* The Daily Herald’s Sunday editorial…
A primary argument of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative supporters of a graduated income tax is that we can trust them. We can trust them to use additional money it would generate to shore up the state’s finances. We can trust them not to use it to come up with new ways to spend money. We can trust them not to use the new system to regularly increase income taxes.
By May 3, we will have a good idea of just how seriously we should regard their word.
May 3 is the deadline for the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing a referendum on creation of a nonpartisan commission to draw legislative boundaries, replacing the highly politicized process now in place. If they miss that deadline, the state will not have a chance to address the issue until the next U.S. Census in 10 years. […]
Support for change from the public and within the legislature is clearly strong. Only three people stand in the way of action. Democratic Speaker Mike Madigan decides what legislation gets voted on in the House. Democratic Senate President Don Harmon has that role in the Senate. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has repeatedly claimed to support a new redistricting process, has the prestige and influence of his office to move legislative leaders of his own party.
Not one word in the entire editorial about the international pandemic and how that might impact the deadline.
*** UPDATE *** Some of the sponsors are attempting to dampen expectations…
The General Assembly has a May 3 deadline to vote on the Fair Maps Amendment, which would ask voters in a November referendum to approve a state constitutional amendment that would put redistricting in the hands of an independent commission.
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, a Glen Ellyn Democrat and co-sponsor of the bipartisan bill, said momentum had been building, but priorities have shifted.
“This is my No. 1 priority, but I also have to focus on protecting people’s lives, making sure there is food supply, that businesses can keep running,” she said. “That is the highest priority that we as legislators have right now.”
Co-sponsor state Sen. John Curran, a Republican from Downers Grove, agreed.
“I am very hopeful that we will be back and be able to put this matter before the voters. It is very important,” he said. “And if we are back and able to do that, we will also have known that we turned the corner on this pandemic and flattened the curve.”
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:06 am:
When your editorial leads with a correction box …
“This editorial has been updated to correct the name of Illinois Senate President Don Harmon….”
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:07 am:
The DH just cut employee salaries 15% due to COVID, so they know some things have changed as a result of the epidemic.
- efudd - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:08 am:
Priorities, fanaticism.
Sort of like McSweeney Mcsqueeling for a 25% cut in taxes.
People like that, you couldn’t have a conversation about Native American pottery w/o them turning it back to their diatribe within two minutes.
- Wire Tap - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:14 am:
The fair maps conversation is another in a long-line of talking points used by Republicans in Illinois because they run poor candidates who can’t win. When their efforts to beat Madigan consistently fail, they try to find some new angle. Do you think Republicans in places like Alabama are talking about fair maps? The Republicans in Illinois need to get their act together, stop brainwashing groups like the League of Women Voters and focus on winning elections. Until then, stop coming up with these fairytail notions that this will finally fix all corruption. Even better, make this a national effort and let all states play by the rules.
- walker - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:17 am:
Followed up today in the DH, by another front page story, and a guest column by Senator Bush.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:19 am:
Let’s be very-very clear.
The noise and idiocy of this “worry” during a global pandemic, a pandemic that now will not see any normalcy to June 1st according to a White House that wanted Easter as a day of renewal…
… the seven legislators that make up the Hateful Eight when paired with the President sent a letter about taxing because cutting taxes saves lives, and that lunacy will stick with them long after a normal is found.
So why am I walking this around the barn?
When editorials are “concerned” trolling because the concern ignores the greatest danger, it’s a point to remember that when this ends, those pushing lunacy by ignoring *your* health or your family, your friends, the health of society, the Editorial Board here cares less about people, and more about ideology or policy than people, and aren’t really concerned about the well-being of… anyone.
I am still waiting for that legislator… where is that ONE legislator willing to go stand behind that podium to push this agenda too.
Don’t write a letter, that’s foolish enough, no, follow the governor’s update and tell me that *you* are going to hold the feet of the Governor and fellow legislators… as others are scrambling to find ventilators, or hospital beds, or calling to find staff to help… get up there and tell *me* that the progressive income tax is critical… use this editorial, make that point.
Show me who you are.
Thing is, if ya wanna play politics, ok, let’s play some politics. Health care is arguably one of the biggest “have or have not” policy divides out there. You wanna make a point during a pandemic that the top 3% need a break when it seems only the 3% can get tested, get the attention of society during this pandemic? That’s the argument, that the 3% deserve more of a break then they might be getting with the flat tax?
Let a newspaper bloviate, let them troll those sick right now, the leaders trying to save lives.
Let the Daily Herald decide how time should be spent, ‘cause “we can walk and chew gum” is now, doing two, three, many things thing, with one goal, to save lives… so, c’mon legislators, hold that presser. Here’s your editorial. Don’t waste the chance to let me see who you are.
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:20 am:
Tone deaf. Yes. On the other hand, regular stuff still needs to get done. Some things can be put on hold and some can’t. This issue can wait but for this deadline. So they should at least be finding a way to move that, if possible. If not, it will be up to voters to decide if letting the deadline pass was excusable given the ongoing crisis. Good leadership deals with crisis effectively. Great leadership also gets business done while doing that.
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:25 am:
It continues to amaze me how tone deaf some people are being right now. Other than a state budget, there is one priority right now - one.
- Lucky Pierre - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:41 am:
Not doing anything to restore faith in Illinois government and bashing the Federal responses to Corona Virus are the others
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:48 am:
=== This issue can wait but for this deadline. So they should at least be finding a way to move that, if possible.===
Nope.
You wanna move it, “if possible”…
Show me the possible.
Use your words.
- Big Jer - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:50 am:
It is somewhat surprising to me how the Daily Herald has moved to the right or right of center politically recently, or maybe they always were and I just did not see it.
