* Press release…
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was asked following his address Wednesday at the City Club of Chicago about the state income tax rate. Given misleading headlines and mischaracterization of the Speaker’s comments, the following clarifies his long-held position:
As I have stated for several months, and as I stated in my address to the City Club today, when it comes to solving the state’s budget deficit, I believe we need to take a balanced approach that includes a combination of new revenue and reductions in state spending. A cuts-only budget, as the governor proposed earlier this year, would severely cut medical care services for the elderly, the disabled and struggling families, would hurt middle-class families and would do more harm than good. That’s why we need a balanced approach.
We have no plans to advance legislation to change the income tax rate, and I am committed to working with the governor to develop a budget that provides for a balanced approach to solving our budget deficit.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 6:21 pm:
I’m sure the Tribbies are rushing to amend their editorial pages ‘extra-extra tax hike special’ for tomorrows paper right now.
Talk about a gift to the GOP. I’d say that was an unforced error on MJM’s part.
- How Ironic - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 6:23 pm:
The above anon comment is mine. I apologize for the error.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 6:34 pm:
It’s not an error if it’s true.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 6:54 pm:
It will be up to thd Governor and the Governor’s Office now to propose a budgetary solution with no revenue increases.
I wish them well.
- Chemical Riverside - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:06 pm:
His statement makes perfect sense. I would think any rational person, conservative or liberal, would agree.
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:11 pm:
A gaffe is when a politician speaks the truth. Madigan was correct, of course. But it was a large tactical error.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:22 pm:
The superstars didn’t see this coming? They thought dat ol Democrat Party would be fixin to raise the taxes for the welfares?
Lightweights.
The governor has the Big Chair in Illinois.
Big Jim and Edgar have tried to tell Rauner that.
For Christ’s sake, what did he think the job was all about? Tweets about where he went to lunch?
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:23 pm:
I do not remember the Governor proposing a cuts only budget. His budget was not balanced.
- Tone - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:25 pm:
Illinois is a sinking ship. Higher taxes will sink it quicker. Losing population, slowest job growth in the country, anemic GSP growth.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:38 pm:
To the Post,
In what is considered one of the most historic days in Chicago City political history, and given the fact that protests shut down streets again, and Twitter feeds are lined up hours after the Emanuel speech and protesters are sending Vines of people marching including for a very brief time in the Thompson Center itself…
… why even respond to your own remarks, today, when even in “tomorrow’s firewall protected E-lec-tronic newspapers”, the lead, the story IS Rahm Emanuel.
If anything, today IS a day you say things like Madigan did, and if you need to clean it up, it can sit for a day.
National news is all over Chicago, the local news cut in for Rahm’s speech, covering it live and the discussion after, and the marchers after, and the.. and the… and the…
Why clean up today? Why force the issue more with more discussion… today?
With all due respect to a jam-packed City Club luncheon and the “historic” guesting of Mike Madigan, years from his last appearance… with respect…
… Television stations are still talking “Can Rahm survive?” Reporters are camped out talking to protesters.
The third largest media market in America is engulfed in today at City Hall, not the speech at the City Club.
Why drag this story along more?
If anything, tomorrow’s cycle will “wake up” to remarks, and then release a response, to fresh eyes and fresh thoughts. It’s baffling to me to drag this out tonight when making it fresh tomorrow is really answering a bell that people might pay attention to as opposed to focusing on why, today, the “rebuttal” to an erroneously premise of a report, because today’s soup is prepared, being consumed, and thd remarks, even misguidedly covered, will be day-old bread tomorrow anyway.
Well, it’s done. Now we’ll see if the speech, Leader Radogno’s Remarks, and the Speaker’s Clean Up really hold attention long enough, until another Tweet about Rahm hits the stream.
- The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:45 pm:
Sorry Senator Radogno, the Democrats won’t be the only ones owning the coming increase in tax revenue.
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:02 pm:
-OW-
Completely agree. A mistake was made, it was lost in the shuffle of today’s other news, and the Speaker feels compelled to make a formal statement, drawing more attention. This is not the Speaker of old. Too many mistakes along the way, and while the public may not see it, the insiders certainly do.
- greaat view - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:03 pm:
Oswego–I was in Chicago today–at best it was roughly 500-800 people protesting–many young. I think most Chicagoans are starting to tune it out. They don’t like Rahm and are starting to not like the disruptive protesters. Media makes it appear bigger than what it really is.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:10 pm:
- Lincoln Lad -,
This can be rectified just by issuing this starement again, tomorrow, with more remarks.
If anything, your interpretation of mistakes, only for insiders to see, really dosen’t mean a hill of beans.
If anything, your self-described mistake is that Rauner and Radogno and Durkin will need to figure out revenue or wear the jacket for cutting services.
You do realize your self-described mistake is putting the Raunerites and Radogno and Durkin on notice “Good luck, governors own, you can’t find your government, so… I’ll wait to hear your thoughts Rauner, Durkin and Radogno.”
That’s not a mistake, that’s real, that’s December 9th, that’s failure of a governor that Edgar said governors own.
All Madigan did was confuse the soup issuing this today…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:12 pm:
- great view -,
===Media makes it appear bigger than what it really is.===
You do realize that’s the whole point; media paying attention.
While your “great view” seems swell, 2,5,7,9 Fox Local… they had wall to wall coverage and Twitter is still going on and on about Rahm.
