* Hmm…
The Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ asked 19 questions of the three gubernatorial candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot in an effort to easily show voters the differences between the candidates.
Only incumbent Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker completed the questionnaire.
Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey and Libertarian Scott Schluter did not answer the questions.
Pritzker answered most, but not all of the questions. Here are the three questions he skipped…
Would you favor permanently abolishing the state sales tax on gas?
Would you favor permanently abolishing the state sales tax on food and beverages?
Would you favor mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for Illinois students in the near future?
Hmm. Maybe somebody can ask that at tonight’s debate.
…Adding… He didn’t provide “Yes” or “No” answers to those questions, but he did provide some written responses…
I am open to having conversations with the General Assembly about eliminating the state sales tax on gas, but we must ensure that critical projects and priorities are not threatened due to its elimination.
Sales tax revenue on groceries is collected by the state but is distributed to local governments. None of the revenue goes to the state. My tax relief plan in effect today eliminates the grocery tax by replacing the local revenue with state revenue. Working with local government, the state should consider the possibility of eliminating it altogether.
I’ve worked hard to protect the lives and health of all Illinoisans, including students. In fact, I kept our schools open while protecting the school communities during the worst moments of the pandemic. If re-elected, I will continue to assess the best options for keeping our students safe from the spread of COVID-19.
* Pritzker answered “Yes” to this question…
Do you support Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program that provides financial support for students to attend private and parochial schools?
As you may remember, he promised to end that tax credit program during the 2018 campaign. Here’s Pritzker’s explanation…
My main focus with respect to K-12 education is ensuring that there is sufficient funding for all children to receive a quality education, regardless of their zip code. That’s why I’ve dedicated an additional $1.3 billion toward public education during my term. With assurance from the advocates for Invest in Kids that they will support increased public school funding, my budgets have ultimately included the relatively small Invest in Kids Scholarship Program.
* He answered “No” to this question: “Would you favor changing the state constitution to allow for the diminishment of public employee pensions?”…
Many Illinoisans spend their entire careers contributing money to a pension fund with a promise that they’ll get that money back. I firmly believe that’s a promise that can’t be broken.
* This was his explanation for why he opposed bringing back the state’s parental notification of abortion law…
The repeal of parental notification was essential to protect society’s most vulnerable children: minors who are victims of rape and incest, victims who are poor, and victims of physical abuse at home. Those are the women and girls who were punished by this law which could lead to pregnant teens being kicked out, cut off or forced to have a child against their will. It put undue burdens on young people who didn’t have the necessary resources, whose parent may be in prison, or who are homeless.
Discuss.
- Techie - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 10:28 am:
At least Pritzker actually answered the questions. Scott Schluter missed out on an easy opportunity for press coverage by not answering.
Still, Priztker’s unanswered questions seem easy enough to answer and wouldn’t be game-changing regardless of how he answered. Also not cool that he flipped and now supports giving taxpayer money to private schools when failure to support public schools at the state level is the main reason property taxes are so high.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 10:47 am:
Bailey reminds us, yet again, that he is not a serious candidate.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 10:59 am:
“Bailey reminds us, yet again, that he is not a serious candidate.”
But he is a major party candidate. So there’s that …
- Vote Quimby - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:09 am:
==Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey and Libertarian Scott Schluter did not answer the questions==
Maybe Bailey confused the .com and .org again (like the state fair flyover).
I agree with Techie that Schluter missed an opportunity to at least get his message out in the public… I think there is a market for a Libertarian-type party out there, but ignoring info requests from “legitimate” media isn’t helping.
- DuPage Moderate - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:12 am:
“Kept the schools open.”
He keeps repeating the lie in the hopes that it becomes true. Parents have not forgotten the reality.
- Buford - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:18 am:
Bailey was probably scared of the word “Chicago” and couldn’t fill it out.
- SWIL_Voter - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:23 am:
“Parents have not forgotten the reality.”
