* Press release…
ENDORSEMENT: ILLINOIS SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER CHRISTINE RADOGNO HEADS KASICH FOR AMERICA’S ILLINOIS TEAM
Leader Radogno to serve as Illinois State Chairman
Dan Cronin, Dave Syverson, Ed Sullivan, Ron Sandack, Tom Demmer, David Harris, Randy Frese, Jim Schultz, Pat Brady and Sean Morrison to serve as State Co-Chairs
Team includes seven sitting IL legislators, the former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, three county party chairmen
Today the Kasich for America campaign announced that Illinois State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno will chair the Illinois presidential campaign for Ohio Governor John Kasich. In all, eighteen officeholders and party officials announced their endorsement of Kasich today, including seven current state legislators, the former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, three county party chairmen, and current and former public officials from across the state. […]
Said Leader Radogno, “As governor, John Kasich took over a state that was dying. Before he took office, Ohio had lost more than 350,000 private sector jobs, faced an $8 billion projected budget hole, and businesses were fleeing to other states. In four short years, he helped turn his state around, and under his watch, Ohio has created 347,000 private sector jobs, amassed a $2 billion surplus, and by cutting taxes by more than $5 billion, Ohio became business-friendly again. As a leader in a state very similar to Ohio, I understand the significance of his accomplishments. Kasich’s record of success serves as a model for other Midwestern states, and it is little wonder that 62% of Ohioans approve of the job he’s doing.”
* Let’s look at some Kasich history via an October, 2011 story in the very conservative National Review…
Kasich’s reforms, like Gov. Scott Walker’s in Wisconsin, have rattled government workers, who for decades have enjoyed cushy retirement and health-care benefits. Senate Bill 5 “is all about fairness,” asking state employees to contribute 10 percent of their salaries toward their guaranteed pensions and pay 15 percent of their health-care costs, Kasich says.
The bill also outlaws public-sector strikes, bans binding arbitration, and gives cities and school boards bargaining flexibility. Schoolteachers will be given merit pay, not guaranteed automatic pay increases. Ohio’s 360,000 government workers, like their peers in Wisconsin, have revolted. Thousands of them stormed the capitol when the legislation was passed by the GOP-controlled legislature in March — a sea of bright union T-shirts.
Those winter rallies were only the beginning. Once Kasich signed the bill, progressives pounced. Activists canvassed the state, petitioning for repeal. We Are Ohio, a potpourri of lefty-types, led the months-long campaign. According to state law, if 230,000 signatures were collected and certified by the secretary of state, a referendum would be triggered. By mid-July, over 1.3 million Ohioans had signed. Senate Bill 5 was suspended. And “Issue 2,” a question of whether to keep the legislation, was added to the ballot.
Senate Bill 5’s midsummer stall was a blow to Kasich. His approval rating at the time, according to a Quinnipiac University poll, sunk to 35 percent. Still, Kasich was buoyed that same month by the passage of his budget, which closed the state’s $8 billion budget gap without raising taxes. But Kasich knew that beyond the budget, his entire economic agenda remained jeopardized by “Issue 2.”And with Quinnipiac’s July survey showing 56 percent of Ohioans favoring repeal, disaster loomed.
A month later, Kasich threw a curveball to the unions, which have long portrayed him as the bogeyman of Ohio politics. In a press conference at the capitol, he softened his approach and invited union leaders to “come to the table” and “talk” about potential “ways to reach an agreement.” Sensing Kasich’s political vulnerability, union brass ignored the offer, telling Republicans almost immediately that full repeal of Senate Bill 5 would be a prerequisite to any negotiations. Kasich, undeterred, decided to make his case across the state.
* The unpopular Kasich got his clock cleaned…
Ohio voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected the law limiting the bargaining abilities of more than 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers. More than 61 percent voted against the measure promoted by Republican Gov. John Kasich. Turnout was the highest ever for an off-year election in Ohio and poll numbers show voters rejected the law by wide margins in nearly every part of the state.
* So, what did Kasich do? Well, for one, he wised up and extended an olive branch to the trade unions…
Standing with a crowd of carpenters to accept their endorsement, Ohio Governor John Kasich acknowledged that it wasn’t easy for union members to back a Republican.
“But we’ve gotten to know each other over time,” Kasich said in Columbus, two weeks before winning re-election in November [of 2014]. “For too long, there’s been a disconnect between people like me and organized labor.” […]
After the repudiation of the Ohio law, he said that “the people have spoken” and took a less confrontational approach. His support for development initiatives, including $1.5 billion in debt backed by Ohio Turnpike tolls for infrastructure, won some union support for his re-election.