They have a columnist, Jake Griffin, who IMO in his more political columns especially concerning taxes clearly leans conservative/rightward politically. He comes across as DH’s political watchdog but his anti tax bias is obvious. So my sense it is when it says the article was written by the editorial “board” it was written by one person, Jake Griffin. Outside of Griffin I like the DH as it does a decent job remaining politically neutral while covering the news in NW Illinois
Of the northwest illinois newspapers I still will read the DH website more than the NW Herald, which has editorials written by people who align with the Illinois Policy Institute.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:52 am:
Oh… I wanted this all alone.
=== Good leadership deals with crisis effectively. Great leadership also gets business done while doing that.===
During a pandemic… *your* concern for good leadership right now isn’t the saving of lives or marshaling all that is needed and warranted, including our energies… but *adding* to it “because progressive income tax”?
Wow.
You’d think saving lives would be a good measure, but… wow.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:55 am:
It really says something about wealthy interests who are so obsessed with not paying a modest amount more in state income tax that this would be written in the middle of a pandemic. All the more reason to vote for it.
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:56 am:
So sue me. I have high standards.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:57 am:
=== So sue me. I have high standards.===
Tell that to the victims, not me.
Thanks for doubling down. Good to know
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 9:58 am:
==I have high standards==
And a complete failure to grasp our current situation.
- efudd - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 10:14 am:
“I have high standards”
As a rule, people with high standards don’t feel the need to publicize them.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 10:23 am:
===May 3 is the deadline for the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing a referendum on creation of a nonpartisan commission to draw legislative boundaries, replacing the highly politicized process now in place.===
Now to this, very specifically, outside the progressive tax.
71 and 36
Before a global pandemic, there was NOT… 71 and 36… let alone now.
That fact, and trying to then make an argument to the progressive income tax… and trust.. while people are trusting that the governor and the state are trying to save lives…
I’m going to trust folks dedicated to honestly save lives during a global pandemic, versus an argument that the Daily Herald needs to make, but doesn’t have the votes… it’s moot… the votes weren’t there, the votes aren’t currently there… the progressive tax initiative on the ballot is there. Pointing out the differences will only help the CA
- Demoralized - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 10:31 am:
We’ve been told that the worst is yet to come. Even the President has now accepted that as evidenced by his extension of federal guideance to April 30.
It’s been determined that the General Assembly can’t legislate remotely. So those pushing for this are willing to risk the lives of members of the General Assembly and their staff by telling them they want them to come to Springfield. These people don’t have public health as a priority when that should be our only priority right now. It’s selfish and it saddens me that some still don’t get it.
- All this - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 10:50 am:
===So my sense it is when it says the article was written by the editorial “board” it was written by one person, Jake Griffin.===
Daily Herald doesn’t make finding members of the editorial board easy, but scrolling through the staff directory(you’ve never seen a whiter group of people) they mention John Lampinen, Diane Dungey, Colin O’Donnell, and Jim Slusher. Jake Griffin wasn’t mentioned.
Mr. Griffin does seem to have an ax to grind. It would help if when he rants about principals’ and judges’ pensions he would remember they put money into their retirement too.
- Southern Skeptic - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 10:59 am:
This was a ridiculous editorial for a time that does not exist.
Repeat after me: the legislature will not meet in regular session before May 3. That’s it. So everything else is irrelevant.
Sorry, but the amendment is dead. Morte. Finito. Done. It was always a long shot. Not it’s a no shot. Find another way. Because of all of that, we’re way, way, way beyond tone deaf with this silliness.
BTW, I support Fair Maps. But this is just dumb.
- Annonin - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 11:00 am:
“Not one word in the entire editorial about the international pandemic and how that might impact the deadline.”
Also not one word about what their Illinois looks like after they get their way? Competitive elections means what? Are taxes lower? higher? You can write your lists. For instance it is well known that a few folks have held cushy, six figure gigs for decades pushing this stuff. TTFN? Or can they land elsewhere?
Most of this silly talk refers to gerrymandering and ignores the need to comply to with the Voting Rights Act.
Keep in mind the DH has virtually ignored state house coverage for several years.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 11:09 am:
=== It’s been determined that the General Assembly can’t legislate remotely.===
I remember Rich’s QOTD, along those lines, and heck, I said “sure, with one member of each caucus in Springfield” because, well, “why not” do that… because the reality is… it’s impossible, it can’t be done. Period.
- ajjacksson - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 1:06 pm:
“…cushy, six figure gigs….”
I must be in the wrong line of work.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 3:31 pm:
=== I must be in the wrong line of work.===
You might. But you only have one soul.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 3:40 pm:
To the update;
=== “This is my No. 1 priority, but I also have to focus on protecting people’s lives===
Someone typed that. That’s just ridiculous.
*Even* with this pandemic, the number one priority is… maps?
I’m throughly “excited” that you “have to focus” on people’s lives, you know, outside your number one priority?
Did anyone read that sentence and think…
Maybe a lil more emphasis on people’s lives, not have it as a “focus” outside the map?
“This is my No. 1 priority, but I also have to focus on protecting people’s lives”
Number one priority.
“As the year began, fair maps had been my top priority, my number one priority, but I’m squarely focused on the health and safety of those in my district and Illinois.”
=== “And if we are back and able to do that, we will also have known that we turned the corner on this pandemic and flattened the curve.”===
Probably, arguably, a real smart pivot to make quite clear… pandemic first.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 3:46 pm:
To be fair…
=== “That is the highest priority that we as legislators have right now.”===
Don’t bury the lede.
That was my point…
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Mar 30, 20 @ 4:53 pm:
I see no legal reason that they have to wait 10 years to redraw a map.
If a map is approved in 2002, why can’t a new map be adopted in 2004 under a revised Constitution?