52 Comments - Thomas Paine - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:23 pm: It sounds like Ives is claiming Governor Rauner is not in charge, which is just bizarre. - Pundent - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:25 pm: So what would the Jeanne Ives plan be to balance the books? And don’t tell me cut waste, fraud and corruption. - 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:25 pm: Well, she is Madigan’s favorite and this explains why. - Evanstonian - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:26 pm: Neither JB nor Madigan really wants it. JB will float the graduated income tax, but a handful of pesky lawmakers won’t be for it and they’ll fall short of 3/5s. That’ll take us to 2020 and then it’ll take at least a year plus to negotiate a new rate… And then JBP will lose re-election to the GOP nominee, the Planter’s Peanut Monocle mascot. - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:27 pm: Ives’ message is, you can get government services for free. - Perrid - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:28 pm: What? So many questions. She doesn’t think Madigan wants to destroy the State? News to me. And Madigan had a press release around the primary time where he said the DPI wanted a progressive income tax, which I’m sure in Ives’ mind means a hike. And Pritzker is a different animal than other governors, so I don’t know about Madigan still running the state (and it’s debatable if he ever “ran” the state, no matter how powerful he is). In other words, I think just about everything she said is crazy. We’ll see. - SSL - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:28 pm: Could Jeanne Ives be any less relevant? Just go away. - JS Mill - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:28 pm: She is just all over the map and should not be taken seriously. “can’t withstand another tax increase”? What we can’t withstand is another episode like we had with Rauner. Spend wisely, pay the bills. Pay the bills. Cannot be said enough times no matter how hard it is for people like Ives to understand. Ives needs to learn a new song. - NIU Grad - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:31 pm: “an influential conservative” Ooooook. Outside of being called by every news outlet continuously, did she move the needle on any races? - 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:31 pm: Once all of the bills are out in the open and the budget picture becomes clearer, it will be Madigan’s members who become more and more supportive of finding new revenue. And once they start working on a capital bill, Madigan’s members will need to vote on some form of revenue package to support the bonds. So whether Madigan himself thinks new taxes are a bad idea or not, I’m think a majority of his caucus will agree that some taxes need to go up. Could be more casinos, could be MJ, could be something else, but even if he wanted to, I don’t think Madigan can easily stop the quest for more revenue. The Democrats didn’t get elected to super majorities to cut programs. - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:31 pm: Spend wisely? Why will they start now? So much for a combination of cuts and new revenues. Did you see how much new spending JB has promised his progressive base? - Thomas Paine - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:31 pm: Ives does have a point that of the five Leaders, Madigan is the most fiscally conservative. I’d just point out to the 1% that Madigan offered them a deal to only pay an additional 1%, and they turned him down. My guess is when it is all said and done, they will look back on that decision with some regret. - ETown60120 - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:33 pm: Pritzker will not move on a progressive tax for now. He will need to create revenue Ex. legalize marijuana which can help bring$$$$ - Lucky Pierre - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:34 pm: How much of an appetite for more new taxes among many of your fellow 47th ward residents who just saw their property tax assessments go up 50% and their SALT deductions reduced? - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:36 pm: I look for the bottom rate to be 6% and go up from there. To say MJM doesn’t want higher rates is inaccurate, they want the revenue and really don’t care if some people and businesses flee the state. - Norseman - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:41 pm: Foremost in Madigan’s priorities is protecting his members and maintain power. Second is doing what he feels is best for the state. JB will need to develop a graduated rate structure he can sell to Madigan as generating sufficient revenue while not becoming politically problematic. Despite Ives belief, raising taxes wouldn’t be the problem for Madigan so long as the burden of that increase fell on the upper income folks. - Real - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:41 pm: Does she not know Pritzker was elected on a platform to implement a new graduated income tax? - Pundent - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:42 pm: =Ex. legalize marijuana which can help bring$$$$= I’ve heard Pritzker talk about marijuana and gambling expansion as two likely additional revenue sources. Even by the most liberal of estimates it won’t be nearly enough. Of course nobody “wants” a