Those initiatives will mean billions in wages and benefits in coming years, said Matthew Szollosi, executive director of the 91,000-member Affiliated Construction Trades Ohio union.
“He’s listened,” Szollosi said. “He’s learned a lot about us. Our leaders have learned a lot about him. And I think the relationship has grown close.”
Resentment remains over the bargaining law: The Ohio AFL-CIO backed Kasich’s Democratic opponent last year. Yet Szollosi’s group gave the governor’s campaign the maximum $12,156 in 2013, and Kasich also won the endorsement of engineers and carpenters unions, as well as the Ohio Laborers’ District Council.
And people wonder why I’ve been shaking my head at Gov. Rauner’s refusal to propose a capital bill.
Sheesh, man, this ain’t rocket science.
* Kasich is still not exactly a friend to public employee unions…
However, just before this Memorial Day weekend, the Governor issued an executive order stripping away union rights from nearly 10,000 independent home health-care and in-home child-care workers. The move undoes a law implemented by former Democratic Governor Ted Strickland that extended the ability to bargain with the state to those overlooked and underpaid sectors. Unions that used to represent those workers in Ohio, including the AFSCME and the SEIU are calling it a “war on caregivers,” warning that it will discourage people from pursuing those careers.
Somewhat ironically, Kasich credited the success of the President’s Affordable Care Act — which he opposes and wants repealed — as part of his rationale for repealing those union rights. He said would have repealed his predecessor’s law earlier, but held off out of concern that those independent workers would lose the health insurance provided by their unions. But “since that time,” he wrote, “health insurance has become widely available through other means, such as the federal health insurance exchanges.”
But keep in mind that the trade unions are historically more conservative than public employee unions, and smart, moderate Republicans try to work with those unions.
Gov. Rauner has so far refused to do this.
I suppose you could say that Rauner learned a little when he stopped calling for so-called “right-to-work” laws, but he’s still demanding that collective bargaining rights should be gutted and he wants repeal of the state’s prevailing wage laws.
* “Right-to-work” is popular if you word polling questions just so, as a recent poll of southern Illinoisans by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute shows…
Some states have passed right-to-work or open shop laws that say workers have the right to hold their jobs in a unionized workplace, whether they join the labor union or not. If you were asked to vote on such a law, would you vote for it or against it? (If undecided the interviewer probed “which way are you leaning?”)
Response
Percent (n=401)
Vote for 53.4%
Lean for 2.0%
Lean against 1.7%
Vote against 36.2%
Undecided (not read) 3.5%
Other/don’t know (not read) 3.2%
Meh.
The point is, Rauner withdrew it for good reason. It wasn’t going to pass and it probably wouldn’t have been backed by the public once it was explained.
Now if he would only take more steps in that direction.
* Oh, and by the way, the Tribune had a little brief on another one of Kasich’s Illinois backers today…
DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin reported a $25,000 contribution from the national fund of the plumbers/pipefitters union.
Cronin leads his county so well because he is so inclusive. Same for Kasich in Ohio.
* For crying out loud, learn, man. Instead of constantly beating on all the unions, how about focusing on obtainable, doable reforms, and focus like a laser on solving this budget mess? Kasich did that and he eliminated his state’s deficit.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
The problem is, Kasich is a political lifer who has a lot of other political goals besides dealing with unions (it seems that budget and health care fire him up a lot more). Rauner is a gadly who only apparently cares about this. He’s not going to drop it, because if he does, there’s no other reason for him to be Governor.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:04 pm:
“…John Kasich took over a state that was dying.”
What is wrong with these people?
Implicit in the rhetoric of the “death spiral” loonies is that you’re not electing a governor, but a Messiah, who will use the levers of government to save you.
Real conservative GOP values there.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
This is why I’m leaning to support Kasich. The learned history, and Kasich understanding the politics, I can find my 80% with Kasich.
Here’s my challenge;
You can’t be a Kasich Supporter in the GOP GA and then support the ending of collective bargaining and prevailing wage.
If you are a GOP GA Kasich Supporter you must demand a referendum similar to OH’s.
The Owl, your move.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
My question is where are these Governors getting these plays? These seem coordinated. Is it ALEC? Just wondering.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:08 pm:
If I were Rauner I would drop all the union stuff except for performance reviews/evaluations that have teeth like the military has. Focus just on negotiating that. Maybe that would get some of the do-nothing workers out of service. I think a lot of union folks would support that.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
===But keep in mind that the trade unions are historically more conservative than public employee unions, and smart, moderate Republicans try to work with those unions.===
… which is why I’m with Local 150. They have(d), historically, supported many GOP candidates and GOP incumbents, and stood with them when it really mattered. I don’t forget that.