You’re right, we haven’t forgotten his leadership. We thank him for it. He gets pretty high marks for his responsible leadership during COVID. The numbers speak for themselves. Advocate for more death if you want
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:23 am:
“But he is a major party candidate. So there’s that …”
I didn’t know the two had to be mutually exclusive.
- Steve Rogers - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:27 am:
Sorry, 11:23 was me.
- Rudy’s teeth - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:39 am:
Bailey’s refusal to answer questions provides another example that he is not qualified to hold the office of governor. This continues a pattern of “I don’t have to answer that.”
If Bailey can’t control the narrative, he wants no part of the conversation. Leadership qualities, not so much. Visionary, not so much. This is Darren Bailey.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 11:40 am:
JB has smart answer on cutting pension benefits ’cause most believe the federal constitution protects too.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:01 pm:
To the post,
This isn’t a slam, it might read as such but it’s not.
Bailey isn’t a nuanced or policy driven candidate.
Bailey is a “vehicle”… for the alleged aggrieved, slighted, “old, angry, white” and the rural voter… they only need a vehicle through voting to feel special.
Policy tarnishes the tin, the tin sold as gold, the cult worshipping their own wallowing, looking for a vehicle to channel, looking forward too… to either accidentally win “to own the libs”… but equally looking to lose to continue the cycle of victimhood.
You answer questions, you lose the shiny tin idol, Bailey can’t afford to choose to be policy driven or be held accountable to responses.
Once you come to terms with Bailey as a vehicle, Bailey and Crew not answering questions becomes less to be angered about.
Angered, sure, I’m angry, but… I don’t identify with Bailey, his ilk, or the grifters and funders ruining Illinois either.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:03 pm:
=“Kept the schools open.”
He keeps repeating the lie in the hopes that it becomes true. Parents have not forgotten the reality.=
This isn’t a lie. Schools were mandatorily closed between March and May of 2020. During a time when there was very little known about COVID and the virus was spreading uncontrollably and there were few effective medications.
After that, it was up to individual districts. Ours was open. So,if you have a beef it isn’t with Pritzker, it is with local control.
=If Bailey can’t control the narrative, he wants no part of the conversation. Leadership qualities, not so much. Visionary, not so much. This is Darren Bailey.=
Amen. Bailey cannot handle a real conversation (something he says he wants to have). In his eyes and ears a conversation is him telling and everyone else nodding in silent agreement or giving adoring comments on facebook.
Sounds like another guy I know…
- Amalia - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:06 pm:
There used to be a time when not answering anything was pretty much a disqualified. the rules of engagement have changed so dramatically in politics.
- Dotnonymous - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:17 pm:
I’ll take any easy peasy questions that don’t require a thoughtfully true answer.
- Jocko - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:40 pm:
==Parents have not forgotten the reality.==
Like my reality of attending a Covid-19 funeral for a father of teenagers?
- Furtive Look - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:40 pm:
Nice flip-flop by JB on the public funds for private schools “deal.” As for his two opponents, guess we have to consider the non-source.
- AcademicUnionStateEmployee - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 12:44 pm:
For the record, my answers are No on the tax questions, and a Heck Yeah on student vaccines.
- WestBurbs - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 1:05 pm:
I’m troubled by JB’s flip on the tax credit for non-public school. That is a very slippery slope but (i) tax dollars should not fund (even indirectly) religious schools such as Bailey’s Christian Academy; (ii) public schools are key to building a cohesive society; and (iii) not that I think its likely but look at NY and the yeshiva school problem.
Anybody know/wants to speculate on why JB flipped?
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 1:11 pm:
Tax credit for non-public schools (whether secular of sacred). And those schools will fully comply with ADA and create needed and follow IEPs, right?
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 2:56 pm:
Bailey may not provide answers to questions, but…
“A farmer from southern Illinois? Yeah…Yeah”
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Oct 18, 22 @ 3:15 pm:
==Parents have not forgotten the reality.==
Haven’t forgotten it, and are largely OK with it. Parents largely supported Pritzker’s actions during the height of the pandemic, and have, at any rate, moved on to other things now.