32 Comments - lake county democrat - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:41 am: Is that Sun-Times front page a hint that tronc is going to get the Sun-Times after all? - DuPage - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:46 am: Today is the day. The ship will either be steered away from the iceberg, or be allowed to crash into the iceberg and sink into a sea of junk bonds. - AnonyMoose - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:48 am: Because of the multiple comments on how jobs are fleeing Illinois I decided to look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers for the last five years. They revealed the following: 2012 - 2016 Total employment gain = 263,000. 2012 - 2016 Increase in mean hourly wage = $2.08 2012 - 2016 Increase in mean annual wages = $4,320.00 2016 - Mean wages $51,500.00. Workers’ comp claims filed with Workers’ Compensation Commission (including unrepresented claimants who settle directly with insurance company) 2012 - 44,200 2013 - 42,700 2014 - 43,700 2015 - 42,700 2016 - 39,400 These figures show the folly of the “burn it down” approach and reducing our bonds to junk status. - Roger S. - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:54 am: Only one strong legislative effort is possible and only in one direction with clear consensus. I think Jdcolomvo’s point yesterday about a complete tax revamp is the only possible solution that could generate enough revenue to slowly pull us out of this mess. The revenue presently exempt from taxes needs to taxed. Plain and simple. Is there the political will to do this. Not a chance. Not even on one side. And so, best efforts apart, I believe we are going down for the count. - Jerry 101 - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:55 am: It seems that Madigan is a better quarterback than this Mitch guy. - Etown - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:55 am: Don’t agree with Trib often but have to give them credit for calling out legislators particularly those who failed to show up last 2 days to vote on override I received emails from at least 3 of hose legislators claiming they missed their local 4th of July parades because of business in Springfield yet they failed to come to floor that day Embarrassing - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 10:02 am: Everyone agrees reforms are needed; what and how drastic are debateable. An override will be the better of the two choices today. It will be a tentative lifeboat as opposed to rauner’s anchor. It may be nasty, but I want him To lose. He needs to be put in his place. He needs some humility applied. Then we’ll see how folksy and “aw shucks” he’ll be if he sees how his wealth doesn’t buy everybody. Not all of them ’stay bought’. Live by the sword…. ah, we’ll see eh? - Stand Tall - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 10:04 am: AnonyMoose - Wisconsin added 3,000 manufacturing jobs between March 2016 and March of this year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. That amounted to a 0.6 percent gain in manufacturing employment, the 15th highest gain among the 50 states. In contrast, Illinois lost 6,500 manufacturing jobs – 1.1 percent of its total – during the same time period, placing the state 35th in the nation in terms of percentage change in manufacturing employment. Illinois is behind in percentage of gains in manufacturing to all the surrounding states as well as in income growth. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 10:45 am: =In contrast, Illinois lost 6,500 manufacturing jobs – 1.1 percent of its total – during the same time period, placing the state 35th in the nation in terms of percentage change in manufacturing employment.= Never fear - this ‘brave’ budget will surely draw those jobs back to Illinois by raising the corporate income tax. Oh…wait…. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 10:48 am: Yes, we are losing manufacturing jobs as is the entire county. But the trend for the last five years that Illinois has added TOTAL jobs and wages have gone UP significantly. Will we ever get those manufacturing jobs back? Work comp claims and claim costs are going down. (again documented by statistics) Probably not without a shift toward a whole new way of manufacturing. This will require skilled end educated workforce which much of this state lacks. The state should not be held hostage by arguments that are not supported by data. - AnonyMoose - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 10:57 am: The fact remains that jobs are growing and wages are up. The focus needs to be on developing a well educated and skilled workforce. That what brings jobs and higher income. That won’t happen unless education is a priority. - Highland Il - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 11:16 am: A Bill Black comeback!?!? - AnonyMoose - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 11:25 am: During 2012 - 2016 Illinois had a 31,900 jobs in Computer and Mathematical jobs - a 32% increase. Wisconsin had a 8,920 increase in the same jobs - a 9% increase. In Illinois the mean hourly wage for these jobs is 30.04 an hour. In WI it is $26.71. These are the jobs of the future - not the ones that have already been outsourced. They require an educated workforce. - just sayin' - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 12:03 pm: Are Dems really going to walk into this trap? Are they really going to save Rauner’s reelection campaign? Helpful hint: when Rauner says he’s doing all he can to stop the override but yet all of the same Rs are still going to vote to override, you know you’re being scammed. Rauner wants you to override his veto. All of the R tax increase voters would fold if Rauner was really telling them to fold. He’s not. I thought Madigan’s team was sharper than this. Or is there really something to the old saw about Madigan not wanting a D governor? - Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 1:16 pm: Rich- Rauner, according to a report in the Pantagraph, did attend Trooper Albin’s service today in Farmer City. https://tinyurl.com/y95h2d5c - Montrose - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 1:23 pm: I am wondering if there will a new traffic record on Cap Fax today. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 1:38 pm: Yes to a Bill Black comeback! (Hope that e.p. Is allowable.) - Justan Observer - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 1:51 pm: Wow… male escorted out in handcuffs… reported possible hazmat situation after (unconfirmed) a female dispensed white powder substance near Governor’s office… dial it down, folks. Condemn all violence, and condemn all threats of violence. No matter where it comes from. Remember — there are unhinged folks out there. On every side of any issue. Dial it down. - btowntruthfromforgottonia - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 2:50 pm: Skillicorn is just oozing class on Twitter right now. Hey Allen,shut up. - illini97 - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 2:59 pm: “Allen Skillicorn@allenskillicorn What is the bigger threat to #IL ? The suspicious white powder at the Capitol or Madigan’s #taxhikes and #JunkBudget ?” Stay classy, Representative. This is where we are in political discourse. - Mama - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 3:11 pm: - AnonyMoose - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 9:48 am: = AnonyMoose, thank you for sharing IL’s “good news”. - Mama - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 3:18 pm: Does anyone know what time the House’s override session is? - brooki462637139 - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 3:22 pm: Hi there, I want to subscribe for this webpage to get most recent updates, so where can i do it please assist. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 3:22 pm: ===Lawmakers threw up some food for some people here=== Ew, gross. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 3:30 pm: 47th- Thanks for the giggle:) - Mama - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 4:18 pm: Rep. Tim Butler, the personal income tax only goes from 3.75 to 4.95. That amount will not break the bank. You are my representative, and I’m telling you to vote for the people in your district. Vote for the increased income tax. Thank you. - RNUG - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 4:26 pm: == Or is there really something to the old saw about Madigan not wanting a D governor? == Or maybe there was enough of a revolt in the rank and file to push this through, and the politics started to line up with the math. - Three-Finger Brown - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 4:30 pm: The Republicans are citing that Moody’s report despite an obvious lack of understanding in regards to what the report is saying. In no way did Moody’s say “we will downgrade you if you pass this budget”. But that seems to be their takeaway. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 5:10 pm: What exactly does Blaise consider the “middle class”? - kennith16d - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 5:59 pm: This site definitely has all of the information and facts I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask. - Mama - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 8:02 pm: Rich, thanks for keeping us in the loop. - adrienebehrends - Thursday, Jul 6, 17 @ 11:37 pm: Asking questions are genuinely nice thing if you are not understanding anything completely, except this post offers good understanding yet. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.