tax increase. But Pritzker will be confronted with the same reality as his predecessor - math. - 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:42 pm: Are you still here LP? Lol. In reverse order, Roskam and other Congressional GOPers paid the price for ending the SALT deduction. No one I know voted for that deficit-busting travesty of a tax cut and almost no Republicans campaigned on it. Second, if the state does this properly, we may see property taxes stabilize (assuming the state pumps a lot more money into local schools). And frankly, even though I hate to say this out loud, our property taxes are relative low when compared to the suburbs. What 47th Ward voters want are strong schools, smart and responsive government, and an inclusive political culture that addresses the inequality in Chicago. They have always been willing to pay for that. You should visit sometime LP. You’d like it. - Al - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:43 pm: Hey Lucky, if we taxed and regulated the Casino industry, rather subsiding it with Income Tax dollars, every homeowner in the entire State could get a $100 break on their Property taxes. The Common School fund needs money. The State should kick in more to find K-12. - Perrid - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:43 pm: @Anonymous, 6% for the bottom? You think they are going to set minimum wage workers, or less, up for a 6% income tax. Come back to reality. I expect 6% to kick in somewhere around $50-60k for individuals. That’a a complete guess, but it’s not alarmist baloney like your “guess” - Hamlet's Ghost - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:44 pm: I read somewhere that it will take several years to authorize the referendum, hold the referendum, and then implement the referendum. A progressive income tax cannot be part of JB’s first budget or his second budget and having it for his third budget could be a stretch. - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:46 pm: 47th, Rodney Davis mentioned the tax cuts frequently and won in spite of a bunch of college kids voting D cause they want free tuition. - 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:48 pm: ===Rodney Davis=== Next time he gets to run with President Trump on the ticket and the full impact of SALT known throughout Illinois. He shouldn’t get too comfortable in DC. Might not be there long. - Precinct Captain - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:48 pm: Madigan’s favorite republican - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:49 pm: Perrid, the minimum wage is on track for $15 hour. My “guess” is 1% higher than it is now. - Skeptic - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:50 pm: “Did you see how much new spending JB has promised his progressive base?” Did you see how much new spending Rauner promised his conservative base? What’s your point? - Arsenal - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:52 pm: ==Neither JB nor Madigan really wants it.== Hell of a thing, to take all those lumps for campaigning on a tax plan you don’t actually want. ==Why will they start now?== Because the guy who just wasted a billion dollars on interest payments and let the bill backlog explode to $16 billion is going to be in Italy? - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:52 pm: 47th, but he won and he won mentioning the tax cuts and facing all kinds of college voters from U of I and ISU. He also mentioned the unemployment rate and the high GDP. - Perrid - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:53 pm: @Anonymous, the whole point of a progressive income tax is to better target where the money is. I expect the rate to decrease or stay pretty much the same for income up to $15-20k, and then creep up. Again, I could be very wrong, but I think a literal overall increase for all income levels would be a very hard sell. - (held) Deadbeat Conservative - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:55 pm: =47th, Rodney Davis mentioned the tax cuts frequently and won in spite of a bunch of college kids voting D cause they want free tuition.= Maybe they were smart enough to know what a bad idea wartime tax cuts are. - Who’s gonna pay the ballooning national debt? - 47th Ward - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:57 pm: ===he won mentioning the tax cuts=== I heard you the first time and good for him. - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 2:58 pm: $15/hour translates to $31k annually. The new tax plan will nail the high earners but they won’t let low earners off the hook. The state needs a lot of money and when the next recession hits, they will really need a lot of juice. - Blue Dog Dem - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:00 pm: I too ,think(hope) JB will hold the line on new tax hikes. I like his ideas on reducing spending and think he’s on to something. - Moderated - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:24 pm: =He also mentioned the unemployment rate and the high GDP.