* Bernie’s column focuses on some Chris Kennedy remarks at a Sangamon County Democrats’ event…
“The root of all evil in this state is how we underfund our schools,” Kennedy said. “We have terrible educational outcomes.”
He said that “every state with good outcomes” pays for education at the state level, while property taxes pay most educational costs in Illinois.
He said the system is “damning the next generation of Illinoisans, where we have massive disinvestment in education, where we’re creating an education underclass. …”
“The reason we preserve that broken system that relies on property taxes is because our elected officials are allowed to be property-tax appeals lawyers,” he said — naming the outside business of, among perhaps a few others, House Speaker MICHAEL MADIGAN, D-Chicago, who also chairs the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“That shouldn’t be allowed,” Kennedy said. “We don’t let our congressmen do that. … We shouldn’t allow our state reps and our state senators (to) do it. Until we get the dirty money out of politics, we’ll never get the dirty politicians out of government, and we’ll preserve a system that’s damning the next generation of kids in Illinois. … If you’re an elected official, you shouldn’t be allowed to have an outside job that’s adverse to the interest of the body you were elected to serve. … You shouldn’t be a property-tax appeals lawyer, ’cause you’re destroying the next generation of kids in Illinois. We can’t let that happen.”
* Meanwhile a Boston Herald columnist who appears to have no love for the Kennedy family included Chris in his latest missive…
But my favorite Kennedy story of the summer involves Chris Kennedy, the 53-year-old son of (the real) Bobby Kennedy. He’s running for governor of Illinois, but his lead in the Democrat field seems to be evaporating because he is a mere millionaire running against a guy named JB Pritzker, who is a … billionaire.
So now Chris is reduced to sounding like Eddie McCormack complaining about Uncle Ted in 1962 — whining that Pritzker (Forbes net worth: $3.4 billion) is totally unqualified and trying to buy the election.
History, as they say, repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.
Pritzker is from the Hyatt hotel fortune. His sister Penny was commerce secretary under Obama, and he was supposedly in line for a Cabinet position himself under President Hillary. But then Trump happened and, well, what did one of Ted’s sisters say about how Edward Moore Kennedy came to run for the Senate with absolutely no experience.
“Teddy had to do something!”
And now so does JB Pritzker.
- The Captain - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 11:51 am:
He keeps running a pretty effective campaign for Cook County Assessor. At some point that becomes as obvious to him as it is to us, right?
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
Gee, who is he referring to?
- walker - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
So oversimplified a diagnosis of our problems, as to be nonsense. Also false in its specifics. Kennedy is halfway to Rep Drury’s political position, without naming names.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:25 pm:
Kennedy’s campaign for Cook County Assessor presses on…
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
I agree state should primarily fund schools. What is his plan?
As has been already been pointed out lowering assessment doesn’t lower money for schools just shifts burden
And basically calling Madigan dirty sure will help
- wondering - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:29 pm:
He has cemented my support for J.B. with this. If I wanted this nonsense I would support Rauner.
- wordslinger - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
Howie Carr doesn’t like any politician but Trump.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:43 pm:
Abandon. Ship.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:44 pm:
This is so strange. A Kennedy complaining about the undue influence of money and insider dealing in politics is nothing short of laughable.
- Moe Berg - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:45 pm:
As of June 30, Kennedy for Illinois had $958,670.92 cash on hand. Since, it has reported $53,592.63 in contributions. No doubt there is some additional small dollar donations that are not yet accounted for. Wednesday will mark one month since Bill Daley took over as fundraising chair.
- Bluedog Dem - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 12:47 pm:
Kennedy has basically appropriated all of Drury’s Rebuild Illinois positions. Independent maps, term limits for leadership, no outside employment. This is so weird.
- W Flag - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 1:11 pm:
It’s not simply Madigan.
Let’s not forget that former Governor Quinn also had a property tax appeal law practice. He even accepted appeals work before the Board of Appeals (now the Board of Review) where he formerly served as a commissioner.
- blue dog dem - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 2:39 pm:
12:47 was not me.
- Anon312 - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
This stuff plays really, really well in Chicago. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t groan about their property taxes. And why shouldn’t he get points for having the courage to go after top leaders in his own party? It’s more than JB does. A little independence can go a long way.
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 14, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
wish I could have witnessed….even in print….the fight between that Boston columnist and Mike Barnicle. The columnist is also a conservative radio talk show host, so I’m guessing they have never loved anyone in the Kennedy family.