected. If Radogno has a way to balance Rauner’s budget without new tax revenue, she’s certainly keeping it a secret. Radogno and Rauner need new tax revenues to match their own spending plan just as much as the Dems. They are just terrified to admit it.
As to the (not budget related) turnaround agenda items — of course she has a point. But to continue to confuse the public by claiming that they are budget-related, except as a negotiating tactic, is shameful.
Comment by walker Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:34 pm
When are they going to realize that Democrats don’t lose when they back a tax increase. Not one Democrat who passed the infamous 67% income tax increase lost their seat because of it! Not one. They don’t want to cut 6 billion out of state government any more than Dems do. So when the revenue package comes and they vote for it, what do they say then?
Comment by sideline watcher Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:42 pm
=== The Dems want to stick the middle class with another tax increase to pay for a government that is broken. ===
When Radogno and most Republicans vote for a tax increase, what will you say then? Will it still be paying for a government that is broken?
Comment by nona Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 2:51 pm
Sideline - SB 2505 only passed with 1 vote to spare. 1. Senator Jacobs voted “yes”. One of the only two Senators who lost in 2010 - Senator Demuzio - voted yes. From my recollection, Senator Jacobs’s vote on SB 2505 was an issue in both 2012 (when he was running for his life) and 2014 (when he was soundly defeated). I know that is minor - especially those are only 2 of the 30 yes votes on SB 2505 - but it was still a bigger issue than people want to admit. If one Senator had changed his or her mind, the 5% may not have become law (or at least not when it was originally passed).
Comment by Team Sleep Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 3:19 pm
Where in all of what Radogno said do you people hear the words, “Read my lips: No new taxes?” She said no taxes *without reform.* In this case it’s the Democrats who are being intransigent, in simply rejecting anything and everything Rauner proposes. Just admit your side is not interested in compromising because you’re generally fine with the status quo and you believe the only thing standing between the current state of affairs and perpetual greatness and prosperity for all is a graduated income tax. We’d all be better off for the honesty.
Comment by JB13 Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 3:27 pm
Radogno says that all the Democrats want is a tax increase. All Rauner wants is a long laundry list of “pro business” reforms, some which will take money away from middle class workers. So an income tax rate of 5% is enormous in the words of Radogno. That’s less than what folks in virtually all of our neighboring states are paying. I wonder if those folks think they have an “enormous” tax burden.
Comment by The Dude Abides Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 3:29 pm
Rauner wants and needs a tax increase, too, as his proposed budget demonstrates.
The governor’s rhetoric is all over the place, but his actions are clear.
The summer media campaign didn’t just happen. To pull it off, it had to be in the works for weeks. And there had to be an impasse for it to happen.
The governor has been dealing in bad faith.
Comment by Wordslinger Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 3:56 pm
== I wonder if those folks think they have an “enormous” tax burden.==
LOL
The average voter in every state thinks this.
Comment by walker Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:00 pm
== I wonder if those folks think they have an “enormous” tax burden.==
LOL
The average voter in every state thinks that.
Comment by walker Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:01 pm
==The governor has been dealing in bad faith.==
Exactly.
Comment by Wensicia Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:01 pm
Wordslinger - no doubt the governor will do a tax increase if the other side will give him some of what he wants. And you say that trying to get as much as he can in return is acting in bad faith? Interesting take. You must think Madigan is awful, since the next time he gives up something with no return will be the first.
Comment by chicon Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:12 pm
Chicon, I’m suggesting if a media campaign goes off in the next few days, it has been in the works for weeks and required an impasse.
So if that’s been the plan for weeks, yes, the govnernor’s been acting in bad faith. He has been acting in service of the media campaign, not making a workers comp, property tax or budget deal.
Tell me, why didn’t he have a media campaign going weeks ago to drum up support for his agenda? He certainly had the money for it. Wouldn’t that have made sense if the goal was accomplishments of a governmental, rather than a political, purpose?
Comment by Wordslinger Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:20 pm
“We are ranking near the bottom in absolutely everything”
Oh no, the “Illinois stinks/death spiral” narrative is back.
No we’re not at the bottom in almost everything. The Chicago metro area was ranked first two years in a row in corporate relocations. The unemployment rate, though in need of improvement, dropped the most compared with all other states in a recent one-year period. Our per capita and median household incomes are above our neighbors and in the top 20 of all states.
April 2015 unemployment rates dropped in all Illinois metro areas. I posted it before, but I’d like to share it again, to counter the negativity. Springfield has the lowest unemployment rate in seven years.