I hope that Local 150 and other Trades remember “who, who” in the GOP Caucuses let them down, when Local 150 and others stood up for them. I hope.
Also,
Do yourself a solid and check out a recent piece done by Chris Wetterich on Kasich. It’s worth using the “Search” key
- Nick Name - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Rodogno fails to impress. Not for the first time.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
I fear Arsenal is right. I think the union-buster trophy is the only thing Rauner wants out of the gig.
It’s a personal prize, it has nothing to do with good governance or a vision for a better future. He spent all that money, he believes he’s entitled.
Rauner’s inability to articulate any tangible benefits of his agenda and the damage that has already been willfully inflicted in his pursuit of it allows for no other conclusion.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
I’m no fan of public employee unions, but Rich is 100% right when it comes to working with trade unions. Now that the right-to-work stuff has subsided, Rauner would be wise to heed the advice.
But, as Arsenal pointed out, does Rauner intend to ever even try?! After all, the man can fund his own campaign needs and the campaign needs of dozens of other candidates. Does he really care? Kasich needed that support if he were to win reelection in 2014 - especially since you can’t predict three years out how well or how poorly your and your party’s electoral landscape shapes up. But it would be shocking if Rauner did a 180 on it.
- Just Me - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
He is the only one that stands a chance in the General. Other pols want to back someone who will win the Primary, Radogno wants to back someone who can actually be POTUS.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
How many more steps? Is there a middle ground? And what steps has Madigan taken towards him, other than a step backward with the extreme AFSCME override attempt?
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
Honeybear - you know that AFSCME would fight that tooth & nail. They seem to fight everything tooth & nail.
- Past the Rule of 85 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:25 pm:
===If I were Rauner I would drop all the union stuff except for performance reviews/evaluations===
The problem with these reviews is that raises are often not based on work performance but on loyalty to the party performance. Once when I was an MC employee I received an Exceeds Expectation Review. The next day my boss came back and said he had to downgrade me to Meets Expectations because all the Bureau’s allotted superior evaluations had already been promised.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
I sincerely hope that private sector union members be very careful before voting for Republicans. Many voted for Walker, Snyder and Rauner and got burned by RTW and union-busting attempts in Illinois.
Charles Koch said in an interview that he’s proud to be a crusader and willing to give his life to advance his political causes. Republican union members who are upset now at union attacks have to be mindful of who are behind the attacks and avoid supporting certain politicians.
- Chris Wetterich - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
One important note about a major element Kasich used to balance Ohio’s budget: He and the Republican-controlled legislature (they have Cullerton-sized supermajorities in both houses) implemented major cuts to revenue sharing with local governments and school districts, including repealing Ohio’s estate tax. Democratic-controlled cities, Republican-controlled suburbs and school districts screamed bloody murder, of course. The interesting thing is that lawmakers here don’t fear their local mayors as those in Illinois do. In fact, one state senator from suburban Cincinnati upped the ante by saying if the cities don’t like the cuts to the local government fund now, just wait until the legislature passes a bill restricting cities’ income tax collection to their own residents. Ohio allows municipalities to levy an earnings tax on everyone who works within city limits regardless of whether they live there or not. This allows big cities like Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland to collect taxes from a much larger pool of people than their own residents. Needless to say, that threat is foremost on the mind of every mayor and council member in mid- to large-sized cities with major employers in the state.
My theory on the reason there is no fear amongst lawmakers is that Ohio is so gerrymandered in the direction of the right wing and the tea party, that nobody is going to hit you from the left for taking it to local government.
- illini - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
Not to say that I am necessarily a fan of Kasich, but he does seem to be the only adult in the room when considering the GOP contenders. I do respect him and give him more credence than any other contenders, but he does not seem to have enough traction to get to the upper tier of candidates.
In the year of the outsider and non-politician dominating the GOP debates and polls he is the only one left in this race who has the insight and experience that it takes to govern and to get things accomplished. Agree with him or not, he understands the way the game is played and what it takes to get things done. He is not an All Or Nothing politician and does seem to understand that compromise and negotiation is not necessarily a bad thing or a sign of weakness.
- Willie Stark - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
Well, Kasich may be the best of the worst, but let’s not forget how low the bar is set. He’s still kind of a clod and the crazy base will never accept him. Some recent greatest hits: Kasich To Female College Student: ‘I’m Sure You Get Invited To All The Parties’; Kasich: If I Were King, I’d Ban Teachers’ Lounges So They Can’t Complain; Kasich Praises Work Ethic Of Hispanics By Telling Story About His Hotel Maid.
