* The Rauner campaign threw down the gauntlet today…
Republican candidate Bruce Rauner said today that if he were governor, he would veto legislation lawmakers sent to Gov. Pat Quinn last week that would cut pension benefits for some city workers and allow aldermen to raise property taxes to shore up the retirement program.
A spokesman for Rauner said the Winnetka businessman believes the measure should include shifting workers to a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan and contends that “raising property taxes is not the way to go.”
“Unless Pat Quinn wants to raise property taxes, he should veto the legislation,” said Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf.
* Greg Hinz…
But it looks to me like Mr. Rauner may have put himself on the griddle, too, because so far, other than a few bromides about cutting “waste,” he’s given absolutely no clue how he’d make up for tens of billions of dollars in unfunded liability in city and state pension funds. And it certainly belies any notion that Mr. Emanuel secretly backs Mr. Rauner for governor.
Today’s developments came when Mr. Quinn scheduled a news conference to talk about a plan to help lower-middle-class families buy their first homes, and the Rauner campaign sent out an advance statement accusing the Democratic incumbent of hypocrisy for not promising to veto the Emanuel bill.
“As Pat Quinn tours the state relaunching a ‘new’ home loan program, will he break his promises again and allow Chicago property taxes to rise?” the statement asked. “Will he or won’t he? Quinn won’t say if he will sign the property-tax bill.” […]
[Rauner’s] pressure on Mr. Quinn to veto the bill ought to erase any lingering notion in some political circles that Mr. Emanuel quietly backs Mr. Rauner for governor. Ain’t so. Moves like today’s by Mr. Rauner have the potential to rev up City Hall and Chicago Democrats to put aside any disagreements with Mr. Quinn and rally city voters for the Democratic incumbent.
But, keep in mind, Rauner is trying to up the GOP’s vote total in Chicago, and this ain’t a bad way to do it.
* Quinn said he was “studying” the pension bill, but also attacked Rauner…
Quinn also used the opportunity to bash his Republican opponent for governor, Bruce Rauner, who earlier Monday released a statement criticizing Quinn’s home-owner relief program as recycled and not new.
“That’s certainly a bizarre opinion,” Quinn said.
The program, available through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, offers certain first-time home buyers and those who haven’t owned a home in three years a low fixed-rate mortgage and up to $7,500 in down payment assistance.
“We are here to help families who don’t have political action committees, who don’t have lobbyists, who don’t have millions of dollars to buy more than one home …,” Quinn said in a thinly veiled reference to his opponent.
* From the Quinn campaign…
Billionaire Bruce Rauner – who owns nine homes - today went out of his way to criticize a successful state program helping everyday people across Illinois afford their very first home. Welcome Home Illinois will give many people the opportunity to buy their first and only home - but it’s clear this billionaire with nine homes of his own can’t relate. Is achieving the American Dream only for the self-proclaimed .01 percent?
This attack on everyday people again shows that billionaire Bruce Rauner is out-of-touch and doesn’t care about the people of Illinois.
More than 24,000 people have shown interest in Welcome Home Illinois, which provides a 3.75 percent interest rate for a secure, 30-year fixed mortgage.
…Adding…. From the Rauner campaign…
From Spokesman Mike Schrimpf:
Once again Quinnocchio is not being truthful with the people of Illinois - Bruce supported the program in 2005 when it was called I-loan, in 2009 when it was called “Illinois Home Start,” and even in 2011 when it was called “Smart Move. The truth is that Pat Quinn’s job-killing income tax hike continues to make life harder for potential homeowners.
Thoughts?
- Walker - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:07 pm:
Rauner jabs and ducks, and mugs for the judges; Quinn throws haymakers and just misses.
Time will tell.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:08 pm:
Yuk - Quinn’s talking points is fighting one another.
It is like a stupid kitchen sink approach and very amateur.
So he owns nine homes. Am I supposed to believe he doesn’t know anything about home ownership then?
The idea that a governor is going to attack his political opponent by claiming that he opposes you having one of what he has nine of - is pitifully unbelievable.
Rauner isn’t stupid. If he owns nine houses, he knows that the more people on the housing market able to buy a home, increases the value of his.
