Costello, Bristow highlight conservative votes
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* BND…
Recent moves by two metro-east Democratic state representatives who are facing Republican challengers in November’s election could be seen as listening to constituents’ concerns as well as political expediency.
Last week, state Reps. Jerry Costello II, D-Smithton, and Monica Bristow, D-Godfrey, voiced support for bringing back the death penalty in cases beyond doubt where a firefighter or police officer is killed, or there is a mass murder. […]
Bristow and Costello also recently voted against legislation that would allow for a mechanism to temporarily take someone’s guns away if they’re deemed dangerous. On Tuesday, they voted against a new version of a proposed gun dealer licensing bill. […]
Bristow and Costello on Tuesday also participated in a news conference where a bipartisan group of legislators objected to taxpayer-funded abortions being included in the state budget. Rauner signed a bill last year to provide state-mandated health insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions. […]
Costello also has not endorsed anyone for governor and doesn’t know if he’ll formally back any candidate. He was not present when Democratic legislators from the metro-east formally backed Pritzker in December
One area the two disagree on is a progressive income tax. Costello is strongly opposed, but Bristow voted for Speaker Madigan’s resolution in support of the concept yesterday.
* From Rep. Bristow’s Republican opponent Mike Babcock…
“Rep. Bristow’s first session as a lawmaker is wrapping up and we know that she wants a pay raise for legislators and higher taxes for working families. Bristow just voted in favor of a graduated income tax hike crafted by Chicago democrats. She has shown time and again that when Mike Madigan asks for her help in sticking it to taxpayers, she follows along. Enough is enough - let’s grow our economy instead of raising taxes and cut spending instead of passing unbalanced budgets every year.”
* As I told you yesterday, Democratic Rep. Natalie Phelps Finnie, who is also a Tier One target, voted for the progressive income tax resolution. From her Republican opponent Patrick Windhorst…
“Over 30,000 people fled the state of Illinois last year because the financial burden of living here is too great. Rep. Phelps Finnie just voted to make the tax burden even greater on our working families. Raising taxes, again, on the middle class and those just trying to get by in Southern Illinois is fundamentally wrong. When Rep. Phelps Finnie takes our voice to Springfield and uses it to echo Mike Madigan’s tax-raising agenda, Southern Illinois loses.”
- Al - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:52 am:
The Progressive income tax idea is being pushed by lobbyists paid indirectly with monies from the profitable Liquor Warehousemen and Casino license holders.
The $99 dollars Standard Income Tax Deduction does not provide enough tax relief to even buy three servings of rice a day for a year. Taxing Liquor at the rate charged by Washington State would bring in $500 million a year.
The Casino licenses are held by Hotel Gaming corporations based in New Jersey and Reno, Nevada. The annual export of a billion dollars a year destroys ten thousand jobs a year.
We need leadership and statesmanship, not more W2 wage slave taxes to subsidize the profitable Liquor Warehousemen and Casino licensees.
- Collinsville Kevin - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:58 am:
Am I the only Democrat who hopes that Little Jerry loses?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:09 am:
===The Progressive income tax idea is being pushed by lobbyists paid indirectly with monies from the profitable Liquor Warehousemen and Casino license holders. ===
Somebody needs a nap.
- illini - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:24 am:
@Kevin - you are not alone. But I do not live in his district.
Although it has lost some of its stranglehold on Metro East politics the St Clair County Democratic Party is still a formidable force and Jerry Jr. is its anointed seat holder. Same was true for his father.
I am still trying to figure out how to derail the Jason Plummer Express in my District.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:24 am:
-Somebody needs a nap.-
Perhaps they are Ambien blogging.
- BlueDogDem - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:47 am:
Collinsville. Eventually you will see the light as old Blue has done and become an independent. Free of the trap of partisan politics wherein one or two freak,billionaire power hungry elitists jam their beliefs down your throat. Jerry represents his constituents. Not Madigan or Rauner. We need more like him.
- SaulGoodman - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:56 am:
**The Progressive income tax idea is being pushed by lobbyists paid indirectly with monies from the profitable Liquor Warehousemen and Casino license holders.**
I wish… can you send some of those contracts over to me?
- Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:02 am:
For all you who hope he loses, realize that the people have continued to elect these reps. They are likely to still win.
I’m sure their opponents are full Raunerites. Let’s not take our eyes off the ball. I live in Costello’s district. I disagree with his refusal to endorse Pritzker or his refusal to support a progressive tax that would overwhelmingly aid, not hurt our district. The alternatives are way worse.
- anon2 - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 11:52 am:
Legislators who favor a graduated income tax could pledge not to vote for a proposal that raised taxes on any families making less than, say, $200,000 a year. It’s doubtful that $200,000 is considered middleclass in Godfrey. It’s instructive that opponents don’t address the substance of the graduated tax, instead knocking down a distorted straw man.
- Al - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
SB1 was passed with a big push by Propublica lobbyists. They were paid by the Chicago Civic Club’s Executive Committee. The committee was chaired by the chief casino lobbyist in the state and at the bottom of the alphabetical members list composed of depository institutions was the $400 Liquor Warehousemen monopoly company.
Wake up and smell the coffee already.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 12:18 pm:
===SB1 was passed with a big push by Propublica lobbyists===
Are you into the Q conspiracy, too?
- NorthsideNoMore - Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 4:24 pm:
To bad more Ds dont vote independently like JC 2. Monica , vote your district