- Slugger O'Toole - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
Go buy or borrow a copy of “Every Other Monday: Twenty Years of Life, Lunch, Faith, and Friendship”. Read it. Read it again. And you will realize why this is a great move by Ms. Radogno, et. al. “Establishment” or not. This is the kind of leadership we need. On BOTH sides.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:50 pm:
==How many more steps? ==
How about giving up on his demands with regard to unions. The fact that people don’t understand that it has no chance in hell of passing is amazing to me.
- Cupptino - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:50 pm:
Kasich is not a conservative, as he proved with his massive Medicaid expansion.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:50 pm:
I always appreciate the perspective of understanding the politics and the governance and looking how they actually frame policy, and in turn reconfigure both the politics and the governance there after.
Chris Wetterich again does that in the comment above. Thanks.
I’m still “learning” about Kasich, but he’s in my Top 3 and “learning” on the Union front shows me something.
- Come on Man! - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:51 pm:
Kaisich scares the crap out of me in a general against Clinton. Yet he has to make it through the roach motel that is the GOP Presidential Primary. We shall see.
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
Rauner shouldn’t try to overcome union extremism in one bite. He should remove the unfair advantages that hurt the public first.
Prohibiting teacher strikes should be first order of business. Abolishing it would clearly be protecting the children and taxpayers, and what politician will stand up and support empowering teacher unions to hold the children hostage, destroy programs and student services for the children, and force schools to give raises that are far beyond the staff’s market values, comparable worth, and rate of inflation? This especially is important for cases where teachers are already paid far above average or when the district doesn’t have revenues to support the raises demanded without raising taxes or cutting the educational services provided to the children.
Put THAT prohibition on the ballot, and I’d guess the right to harm the children and taxpayers through teacher strikes loses 70-30.
Next is relieving schools of the prevailing wage burden. He could make the case that it often means just paying far more for labor than the same workers make for commercial work with no greater benefits for the children. He can also make the case that there are pressing facility needs for schools, and getting quality work done for market values is in the children and taxpayers best interests. Let the opposition pols try making the case that construction and maintenance workers should be paid as much as 50% higher rates than that for commercial work performed by the same workers just because the bills are being paid by taxpayers.
That would get his foot in the door for labor fairness. Once the foot is in the door, he can open the door much wider in a second term.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:03 pm:
===Prohibiting teacher strikes should be first order of business.===
He just vetoed a bill that prohibited an AFSCME strike.
When teacher strikes were illegal in this state, we had far more strikes than we have now.
- Touré's Latte - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
I look forward to Sen. Radogno’s best efforts to provide Gov. Kasich a solid win in Illinois, and the disaster that will happen instead.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
==This especially is important for cases where teachers are already paid far above average==
Ugh. There’s that silly argument again. We want to be average dang it!
==Prohibiting teacher strikes should be first order of business.==
This is your one trick pony solution to solving everything. It must be tiresome hating teachers so much.
- pool boy - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:19 pm:
I support “treat others as you would like to be treated”.
- Federalist - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:19 pm:
Why not? Because Rauner is an extreme ideologue on this issue and will not be happy until there are no unions in this state or in the nation.
That simple.
- sal-says - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:19 pm:
== For crying out loud, learn, man. Instead of constantly beating on all the unions, how about focusing on obtainable, doable reforms, and focus like a laser on solving this budget mess? ==
Why not? Uhhh…maybe he just ain’t that smart. And another that can’t learn from history.
- Buster - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
When Rauner was elected I was dubious but told myself he couldn’t be worse than Quinn or Blago and maybe he would really shake things up for the better.
Well, that was when I was younger and more naive. Rauner is proving himself to be just another rich, detached, out-of-touch Union- buster.
Unfortunately he appears to be such a zealot that he’s lost touch with reality. He also is evidently incapable of accepting the responsibilities he took on when inaugurated. He seems quite willing to recklessly damage our already troubled state.
On top of it all, with each speech he proves his cluelessness. At this point he’s just boring. And we elected this ass.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
Teacher Shortage in Arizona…
https://news.azpm.org/p/state-and-local/2015/10/14/73958-study-stop-teacher-exit-with-respect-better-pay/
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:24 pm:
Team Sleep- Oh I know they would at the same time I think it’s a step we could take in concession. I think everyone should have to do a fitrep twice a year, including management. I think if it can work in the military it could work in state government. The point is to weed out do nothing employees and managers. We DO have to be more competitive.
- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
Buster @1:20
What do your friends say about Rauner?
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:33 pm:
I know Rauner will not push it but compulsory arbitration for teachers is good policy. Strikes are an economic weapon
that is not suitable for schools. Teachers do not lose pay because the school year is simply extended. School Boards are not driven primarily by economics. Only children and parents lose.
- Matt - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:35 pm:
Amen! Rich Miller for governor.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
Anyone who has been reading this blog since 2002 knows I prefer experience with my candidates. So, I’m not any fan of the “outsider”. I don’t show much respect for the candidate who has never been reelected. I don’t support legislators who see themselves as executives, without ever having been an executive.
Consequently, I am not a fan of the Top Tier GOP field. I want a governor who has been reelected. There are too many attractive politicians who can woo votes with all sorts of razzle-dazzle, but not have a lick of experience or common sense.
The union thing with Kasich interested me for a couple of reasons which have not yet been touched upon.
Kasich ate crow in public and ate it humbly, sincerely and maturely. He didn’t pretend that he was misunderstood. He didn’t spin his defeat into any reaffirmation of his anti-union goals. He walked away from a fiscal route he thought he needed to take to get Ohio back in order. He found another way to make it work.
He governed. He remembered that as the only governor, he was responsible to represent everyone, not just the partisan hacks dominating the Ohio statehouse.
The other thing is the price Kasich paid by turning his back on his own majority party which was in control in Ohio. He didn’t pat the GOP losers on the back and tell them that he’ll try to get their agenda passed in the future.
Instead, he told his own party that they needed to change their tune. He told them that they had their shot and they lost. He didn’t support those who tried to find another way to get the anti-union policies passed. He led his own party away from what would have been certain electoral defeat.
So - I like that. Kasich is kind of flaky and weird, sometimes he seems flat out unhinged and needing Ritalin. Yet, there are a lot of people who aren’t extremists, hoping that primary GOP voters figure out that those Top Tier outsiders they are in love with today, won’t win next year’s General.
- Anon - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
Interesting that two folks from DCEO are on list
Co-Chairs:
Dan Cronin, DuPage County Board Chairman
Dave Syverson, Illinois State Senator, 35th District
Ed Sullivan, Illinois House of Representatives, 51st Distrct
David Harris, Illinois House of Representatives, 53rd District
Ron Sandack, Illinois House of Representatives, 81st District
Tom Demmer, Illinois House of Representatives, 90th District
Randy Frese, Illinois House of Representatives, 94th District
Jim Schultz, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; Chairman, Citizens for Rauner
Pat Brady, former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party
Sean Morrison, Cook County Commissioner, 17th District
Leadership Team:
Aaron Del Mar, Chairman of the Cook County Republican Party
Seth McMillan, Chairman of the Christian County Republican Party
Jerome Groniger, Chairman of the Coles County Republican Party
Liz Gorman, former Cook County Commissioner, 17th District
Cory Jobe, Director, Illinois Office of Tourism, Ward 6 Alderman
John Farney, Champaign County Auditor
Kristy Stephenson, City Treasurer, City of Metropolis
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:42 pm:
@bob:
On last Novembers ballot the people of Illinois overwhelmingly supported draconian cuts in Welfare for the Wealthy.
This Governor “says” he’s big on referendums.
The People of Illinois spoke.
Where is the action?
- Liberty - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:54 pm:
I pronounce all average workers be compelled to achieve a college degree, teaching certification and take 3 hours of graduate coursework yearly so they can catch up with the average requirements of teachers.
- Buster - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 1:59 pm:
Austin Blvd@ 1:28
My friends are also disappointed, frustrated and angry about Rauner. (They’re not too happy with Madigan either.)
As this mess continues they’re becoming increasingly puzzled why our supposedly adult “leaders” refuse to do their jobs.
As far as Rauner’s Union-bashing goes, it’s hard for non-ideologues to understand zealots, especially ones willing to cause this much damage to vulnerable people in their righteous quest.
Mostly everyone wonders why this disaster is going on this long when they’ve got an idea of what the solution is going to look like. Just do IT!!
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:02 pm:
Ohio has a progressive state income tax with rates that have decreased each year over the past 10 years. In fact, OH’s effective income tax rate is actual even with IL’s 3.75% flat rate up to $150,000. Meaning those who make less than $150K come out ahead in OH and vice versa. This is in stark contrast to every Harmon/CTBA proposed progressive tax rate.
OH has municipal income taxes, though, but those are offset somewhat by lower sales and property tax rates.
- thunderspirit - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
== T-R-U-M-P –2016!!!!! ==
Insightful window into your views of the topic at hand. Thanks for that.