Your great view has blinders on…
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:13 pm:
The crowds today were larger than earlier crowds, and the fact that they are mostly young should trouble city hall.
These are not the crowds of a Senator Meeks or some other established leader who plays by established rules. Like the feudal lords of old, they capture a prisoner, hold him for ransom, treat him as a guest until the ransom is paid.
These youngsters are not looking to cut a deal. They do not play by the old rules. And they are not going away.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:22 pm:
Eventually, this is going to blow over. It may take a while, but come the next Chicago mayoral election, this will be nothing that Rahm has to worry about.
As far as Madigan is concerned, why is it an error to correct misinformation that is being published by the press? I think he wants to be in the record as being willing to talk about taxes, but it will be the governor who will propose them.
- The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:42 pm:
In a nutshell this is why we don’t have a budget. The GOP doesn’t want to own the budget cuts but they don’t want to own the tax increase either. Let the people to are dependent on state services suffer long enough and the Democrats hopefully raise taxes on their own. The GOP will only participate in sharing the political burden if the Governor’s list of demands, the turnaround agenda, is met. Some of those demands that they are insisting be met are aimed squarely at Democrat voting constituencies.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:12 pm:
–Illinois is a sinking ship. Higher taxes will sink it quicker. Losing population, slowest job growth in the country, anemic GSP growth.–
Tone, your thoughfulness and insight are always brilliant.
Just like when you go on Crain’s comments and call Rich a “union hack.”
- The obvious - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:29 pm:
I’d say the media reported Madigan’s comments correctly. Maybe the Speaker should speak to the media more so he can get more practice.
- blue dog dem - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:42 pm:
The RAuN Man still has the biggest hostage of all in his arsenal, and that is Chicago and CPS. I do not think for a minute that he wont throw either/or to the wolves if he doesnt get something.
- cannon649 - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:53 pm:
Rahm has the national media against him, including some of the libs. He has a lot of enemies.
He is guilty of a cover up before an election.
A full accounting of the hush money is needed.
An apology is not near enough.
PS it is not working.
- Tone - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:10 pm:
The whole city council should resign as well. Throw in Madigan and Fullerton for good measure.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:37 pm:
Is that Fullerton Avenue? Fullerton Woods? How does a street resign?
- Tone -, you must have a lawn the size of a football field…
… and no one is on it, lol
- walker - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:02 pm:
Tone: OK! Everybody we elected or appointed goes away in a cloud of dust. And then what?
It’s hard to tell just what positive solutions you might favor.
- Lincoln Lad - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:12 pm:
The Chicago TV coverage I saw ran with “Madigan wants to raise state income tax to 5%, the highest rate ever in Illinois”.
That was the story, and teeing that up through his comments today was a mistake. That is the message the voters got tonight; they won’t likely see or hear the rest. (Other than when Rauner says it in a follow up interview).
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:17 pm:
===Other than when Rauner says it in a follow up interview===
Rauner will have 67 GOP GA members “green” for, what could arguably be, the largest tax increase in Illinois history… and Rauner will sign the Rauner Tax to fund his state agencies, before its too late.
That’s the long game that Rauner touts;
Massive tax increase, signed by him, voted “green” by the GOP GA.
- walker - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:19 pm:
Chicago is the national media/Hollywood’s symbolic “America’s City.” We’re in more tv shows, and more dystopian sci fi action films than anybody else. YDD is on it. The protesters are starting to shift from those who work for a better Chicago, to those who want a national stage to make great sweeping statement. This might go on and on regardless of what Rahm et al actually do. We shall see.
- Chris Robling - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 7:51 am:
Really simple question: ‘How much do you think taxes should rise?’
Really simple answer: ‘Start where we were before repeal of the temporary hike, go up or down from there as you will.’
Why does Speaker Madigan’s reply require exegesis?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 7:59 am:
- Chris Robling -,
You do realize that Gov. Rauner’s sumbitted budget outline required revenue to balance… right?
What is going to be exciting for me is Gov. Rauner cutting the budget with his continued dismantling of social service, a zeroing out of state universities budgets, continued pension payments being missed, while “holding the line on income taxes”.
Now, Rauner owning that, instead of funding his own state agencies, higher education, social services, and payment of debt, that will be fascinating, lol.
- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 8:37 am:
Of note:
The AP story running in the morning news did not include Madigan’s follow up comments.
- Skeptic - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 8:38 am:
Today’s Troll-of-the-Day award goes to…[drum roll please]….Tone! Congratulations!
- Keyrock - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 8:41 am:
Madigan spent an entire year trying to make Rauner own the tax increase in the public eye. He didn’t destroy that all in one day. But he undercut his narrative. Sure, his quote was taken out of context. But he should be a pro at this. It was an unforced error — (even if Chris Robling was trying to force it).
- Anonin" - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 9:02 am:
Seems like the most telling element is the failure of the SuperStars to comment and AWOL Durkie.
Guessin’ they figured out they too will be at the big dance if there ever is a big dance.
- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 9:07 am:
MAdigan was kind to Rauner, pointing out where Rauner had wanted additional spending while not demanding his Turnaround Agenda be approved.
Went right over the head of AP and the other media.
- Political Animal - Thursday, Dec 10, 15 @ 11:13 am:
Pretty hilarious stuff.
“I support raising taxes, but as the leader of the majority party and Speaker of the House, I will not advance legislation to do so.”
Who owns this budget stalemate? The one not even willing to put pencil to paper.