* Gov. Rauner was asked yesterday for his thoughts on the new federal tax changes, particularly the limitation on deductibility for state and local taxes…
That’s gonna hurt a lot of middle class families and higher income families. That’s gonna push more employers out of the state. That’s gonna hurt job creation. That’s gonna increase the cost of living for the people. So, it’s punishing in that regard.
The governor was asked repeatedly over the past few months to weigh in on the tax bill and refused to take any real public stance. If he truly believes the SALT provisions are “punishing,” maybe he should’ve said something earlier?
* Tribune…
The governor also repeated his belief that the state and local tax deduction limit could give a boost to his call for freezing property taxes and rolling back a state income tax hike.
“It’s punishing in that regard,” Rauner said of the tax limitation. “That’s why it’s so critical that we get the reforms done that I’ve been advocating.”
Rauner said in the interview that he was in Joliet on Wednesday, but the governor’s office listed no events on his public schedule. He has not been out in public since the week before Christmas.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Response…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
You know what they say: even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Yesterday, in a radio interview, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said what vulnerable House Republicans Reps. Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Mike Bost, and Rodney Davis have been unable to admit: the GOP tax scam is going to hike taxes on middle class families and homeowners across Illinois.
Let’s go to the transcript […]
But it’s not like Rauner broke news. Over the holidays Illinois families across the state were scrambling to prepay their property taxes to avoid getting slammed when the GOP tax bill goes into effect next year.
The GOP Tax Scam guts the deduction for State and Local Taxes, which nearly a third of Illinoisans take advantage of for an average deduction of over $12,000.
Bruce Rauner finally got something right: the GOP tax scam is going to hammer middle class families and homeowners in Illinois. The only thing he left out: this November, voters are going to take it out on Reps. Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Mike Bost, and Rodney Davis.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Ives campaign…
On Wednesday, Governor Rauner called the new federal tax law “punishing,” criticizing a $10,000 cap on deducting state and local taxes. State Representative Jeanne Ives, a Republican Candidate for Governor released the following statement in response:
“The reason Illinois families are ‘punished’ by the $10,000 cap on State and Local Tax Deductions is because the guy who ran on reform in 2014 didn’t do anything about Illinois’ tax burden. He actually made it worse.
“Families in this state pay the highest property taxes in the nation. Governor Rauner did nothing about it. If Illinois put hard cap on property taxes, like Indiana, then more Illinois families would qualify to keep more of their income under House Republicans tax reform plan. Further, more of those same Illinois families could afford more home and expect a real rate of return on their investment. This prospect is virtually eliminated in Illinois where the median property tax rates as a percentage of home value is nearly 2.5 times that of Indiana.
“Governor Rauner is talking about freezing property taxes. Well, again, Illinoisans pay the highest property taxes in the nation. Why would you want to lock that in by freezing them? We need to lower property taxes. I am advocating a property tax cap that will force state government to remove itself “from initiatives it has proven poor at managing, and to properly fund K-12 education.
“According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, 80% of American families will see federal tax relief from the GOP tax cuts. Rauner is simply trying to out-#NeverTrump J.B. Pritzker. In substance and in rhetoric, Rauner is once again allied with Rahm, Pelosi and Schumer and against the Illinois GOP congressional delegation and Illinois GOP families. Another betrayal.
“The truth is, Governor Rauner failed to hold the Illinois Republican caucus together, and 15 Republicans voted to inflict a massive income tax hike on the already struggling families and businesses of this state. In Washington D.C., President Trump unified the Congressional Republican caucus to pass tax reform that will provide relief to most Americans. I may not agree with everything President Trump does, but I want to see him succeed. And can recognize it when he does. Bruce Rauner is out trying to sell a success as failure, and failure as success. It is little wonder Illinois Republicans can feel they can no longer trust the man they elected in 2014.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Hmm…
- City Zen - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:41 am:
Thatsa lotta gonnas.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:43 am:
==rolling back a state income tax hike==
Somebody needs to ask him how he intends on realistically balancing the budget then.
- illini97 - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:47 am:
So, a Republican Governor says a Republican tax policy passed by a Republican Congress and signed by a Republican President is going to kill jobs?
Maybe that Republican Governor could have called his contacts in Washington and made his thoughts known before the policy was voted on. Maybe having a Republican Governor is doing nothing to create jobs in Illinois and it’s time to look at alternatives.