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
Actually, Jack Stephans, what they supported was “raising the taxes on somebody else”. In this case, the “somebody else” just happened to be millionaires.
If the consequences of doing this would be listed, such as “should taxes on millionaires be increased even if it causes them to leave Illinois and take the jobs they create and their tax revenues with them”, perhaps the answers would have been different.
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:06 pm:
Bob:
As long as your imaginary referendum is NOT called “right to work” or “prevailing wage”.
And the referendum …..takes or removes the 1st Amendment Right to Assemble.
Conservatives are for Freedom and Libery and all about the Constitutuon.
I’m sure your good with that!
- Wow - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:16 pm:
Rauner should look at how well the Wisconsin Governor did on a national level with his anti union stance.
- illini - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:26 pm:
VanillaMan - well stated and very much to the point of this thread!
Do you think anyone in the Executive Branch in Springfield/Chicago will even stop and consider your pointed comments? And have some influence on BVR to reconsider his responsibility to the residents of Illinois, his intransigent and irresponsible one issue agenda, and his unwillingness to get out of “campaign mode” and start taking his responsibilities seriously?
People are being impacted by this stalemate ( the Simon Institute Survey on this site today, as well as other recent posts on this site ) - but I have yet to see that he gives a damn about how his actions are affecting real people ( including some of those in Southern Illinois that voted for him ).
Some of the problems we are experiencing can actually be traced back to the time when we had Republican Governors and Republicans in control of the GA - for BVR to blame MJM and JC for our problems is patently pandering and dishonest!
When are our leaders going to get their acts together???????
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
Your referendum should say:
I, Bruce Rauner, acknowledge that there is no such thing as Right to Work.
This referendum takes away a groups right to collectively bargain and negotiate their wages and benefits. This will result in lower pay and benefits for all.
Do you support lower wages and benefits?
Yes_______
No _______
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
Kasich learned only after being smacked down. If it hadn’t been for voter initiative, he would have been happy with his union busting effort. But, he did adjust to the situation. Which is why it’s ironic for Radogno to sign onto his presidential campaign
Kasich has more learning to do if he wants to be president. A few days ago, he was preaching reductions in Social Securtiy and had this nice response for concerned audience members, “Get Over It.” I don’t think seniors are going to get over it.
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:34 pm:
@AB ==If the consequences of doing this would be listed, such as “should taxes on millionaires be increased even if it causes them to leave Illinois and take the jobs they create and their tax revenues with them”, perhaps the answers would have been different.==
Actually, to reflect Madigan’s true intent with the millionaire’s tax, it should have read…
“should taxes on millionaires be increased so that we can change the provision in the state constitution for the same flat tax rate for all, thereby allowing us to eventually raise taxes on those making $100,000…or $50,000…or anyone with a pulse and a bank account.”
Madigan never intended to stop at millionaires. Much like a vampire, he needed to be invited in first before he could create higher progressive tax rates across the board. The millionaire threshold was just the beginning.
- Sam Weinberg - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:36 pm:
I generally agree with everything you said, but don’t forget that Kasich was facing the dem FitzGerald in 2014, and FitzGerald self-destructed in spectacular fashion during the campaign.
The trade endorsements don’t mean nothing, but given the state of the race they don’t mean quite as much as one would think.
- yank - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:43 pm:
Kasich is the only Republican candidate who can win the general election, if he can get the nomination . And unfortunately that’s a big if because people refuse to open their eyes and realize that there’s a real leader reading a real state in Ohio to budget surpluses and jobs. The Republican base needs to wake up and realize who is actually the electable candidate that’s running for the Republican nomination .
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:51 pm:
@nixit:
Using your logic and words, the teachers referendum should read:
Should salaries and benefits be lowered on Teachers or anyone with a pulse or bank account that features direct deposit.
Because, like you said, Bruce is a vampire and he has no intention of just stopping at teachers. The Teacher threshold is just the beginning.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:51 pm:
===he couldn’t be worse than===
I’m not saying that he is by any means, but the biggest lesson I learned under Rod was: Things can always get worse.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:58 pm:
Honeybear
Illinois used to have twice a year fitreps. It was based upon the $ size of your contribution to the officeholder / local party. Seriously, any evaluation system in this state will be hopelessly compromised by politics. Hence AFSCME’s objection to “performance bonuses” instead of step increases.
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 2:59 pm:
@Jack - Your referendum failed to provide a definitive end point. Let me guess: “…in our race to the bottom”?