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150528/NEWS/150529453/?Start=1
Illinois legalized SSM and passed MMJ. We have full union rights. We have great schools and a highly educated workforce. We have great people and will get an historic presidential library. Is there a state politics blog anywhere in the country as good as Capitol Fax?
“Democrat Party”
A bit trite, no?
Democrats have been carrying the day in this session and sessions past–MMJ, SSM, Medicaid expansion, heroin reform, marijuana decriminalization, no RTW, union arbitration reform, Chicago pension reform, police body cameras, etc. Voters mostly support these types of bills and laws. I must say I’m very proud of them.
Comment by Grandson of Man Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 4:43 pm
The governor needs confrontation. He needs a shutdown, an event that will trigger national attention. He cares nothing for the state of Illinois and it’s citizens—or at least those not in his income bracket. He needs the attention–a claim to fame. Otherwise, he would not be provoking such discord.
Comment by AnonymousOne Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 5:23 pm
Some of the comments on each side seem pretty accurate to me.
Democrats want a tax increase as they usually do. Rauner wants to destroy all unions (middle class lifestyle.)
Comment by Federalist Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 5:59 pm
recall this governor
Comment by austinman Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 6:07 pm
Wordslinger - maybe he didn’t have an ad campaign earlier because he was assuming Madigan would work with him, and to give a chance to do so. I’m sure there was a backup plan to try to go over his head to the public. If that is bad faith, so is Madigan’s recent press initiative. Imo neither is acting in bad faith, or they both are.
Comment by chicon Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 6:25 pm
“[About working group failures] What the Democrat leaders didn’t do is send people who were authorized to negotiate.” I do not understand that statement. Where does she want to send people (what people?), and what does she want to negotiate?
Comment by Mama Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 6:43 pm
Jacobs lost after he was targeted 3 times in a row. It was not just the tax increase. DeMuzio lost in a 2010 Republican wave after the 2008 democratic wave. That was regional and nationalized. Also, this Governor won in a much smaller more conservative electorate when Quinn was hated and lost more than Rauner won. So again, no one who voted for the tax increase originally lost over it.
Comment by sideline watcher Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 7:02 pm
austinman- Rich posted earlier this week that recalls are a ‘mirage’ in this state- need members from both party to sponsor the effort. Never gonna happen.
Comment by Tornadoman Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 8:12 pm
Radogno was one of the first to call for reinstating the income tax hike.
But, whatever.
Democrats have always been accused of wanting to raise taxes. It is baked into the polling numbers.
What has changed is no more borrowing from the pension system, so you are either for raising state taxes or slashing services and forcing huge property tax increases.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 8:27 pm
Dear otherwise respectable Leader…don’t start lowering yourself to Brucie’s level…
Comment by DPGumby Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 9:14 pm
== recall this governor ==
Here’s a link to the recall amendment.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HJRCA/09600HC0031.htm
The Cubs will win the World Series … twice! … before the stars align enough for all the conditions are met to recall an Illinois Governor.
Comment by RNUG Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 9:43 pm
As I listened to Senator Radogno discuss compromise, I thought about her extreme SB 1046 as amended, I wonder if she is willing to compromise on the aspect of that bill that would block public sector workers from being able to bargain collectively on on their salaries or healthcare benefits if a majority of Board members of the public body that employs those workers so decide? Would she be willing to drop those provisions, of course not. Because those provisions which would effectively do what Scott Walker did in Wisconsin by directly banning public sector collective bargaining which is the heart and soul, of the Rauner agenda.
The only way Republicans can achieve their dream of pushing back taxes of all types is not just by containing the salaries and benefits of public sector workers, by reducing them or completely eliminating them by out sourcing which a provision of her SB 1046 explicitly would allow.
Comment by Rod Sunday, May 31, 15 @ 9:45 pm
People seem surprised by what is happening. Rauner made several fortunes going in to companies and reducing salaries and channelling the money of 100s of workers up to a couple of people. Raiding the assets and dumping the place goodfellas style when it was all used up. Why did we think he would have a different perspective for Il?
Comment by Lahkonysm Monday, Jun 1, 15 @ 7:00 am
Team Sleep - Senator Bond voted no and campaigned hard on that vote but he still had his hat handed to him in 2010. Sideline’s point is more probably true than not true.
Comment by Springfieldish Monday, Jun 1, 15 @ 8:01 am