November 2018 will bring a chance to put that alternative option into place.
- Sonny - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:47 am:
He’s always a little late to the ball. Just ask those social service agencies that went under while he was seekin opportunities for two years.
Granted, he doesn’t read the papers or watch the news, or direct his eyes at political cartoons, so maybe he wasn’t aware people had some concerns about the GOP tax plan.
- Generic Drone - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:47 am:
Like Rauner cares about the state of Illinois.
- Keyrock - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:48 am:
The governor was off message. He forgot to Blame Madigan.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:49 am:
Question–is this an attempt by Rauner to pivot towards the middle?
- Roman - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:50 am:
Obvious follow-up that should have been asked by a reporter but probably wasn’t: “ governor, did you call Peter Roskam, an Illinois congressman who chairs one of the tax law-writing committees, and expressed to him that you thought this was bad for the state of Illinois, and if you didn’t why not?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 9:58 am:
Rauner should just run as a Democrat and be done with it.
lol
Raunerism won’t be saved by turning on the National GOP.
Rauner and Trump. That’s who Rauner has as his partner.
- Pundent - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:02 am:
=Question–is this an attempt by Rauner to pivot towards the middle?= Hardly, this is nothing more than acknowledging the obvious which Rauner could have done months ago. But every time the question of SALT came up he said nothing.
To the extent there’s a “pivot” it will simply be in the form of the rallying cry for more “reforms” and less “Madigan”. Hardly a pivot too me.
- People Over Parties - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:05 am:
He ain’t wrong.
- DeseDemDose - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:06 am:
Remember all the Republicans, Roskam especially, that voted to limit your property tax writeoff…
- zatoichi - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:09 am:
Rauner seems to have a lot of ‘what should of happened’ opinions after some event. Kinda light on influencing those events to happen his way.
- TominChicago - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:11 am:
Whoever runs against Roskam in November should thank Rauner for this soundbite.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:17 am:
A real leader would have come out with this statement prior to passage by the GOP congress. A real leader would have met, called or written to the GOP congressional delegation opposing this bill. Then again, we’re talking about Rauner, not a leader. We need to vote this guy out of office and get somebody in charge who will lead.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:24 am:
Would Rauner support establishing a payroll tax work-around of the SALT deduction limitation?
== For example, Illinois now imposes a flat income tax of 4.95%. Of the next $100 I earn in wages, $4.95 will go to the state and $95.05 will go to me (before federal taxes). Now imagine if instead the state imposed a 5.208% payroll tax on employers. My employer would pay me $95.05 and then pay 5.208% x $95.05 = $4.95 to the state. ==
https://medium.com/whatever-source-derived/repeal-of-the-salt-deduction-for-income-taxes-might-not-raise-a-cent-7fb44eb590fb
- SAP - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:25 am:
Whoever it is who is in charge around here should have spoken up a month ago.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:27 am:
So did Rauner make any calls to any GOP Congressmen in this state to tell them to vote no? If not, why not?
- Sue - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:28 am:
Even discounting SALT- the new rates and expanded brackets are great for most people. The people most effected by SALT limits given the newly increased standard deductions are fairly well off. This is all BS crying by people who voted for HRC
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:32 am:
==This is all BS crying by people who voted for HRC==
Yeah. I’m sure Rauner voted for HRC. lol
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:43 am:
I believe Rauner wants Illinois to turn into Kansas circa 2015. That is the only plausible answer for Rauner and his followers. They have. Anew PAC called Americans for Failure.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 10:48 am:
==The people most effected by SALT limits given the newly increased standard deductions are fairly well off.==
Aren’t those folks generally cited as “job creators”?
==This is all BS crying by people who voted for HRC==
The subject of this article is the Republican Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner. He is the one who is calling the SALT changes “punishing”. Now, granted, he previously “applauded” the process, but still. Do you think he voted for Clinton? If so, that’s pretty big news!
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:01 am:
Mr Rainer. 1 Million dollar homes are not middle class. That’s more money than 90% of Americans. If you really think the middle class make enough money to afford 1 Million homes you are truly out of touch w reality.
The tax bill approved by the conference committee allows taxpayers with existing mortgages to continue to deduct interest on a total of $1 million of mortgage debt for a first and second home. For new buyers, the $1 million limit drops to $750,000.Dec 16, 2017
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:03 am:
“SUE” Thanks …..finally somebody tells these folks running off at the mouth about SALT.
- Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:08 am:
I am having trouble following the logic here.
Republicans are in trouble because some wealthy people will pay more in Federal taxes. Democrats who voted against these middle class tax cuts won’t suffer any consequences.
Democrats at the state and local level who voted for record tax increases on muddle class people are also in no danger, it is only the Governor who is in trouble.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:38 am:
==I am having trouble following the logic here.==
“It’s punishing in that regard,” Rauner said of the tax limitation.”
I didn’t find that too difficult to follow.
- City Zen - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:46 am:
Lucky - The bill also included a provision prohibiting corporations from deducting expenses associated with sexual harassment settlements (aka the Weinstein Tax). So don’t try to follow the logic here.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:47 am:
===I am having trouble following the logic here.===
Better check in with the mother ship.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:48 am:
==I am having trouble following the logic here.==
SALT is a real issue for some but the real problem is that Congress decided to throw diamonds at the wealthy and big corporations, and throw peanuts to everyone else (temporary peanuts, I might add). Thats is why everyone dislikes this tax bill. Sue and anyone else here can go on all day about why we should all just be happy to get what little crumbs we were given by Roskam, but it ain’t gonna help. Even my trump supporting, hannity watching, Breitbart reading family members are angry over this tax bill and no amount of “gee, this is maybe a bad deal after all” from Bruce is going to move his numbers now. Too little, too late
- Skeptic - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 11:50 am:
LP: The R’s aren’t in trouble because a few wealthy people will pay more in taxes, they’re in trouble because a whole lot of wealthy corporations will be paying far less, shifting the burden to the (Freudianly termed) “muddle class.” The State D’s aren’t in trouble because they (and many of us, and unlike the Governor), wanted the bills paid.
Meanwhile Gov. “I’m Not In Charge” says nothing for months and only criticizes a bill after it already passes. And you wonder what the logic is?
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:06 pm:
==I am having trouble following the logic here.==
I understand your problem. Governor Junk spends the year whining about property taxes, but bricks any bill that would freeze them. Then he “applauds” a federal bill that would make said property taxes somehow more expensive. Then, once the bill is passed, he says it “punishes” Illinois. He’s made your job of incessant cheer-leading very hard.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:19 pm:
Once again, this governor is dead wrong. This bill will be a jobs creator. How many jobs has ‘he’ created in his life?
- Sue - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:19 pm:
Lester- guess none of your relatives own stock?
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:20 pm:
This is fodder for Democrats. Rauner once again failed to stand up to Trump, and they increased your taxes kind of thing. Rauner failed to stand up to Trump on racism, ACA repeal, massive tax cuts for the wealthiest and other issues that are popular with Democratic voters. These are among the voters Rauner needs to court to win again.
More proof that this governor is AWOL and not in charge. It’s almost like he supports the Trump agenda.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:25 pm:
What is the percentage of Illinois residents who itemize?
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:28 pm:
It amazes me that ‘progressives are worried about higher taxes, when by their own admission, they are for a progressive state income tax. Maybe a ‘math’ wizard can help me differentiate the difference.
- Jaded - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
Someone should ask Biss how he fares under the new tax code. I’ll bet pretty good.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:51 pm:
“they are for a progressive state income tax”
Lots of voters supported the millionaire surcharge. I support a shift in the state-to-local tax burden to pay for education. I would like to see the highest earners pay a higher state income tax, and try to seek property tax relief that way, as opposed to the Rauner way, which is to slash worker rights, wages and benefits as as the primary way to get relief.
That and legalizing the devil’s cabbage. Jeff Sessions wants to bloody put a stop to that. I don’t think it will go very well.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:55 pm:
==It amazes me that ‘progressives are worried about higher taxes, when by their own admission, they are for a progressive state income tax. Maybe a ‘math’ wizard can help me differentiate the difference.==
Doesn’t take a wizard. A progressive tax makes the Rauners and Pritzkers of the world pay more. That’s OK, they can afford it. Making property taxes more expensive makes everyone who owns a home pay more. Some of those folks can afford it as well.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:55 pm:
*can’t afford it as well.
- Jaded - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 12:58 pm:
Guess I would have lost the bet. He paid no federal income tax in 2016. Kinda surprising that a guy who makes a little over $70k as a state legislator owes no federal income tax but it would be hard to do better than owing zero!