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:11 pm:
I just checked Ohio’s unemployment rate, and it looks good, at 4.7%. I saw also that Ohio has a progressive state income tax, and the top rate is over 5%.
Ohio looks like it’s doing good, which again shows the fallacy that union rights don’t need diminishment for success, contrary to what is being pushed by certain very wealthy interests and their media shills.
I saw somewhere that one reason Obama won Ohio in 2012 was support from auto workers for the auto bailout. It was reported that the bailout helped save many jobs.
So say it wit’ me, y’all:
Thank you, President Obama!
See, doesn’t that feel nice?
“Kasich is not a conservative, as he proved with his massive Medicaid expansion.”
Kasich said something I really like, that when we die, St. Peter won’t ask us how small we made government, but how we helped the poor. As the Grandson of Man, who was put on earth to attest to these things, I attest that this is true.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:14 pm:
“which again shows the fallacy that union rights don’t need diminishment for success”
Oops, I meant that union rights don’t need to be diminished for success.
- Skeptic - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:34 pm:
“Kasich is not a conservative” Whether you choose to believe it or not, I suspect that fact alone will keep roughly half the voting population from immediately scratching him off the list.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:34 pm:
=Kaisich scares the crap out of me in a general against Clinton.=
If you love Clinton, the person who should scare you is Joe B in the primary!
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:54 pm:
@Grandson ==I saw also that Ohio has a progressive state income tax, and the top rate is over 5%.==
OH’s effective income tax rate is even with IL’s 3.75% flat rate up to $150,000. Meaning those who make less than $150K come out ahead in OH and vice versa. Once again, that’s compared to TODAY’S oft-maligned 3.75% rate. Not the 5% rate from last year. Nor the inevitable 4.5% coming soon. 3.75%.
All progressive tax plans are not created equal. Every plan proposed in IL has well exceeded OH’s progressive tax rates. OH’s plan sounds reasonable to me.
And did I mention OH taxes retirement income (SS exempt)? How progressive of them!
- Chicago 20 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 4:14 pm:
- Arizona Bob -
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 4:16 pm:
If you think Kasich’s recent statement about Social Security endeared him to AARP, with 35 million members who make a point to vote, you haven’t been paying attention.
- Enviro - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 4:37 pm:
Kasich is polling at 1% this week according to the Real Clear Politics website. He is viewed as a candidate who would cut medicare and social security and also one who is anti-union.
- Chicago 20 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 4:42 pm:
- Arizona Bob -”relieving schools of the prevailing wage burden…construction and maintenance workers should be paid as much as 50% higher rates”
50% higher rates? WOW that’s amazing.
Arizona Bob, what is your source for that 50% number?
My Google research found a completely different number. Back in 1997, the State of Ohio repealed the prevailing wage law for schools just as you are advocating. At that time proponents of the repeal were throwing around projected savings from 25% to 40%, but not the 50% that you have claimed.
In 2013, Bowling Green State University studied your proposal and analyzed 8,325 Ohio School Facilities Commission bids to determine what was the real amount of savings.
Impact of Prevailing Wages on the Cost among the
Various Construction Trades
http://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=construct_mgt_pub
The BGSU study found there was no “significant statistical difference”.
Not 50%, as you just claimed.
The University of Missouri Kansas City also did a study and found the same results.
The Adverse Economic Impact from Repeal of the Prevailing Wage Law in Missouri
http://cas.umkc.edu/economics/resources/prevailingwagestudy.pdf
http://cas.umkc.edu/economics/resources/prevailingwagestudy.pdf
Next time do some research.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 5:06 pm:
“And did I mention OH taxes retirement income (SS exempt)? How progressive of them!”
I’m sorry you missed my point. My point is that not stripping unions and a higher top income tax rate has not hurt Ohio, contrary to the dorm room (always a h/t to Wordslinger) ideologies of the very wealthy people and their media employees who push union stripping and tax slashing as great policies.
As far as taxing retirement income, in these harsh fiscal times I could support it, if it’s progressive or is for higher incomes. Taxing the rich alone can’t bail us out of this mess or put us on a sound fiscal path–I even heard Ralph Martire say this.
I get tired of people, including retirees, saying they’ll leave Illinois if income taxes are increased or enacted. Many lived good and great lives in Illinois, when the gettin’ was good with low state income tax rates.
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 5:30 pm:
@Grandson-I wasn’t disputing your union point. But when you say “higher top income tax rate has not hurt Ohio”, you need to put a big asterisk by that because that higher rate is not much higher than today’s flat rate (when you take the overall effective rate into account) and is much lower than Martire’s progressive proposals.