= Maybe we can start paying down debt now that the GDP is so strong. - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:26 pm: Well, she is really tight with the powerful Speaker of the House, Mike Madigan. /s - Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:33 pm: The question I have in this new JB/JC/MJM trifecta when it comes to taxes, budgeting, even the progressive tax movement is how much protection will there be, what will be the cushion the HDems and SDems will have… and how much trading will JB do to get bipartisan support, helping the Dem Caucuses left-handedly, while trying to push a Capital Bill and push for legalizing marijuana. One party control doesn’t mean one party unity when tough votes to begin governing start. Are the Dems gonna sell “accomplishments” and bipartisanship, or try to cobble the needed votes intraparty, and those exposed in places like DuPage or Lake… what will be the price? - DuPage - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:35 pm: Jeanne Ives’ method of negotiating with City of Wheaton employees was to lay some of them off. She told me face to face years ago that she would abolish (not reduce, ABOLISH) teacher pensions. She out-Rauners Rauner by far. - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:38 pm: =Spend wisely? Why will they start now?= Well, with Rauner gone we may not have to spend that extra billion on interest. What do else can we save after the “fiscal conservative” leaves office? LOL - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:40 pm: HOLD THE LINE - (Braveheat style)? - Chicago Cynic - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:44 pm: “Maybe we can start paying down debt now that the GDP is so strong.” Have you met the GOP? They love to cut taxes for their donor class and put those cuts on the credit card. - Man with a Plan - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:46 pm: The fact that Ives is now described as “influential” is just disappointing. A year ago, she was unaccomplished, controversial, and insignificant. Then she almost beat a terrible Governor, and all of a sudden she has credibility. Yikes. - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:56 pm: Why does ANYONE CARE what she thinks?? - Anonymous - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 3:59 pm: Cynic, I know a LOT of middle class people who appreciate taking more home in their paycheck. See, they can can buy more things, which sends the unemployment rate lower(to an almost 50 year low) and creates strong GDP(see the last 2 quarters when consumer spending was high) - The Dude Abides - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:01 pm: @Perrid, I don’t think you are far off on your estimates on who will see a tax increase. In the past Madigan has mentioned a “millionaire tax”. That would be popular with most voters, sock it to the rich, tax someone else not me. Just increasing taxes on those, say making over $250k isn’t going to generate enough revenue to get us out of the hole we’re in. I expect individuals making $50k and families making $100k to see an increase too. I could see perhaps 3-4 different brackets in a final proposal. Our current system is regressive though and we need to do better. Making a change to a progressive system with higher taxes for a lot of people will require political courage. Lack of political courage has gotten Illinois to where they are right now. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:03 pm: ===Why does ANYONE CARE what she thinks??=== About 48% of voting Republicans “kinda” do, i guess, if she keeps them interested. McCann got 9-12% of identified Republicans Tuesday, so i look at Ives as someone who can gum up the works because Rauner allowed her, and McCann to rip apart and keep apart the GOP, Trump’s GOP or not. Ives/Proft/Uihlein want a divided GOP until it’s a monolithic GOP, believing only what they all believe. So yeah, people care. Also people like me care… to see how far they want the party ripped. - Politix - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:04 pm: Time to find a new hobby, Jeanne. You lost the primary and you gave up your seat in the house. GAME OVER. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:05 pm: ===I know a LOT of middle class people=== Illinois has 12 million+… So where in the “I know LOTS” do you fit in that 12 million+ Anecdotal stories are just that. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:08 pm: ===Time to find a new hobby, Jeanne. You lost the primary and you gave up your seat in the house. GAME OVER.=== Can’t think of a reason she should think she should. She got 48% against a sitting governor in a primary. Wishing her away won’t make it so. - Annonin' - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:14 pm: Anyone else wonderin’ how much longer this will be a platform that highlights the Commando? - I Miss Bentohs - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 4:14 pm: “… if we taxed and regulated the Casino industry, rather subsiding it with Income Tax dollars, ….” When you make these comments, please be sure to always include the horse racing industry. - lollinois - Friday, Nov 9, 18 @ 6:24 pm: == Rodney Davis mentioned the tax cuts frequently and won in spite of a bunch of college kids voting D cause they want free tuition. == Please. There was no D candidate campaigning on a platform of free tuition on the ballot, certainly not in the 13th. Davis barely squeaked by and did so due to regional realignment and help from VP, POTUS, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio. If the tax cuts were a winning issue, why did Roskam and Hultgren lose? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.