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:06 pm:
==Lester- guess none of your relatives own stock?==
Own stocks, are you kidding? These are poor white southerners, living in the foothills of the Ozark mountains. No they do not own stock. They get up and go to work every day, hoping their employers don’t decide to move their jobs to Mexico and wishing for jobs that offer a 401k plan. These are the “forgotten people” trump promised to look after, the ones just now realizing they’ve been snookered by yet another republican. The people that are supposed to be happy with their temporary 2.3% tax cut before it goes back up in a few years, while big-shot lawyers and hedge fund guys enjoy their 18% cut forever.
Although I do thank you, as your question has reminded me of the fact that fully half of the stock in publicly traded American corporations is now owned by foreigners. I imagine all those folks in foriegn countries will be well pleased with the big benefits they will be receiving under the Roskam tax-scam bill.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:08 pm:
Arsenal. If only a third of people who file itemize. And the new brackets assume a $10k deduction,really, how much dough are we talking about. And most ‘progressive’ income tax increases reach much further than the 1.4%ers. Seems to me this is just another hypocritical political partison talking point.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:15 pm:
Lester. I know 17 USW who are estacic by the lower tax rate and the $1k bonus they received. Just sayin..
- Arsenal - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:20 pm:
==If only a third of people who file itemize. And the new brackets assume a $10k deduction,really, how much dough are we talking about.==
Well, obviously enough for Rauner to be worried about it.
==And most ‘progressive’ income tax increases reach much further than the 1.4%ers.==
And a lot more than the top 1.4% can afford it, too.
==Seems to me this is just another hypocritical political partison talking point.==
…he said, commenting on a story about how the Republican Governor of Illinois is criticizing the policy in the exact same terms the supposedly hypocritical progressives use.
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:22 pm:
I view Rauner as a ‘progressive’ wannabe.
- JoeMaddon - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:29 pm:
**Kinda surprising that a guy who makes a little over $70k as a state legislator owes no federal income tax **
Read more. Did you see what his income was in 2016?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 1:41 pm:
==Lester. I know 17 USW who are estacic by the lower tax rate and the $1k bonus they received. Just sayin..==
I don’t doubt that a bit, I’m sure there are even more folks at other big companies like Comcast and American Airlines that are happy to get bonuses. But it doesn’t offer a lot of help for the truck driver, the wal-mart cashier, the receptionist at a doctors office. A 2.3% cut for 5 years is nothing to sneeze, of course, but I think many realize how much more good could have come from that 1.5 trillion bucks if they’d have targeted it differently.
Then again, who knows? Maybe the supply-sliders are right and the economy will catch fire and all the manufacturing jobs will come back from China and Mexico and everyone will get big raises. It could happen. It probably won’t, but it could.
- Sue - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:18 pm:
Lester don’t know where you get your info on US stock holdings but your full of it. More then half of the US market is owned by US private and public pension funds
- ughhh - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:42 pm:
– Own stocks, are you kidding? These are poor white southerners, living in the foothills of the Ozark mountains. –
This statement is just so false, I dont know where to begin…
- Ron - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
I am excited about my massive tax cut. I’ll save about $15,000 in federal taxes this year. Not too shabby. Still will vote against Donnie in 2020.
- Ron - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 2:50 pm:
That’s if the Con is even around anymore.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:01 pm:
Ron(Rahm). Are you announcing your candidacy?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:10 pm:
==Own stocks, are you kidding? These are poor white southerners, living in the foothills of the Ozark mountains. –
This statement is just so false, I dont know where to begin==
Excuse me, you’re an expert on my family? Are you calling me a liar about where my family lives? Or are you calling me a liar over their ethnicity? Or are you calling me a liar over whether or not they own stocks?
Let me tell you pal, you got a lot of nerve questioning me over this.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:39 pm:
Run Jeanne. Run.
- CrazyHorse - Thursday, Jan 4, 18 @ 3:56 pm:
Trump’s Tax Bill is simply “Eye of the Beholder” stuff. If we’re being honest and a person is neither rabidly pro- or anti-Trump they’ll let their bottom line tell them if it was a good bill.
If the voters in the listed Reps districts get soaked then they’ll vote accordingly. I’m of the belief that if (as in my tax situation) you end up a couple of thousand bucks ahead you’re not going to revolt because some rich guy made out better than you. I could be wrong but that’s just how I’m seeing it.