If you applied OH’s tax rules to IL today, it would be a tax cut for 94% of the taxpayers (not to be confused with the “fake 94% cut” that was put out there last year when the tax rate was 5%). I challenge you to find a progressive tax proposal that lowers taxes for everyone making up to $150K. If you do, I’ll sign it. And I bet most folks would.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 5:40 pm:
Kasich, whom I like, changed after being bashed by a 2 by 4.
Who in Illinois has a 2 by 4? I can think of some 1 by 2’s.
But nothing to cause real change.
- Mcleaniac - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 6:47 pm:
Rodogno really IS a member of the 1% .. As in one of the 1 % of GOP voters supporting kasich for pres. !
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 8:24 pm:
“(not to be confused with the “fake 94% cut” that was put out there last year when the tax rate was 5%)”
I believe this was Sen. Harmon’s constitutional amendment resolution that purported to cut the income tax from the then-5% rate to 4.9%, for those earning from $12,500 up to $180,000 per year. Those making over $180,000 would have been taxed at 6.9%. I’d prefer a few more brackets.
The cut, from 5% to 4.9% would have been negligible for many, so if you want to call it fake, have at it.
Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota have higher income tax rates than we would have had under Harmon’s plan, for those making $150,000. I have not seen any real push in the news from residents of those states to cut the tax rates.
I believe we should agree that higher income tax rates–roughly comparable with neighboring states–will not cause the damage that some say they will. After all, we were better able to pay our bills when the income tax rate was 5%, and the unemployment rate dropped substantially.
- nixit71 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 8:42 pm:
==The cut, from 5% to 4.9% would have been negligible for many, so if you want to call it fake, have at it.==
It was fake because it was based on an expiring tax rate, not because it was negligible.
==I believe we should agree that higher income tax rates–roughly comparable with neighboring states–will not cause the damage that some say they will. I have not seen any real push in the news from residents of those states to cut the tax rates.==
Perhaps, but each one of our surrounding states (except for MN) have lower overall tax burdens. Looking at income tax alone, you’d think there’s room for a hike. But factor in all the other taxes, then you quickly see IL is already taxing more than its neighbors. So then will an income tax hike lead to an equal property tax cut? Or 4% sales tax rate? Or lower anything? Highly doubtful.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 9:45 pm:
“So then will an income tax hike lead to an equal property tax cut? Or 4% sales tax rate? Or lower anything? Highly doubtful.”
I’m afraid it’s doubtful because Republicans won’t help pass a property tax freeze. I have not followed this as carefully as I should have, but wasn’t a property tax voted on multiple times? I believe Rauner recently tied the freeze to stripping collective bargaining.
Isn’t a property tax freeze also linked to Rauner’s other “turnaround” demands? It doesn’t appear that it can pass on its own.
- Arizona Bob - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 10:06 pm:
I DID my research, Chicago 20, and I used actual numbers for savings rather than gamed numbers y prevailing wage advocacy groups.
For example, according to the Bureau of labor statistics, the average rate for all electricians is $23.96/hour. According to the list of prevailing wage rates for Illinois, the required rate for electricians under the law is $44.00/hour. That’s an 83% boost in salary, even before the higher benefits are included in the equation. The actual savings need to be averaged over a larger group of rates however, but these numbers are representative of the differences.
Some will be higher, some will be lower.
If you actually read those sources you referenced, you’d find there are various reasons savings aren’t realized as they should be. One is that in places like Illinois the union bias in labor law is such that larger companies are virtually forced to unionize, and larger construction companies will be paying prevailing wage regardless of the law. In other cases, school boards that rely on union support often find ways to exclude non-union firms regardless of the quality of service provided.
This limits large savings in places like Illinois to smaller projects such as lighting replacement and technology upgrades.
Quite simply, if schools and municipalities exclude anyone paying less than prevailing wage, even if there is no law forcing it, OF COURSE you won’t show savings.
Also you have to remember that some projects are more material than labor intensive, so the savings won’t be as high. Road projects and some other public utility works fit into this category.
So who would be most helped by ending the prevailing wage law?
Schools and municipalities that spend the bulk of their capital dollars on Electrical, HVAC and room renovations and upgrades, where the contractors are often non-union and pay more like the average rather than prevailing wage rates.
If you weren’t aware of this, Chicago20, perhaps YOU should do some research and actually talk to someone with experience in the business who can teach where the benefits are.
Why would
- Chicago 20 - Friday, Oct 16, 15 @ 11:49 am:
AZ Bob-
So you believe that these academic studies are flawed and biased even though they were written by schools which your repeal of prevailing wage laws are were supposed to benefit?