Quinn’s people need to stop throwing all their talking points into one response and consider what it is they really want to say.
The entire effect is amateur and stupid looking.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:13 pm:
Please Pat - don’t try to tell people that Rauner is some kind of sub-human. Rauner already has ads running to debunk that. Don’t attack Rauner using Democrat’s arguments. You need to think like a Republican or an Independent.
This stuff is utter crap.
Be smarter or you will lose.
- Almost the Weekend - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:18 pm:
=Rauner jabs and ducks, and mugs for the judges; Quinn throws haymakers and just misses.=
I disagree I think that is a good press release by the Quinn campaign, opposing a home-owner relief program, while he owns 9 homes. Unfortunately, Quinn will never be able to get the Tribune to release quotes of his press releases like Rauner.
https://twitter.com/chicagotribune/status/455781860245659648
Another funny sidenote: the the Trib’s editorial board who voiced their support for this pension reform legislation. I’m sure they will probably change their minds, just like the pension reform back in December.
- A guy... - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:21 pm:
One of the great lessons of the sub-prime mortgage lending debacle is that far too many people who were not really in a position to buy a home, bought one with a more “rental” mentality. It’s the first time I’ve seen the caveat “or haven’t owned a home for 3 years” as part of this program. The first time home buyer is always a risk, no matter who’s loaning the dough. The “haven’t owned a home in 3 years” home buyer is someone who needs to sort out the issues that caused them to probably lose a home. We could be making the same mistake with some of these folks again…and we all know what that’s the definition of.
- so... - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:22 pm:
Pointing out that Quinn’s “new” homeowner program is a cut-and-paste job of programs that have existed since 2005 doesn’t mean Rauner opposes the idea.
- Anon. - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:29 pm:
==a successful state program helping everyday people across Illinois afford their very first home==
Not a Rauner fan and never will be, but statements like this make me want to vote for him twice. “Successful”? Or even present tense “helping”? BS detector overload.
- Demoralized - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:30 pm:
The mortgage crisis was the result of banks allowing people to buy homes they could not afford. If programs like this are handled responsibly and buyers are adequately counseled on what they can really afford, I think these are great programs. I know I would not have been able to purchase a home without the 100% financing my bank offered to me.
- Commander Norton - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
The Chicago pension fix doesn’t “allow” aldermen to raise property taxes. That’s the Mayor’s plan; City Council can raise property taxes with or without the GA’s permission, and the final legislation said nothing about property taxes.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 4:40 pm:
@Commander Norton:
Cow’s are already outta the barn.
Rahm telegraphed his intention to raise property taxes. He has publicly stated this plan is about raising property taxes.
Your argument is a fine legal one. But this is not a court room.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 6:02 pm:
So, Rauner doesn’t support expanding a program he says he supported 3 times when it had different names, yet the Baron’s bots are out here attacking Quinn? Shouldn’t you folks be attacking your boy Bruce?
- wordslinger - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 7:12 pm:
==Rauner isn’t stupid. If he owns nine houses, he knows that the more people on the housing market able to buy a home, increases the value of his.–
Once again, VMan, I have to ask you: are you on drugs?
Do you think a a state program that gives first-time homebuyers a $7,500 bump for a down payment would have any effect on the value of Rauner’s real estate holdings?
How is that possible, to think that?
Are these folks, with their 75 hondos burning holes in their pockets, going to make offers and drive up the price on the:
–$48 million Central Park West townhome? You couldn’t get a night in the moat for $7,500.
–$7 million Key Largo oceanfront estate?
–$4 million Millennium Park condo? Or maybe just the $1.2 million Millennium Park condo.
–$1.75 million condo in Deer Park, Utah?
– Or just one of the Wyoming or Montana ranches?
$7,500 bucks? You understand the value of “zero,” don’t you? And how the more of those you have extending to the right, without a decimal point, the better?
For crying out loud, you put these things in writing! You must think they make sense! Get help!
- Norseman - Monday, Apr 14, 14 @ 8:40 pm:
YDD, we may disagree on some policy issues, but you’re very astute in your analyses and you eloquently comment on the posts. Glad you’re back from your hiatus.