* Individual taxpayers aren’t the only ones upset with Gov. Quinn’s tax hike plan. Business is furious…

“If this plan were passed, Illinois would have the 5th highest corporate income tax rate in the nation, though we would be close to tied for second. Illinois at 9.7% would be surpassed only by Iowa at 12%, Minnesota at 9.8%, Pennsylvania at 9.99%, and DC at 9.975%. (All three of these states have graduated taxes, but the rates shown are the highest rate for that state.)

“This, in combination with lost incentives, would be one more reason for employers to look elsewhere to avoid Illinois’ long‐standing anti‐business climate.”

* Speaker Madigan was noncommittal…

“I would say that before we move forward on any tax increases, Illinoisans want to know how we’re going to clean up Illinois government,” said influential Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, in an interview with a downstate public television station.

* Senate President Cullerton was more direct…

“With an $11.5 billion deficit, it’s very likely there will have to be a tax increase,” said Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat.

* The other Democratic statewide officials were, predictably, less than enthusiastic…

“If taxes are needed to raise more revenue, I’m deeply worried about hurting the middle class, who are struggling,” said [Attorney General Lisa Madigan], the daughter of the House speaker. “And so all steps should be taken to make sure that their taxes aren’t increased.”

Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who is exploring a bid for the U.S. Senate next year, said that if the public is asked to “make more sacrifices” in paying higher taxes, “property-tax relief is essential.” An aide to Comptroller Dan Hynes, who also is looking at moving up the political ladder, called the budget plan “a starting point.”

Secretary of State Jesse White, who is looking at running for a fourth term, noted Quinn’s call for higher fees on motorists and said, “Within my [driver’s licensing] facilities, I have a disclaimer to remind the people that I didn’t do it.”

* The Sun-Times makes a forceful case…

This page has already expressed support for Quinn’s deeply unpopular income tax increase.

No one wants it, but Illinois needs it desperately. For years, state revenue has not matched expenses — and not simply because of reckless spending.

* Zorn smacks down Rod Blagojevich’s recent criticisms…

But for many years, Blagojevich had been running up a tab at Café Illinois without having the money to pay for it—using budget gimmicks and deferred payments to disguise that the state was spending and creating financial obligations lots faster than money was coming in.

“He was maxing us out on our credit cards,” said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a tax-policy watchdog organization. “He never fixed the structural problems that are compounding this current economic crisis.”

In a WGN-AM 720 interview Wednesday, Roosevelt University political scientist Paul Green compared Blagojevich to an arsonist who sets a house ablaze then complains from the safety of the sidewalk that the firefighters are wasting water.

* And Kristen McQueary blasts the GOP…

Opposing tax and fee increases is the cornerstone of their 2010 campaign strategy.

This stock quote House Republicans sent to the media on behalf of state Rep. Renee Kosel (R-New Lenox) captures exactly what I mean:

“While it is true that Illinois is facing one of the largest budget deficits, turning to taxpayers to get us out of this mess is not the answer. I was hoping that Governor Quinn would have the courage to abort the tax and spend policy of the Blagojevich administration. We need some accountability for the state programs already in existence. We need to re-evaluate, to go back to the table and ask ourselves which state programs are worth funding and which could be eliminated,” Kosel said.

If all we need to do is “go back to the table,” why haven’t legislators done that at some point during the last year as the budget crisis mounted? Instead, they wait for the governor to offer solutions to the state’s problems, and then they excoriate him?

* Democratic Sen. Michael Frerichs does a good job of summing up the no-won situation that Democrats find themselves in here…

“Give me a scenario this year where a Democrat in a tough district wouldn’t be sweating it out,” Frerichs said. “Would I be sweating making billions in budget cuts? Would I be sweating if we were voting again on a gross receipts tax? Would I be sweating if we were talking about expanded gambling at a time when gambling revenues are weak? To those concerned about Democrats in tough districts sweating it out I say, what sort of budget would be easy for us to pass this year? Every month you see declining revenues coming into the state, you realize that this isn’t going to be easy.”

* Republican Rep. Chapin Rose gets a bit hyperbolic, but his response was not atypical…

Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, credited Quinn with coming up with a funding source for his spending plans.

“Unlike Rod Blagojevich, who just came up with ideas to spend more money but didn’t suggest ways to pay for it, at least we’ve got a funding source on the table,” Rose said, “but after looking at the (income) tax rates and all the tax increases proposed, the average Joe isn’t going to have anything left for his family to spend after this. The Democrats continue to fail to control spending.”