28 Comments - Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 1:56 pm: The IPI has money from the union-hating anti-tax billionaires, but Pritzker and his allies also have means to push for a graduated income tax. But first things first: Will the IPI have the effect of stopping a CA from passing in the House? How many Democratic nay votes will there be in the House? There is a tiny but very important margin for error. House Democrats can afford to lose three votes and still put the CA on the 2020 ballot. That’s great, given how hard the former governor and his allies campaigned on taxes. - wordslinger - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:02 pm: Ricketts, Uiehlein, or both? - Truthteller - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:05 pm: If they can block a progressive income tax, their founders will get a big return on their investment. - Annonin' - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:11 pm: Finally Capt fax sharing in the moolah bein’ P*’d by this Koch Brothers front group. Congrats. We watched them toss millions at the TV stations and pile up loss after loss. Now they see the quality of Capt Fax Blogapalooza and load up. Wonder when the Tribbies will figure out this source of cash? xe ns - curtis - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:12 pm: So in other words, about less than half of what Pritzker spent each day during his campaign, oh and IPI spent that in a month… https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/pritzker-spending-207000-a-day-on-gov-race-swamping-rauners-83000/ If he’s willing to, the Gov can buy up the airwaves for a long time and swamp out IPI. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:15 pm: Make sure you hang on to those G’s, Rich. - PublicServant - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:16 pm: Give Illinois voters a chance to vote on a progressive income tax structure. If IPI is ramping up spending, make them and the Koch Brothers Exhibit A in why it’s needed, because if the Koch Brothers are against it, I need nothing more in order to vote yes on the constitutional amendment. - illini - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:18 pm: Recently I attended a Town Hall meeting put on by my three GOP members of the GA. Most all of those that attended were convinced that anyone making over $16,000 would be paying more tax under a graduated or progressive tax. But keep in mind this is a very heavily Republican area in Southern Illinois. Facts and details, be damned, these guys were playing to their base and parroting the misinformation being passed on as “facts.” - City Zen - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:19 pm: Just a fraction of what Fight Back for a Better Tomorrow has spent over that time frame. - DuPage Bard - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:22 pm: They can spend whatever they want, it’s not changing the outcome in the General Assembly. House has 3 votes to give Senate has 4. If they think this won’t pass, be signed by the Governor and put on the ballot, they’re crazy. This is probably just the initial warm up to the fight for the next 18 months, once it’s in front of the voters. Looking at that list those aren’t real hits yet by IPI. By next summer the ads will be a lot stronger. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:26 pm: IPI finally has a reason to exist now that Janus is over and Rauner is gone. They must be ecstatic. Bring on the Rickett’s cash. - Father Ted - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:43 pm: I’m not defending or condoning IPI in any way, but if they have a campaign running against the progressive income tax, wouldn’t it be logical that their ad spend is up? - G'Kar - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:48 pm: I didn’t need to click the link to look at their FB ads, as they are constantly popping up, unwelcomingly so, on my FB feed. - Norseman - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:53 pm: I’m glad they’re giving you ad money. But when it says IPI, it gets ignored. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 2:56 pm: @Illini There is only 1 tax rate bill (HB 3522) and it increases taxes on everyone making more than $17,000 per year. If the rates are different, show them. - wakeup - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:00 pm: patch through robo calls statewide also. - illini - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:04 pm: @Anonymous@2:56 - Get a name and I might respond. - Pick a Name - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:14 pm: If, and that is a BIG if, Jay Robert and crew honestly put it out for a vote with accurate info, I’m not sure it will pass. Because many in the middle class will likely see their taxes go up. All taxpayers are skeptical since the “families will see a savings of $2500 a year on their healthcare plan” and “if you like your doctor….” - Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:15 pm: ===Because many in the middle class will likely see their taxes go up.=== If that’s the case, then it won’t clear the GA. - Medvale School for the Gifted - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:16 pm: And it shows. The IPIGOP is far better at propaganda then the Democrats. Anti-progressive tax hits are front and center, followed by the mileage tax. These are the same kind of people who can make Trump look good. And let’s not forget that Dan Profft and Jeanne Ives are making the Lincoln Day circuit. The IPIGOP really stinks at governing, but they excel at propaganda and making people feel like victims. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:18 pm: ===I’m not sure it will pass. Because many in the middle class will likely see their taxes go up.=== Then the GA members who passed it… to get on the ballot… should be real worried too. Knowing that, you think the GA wants to put out something that they thought would pass, with those rigid numbers for all to see? Narrator: It won’t make it out of the GA. - PublicServant - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:23 pm: ===All taxpayers are skeptical=== Says you, lol. - wordslinger - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:32 pm: –All taxpayers are skeptical …– Must be a heavy burden, speaking for everyone. - City Zen - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 3:44 pm: “if you like your doctor….” …your doctor will pay more in taxes. Even if you don’t like your doctor, he/she will pay more in taxes. - Demoralized - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 4:25 pm: The Illinois Policy Institute is free to waste their money however they wish. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 4:26 pm: Frankly, Rich, I think you nailed it in your column this week. Who’s their stopper? Without a friendly governor or chamber head, they’re hoping Mark Zuckerberg can at least slow things down. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 4, 19 @ 4:33 pm: Magic dots improve the conversation…watch out…they’re infectious! O.W. is a carrier! #ImitationFormFlattery - Notorious RBG - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 3:31 pm: I got a robocall from IPI a few minutes ago asking if I knew that Democrats and JB Pritzker want to raise income taxes on families making as little as $17,000 year. Can’t wait to file that complaint report with the AG’s office, since I’m on the federal do not call list and the robocalls get extra fines. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.