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Monday, Sep 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Remember when Gov. Rauner dodged questions from Amanda Vinicky last year about President Trump? “Focus, Amanda. Focus.” Well, the exchange is now a new JB Pritzker TV ad…

* From the Pritzker campaign…

Bruce Rauner applauds Donald Trump as he gives a tax cut to corporations and the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, tries to dismantle healthcare, and puts forward a nominee to the Supreme Court set to end a woman’s right to choose. This failed governor thinks this president is doing a great job, but for some reason can’t focus long enough to tell Illinoisans if he voted for Trump in 2016.

* The Question: How would you rate this new TV ad? Don’t forget to explain.

59 Comments

Brady says term limits “probably wouldn’t have any effect on the tenure of Mike Madigan”

Monday, Sep 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More from Rick Pearson’s WGN Radio interview of Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady…

Brady: The people want a change. They want Mike Madigan to leave office, frankly. They want term limits. In tying Democratic candidates to [Speaker Madigan] it really resonates. I mean, look at this, we go back to this example where three Democratic challengers against three of our candidates are running term limit ads on Mike Madigan and yet he still had the ability to force them to pull those ads. Because that’s what he wanted and people are tired of that dictatorship that they believe has put Illinois into the position that we’re in. He is the pivotal point of what people want to see different in Illinois. And that’s one of the reasons my candidates - John Curran, Tom Rooney and Mike Connelly - are for term limits. I’m for term limits. Bruce Rauner is for term limits. They believe more power should be given back to the people.

Pearson: But, I mean you’ve had a lengthy tenure in the Legislature.

Brady: I have.

Pearson: And even if we adopted a term limits amendment, it wouldn’t take effect for years.

Brady: It probably wouldn’t have any effect on the tenure of Mike Madigan, but it would stop future politicians from ever having that type of reign in Illinois government.

He’s probably right, of course. He’s just off-message.

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Pritzker responds to mileage tax accusation

Monday, Sep 10, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we discussed last week, I’ve been wondering when JB Pritzker was finally going to respond to two different ads (by Gov. Rauner and the RGA) about a mileage tax. And here it is…

I watched a couple of football games Sunday (ugh, those Bears will kill me one day) and I saw the new Pritzker ad four times, but I only saw the original Rauner spot once and have yet to see the RGA’s ad.

Anyway, what do you think of the ad?

…Adding… I suppose it’s what definition you have for “propose,” but I disagree with this take from the Rauner campaign…

Hey, Rich-

Actually, Pritzker did propose a VMT, emphasis added:

Charging gas taxes based on how many miles people drive instead of how much fuel they burn could pump up revenues to help fix Illinois’ roads and bridges, Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker told the Daily Herald editorial board.

Called a vehicle miles traveled or VMT tax, it’s an idea worth exploring, the billionaire Hyatt hotel heir said in a Thursday interview where he also pushed for a graduated income tax, but gave few specifics.

…

“In some states (such as Oregon) they have done tests recently for a VMT tax because we have more and more electric cars on the road, more and more hybrids, and because gas mileage is rising. It’s only fair if you’re on a road and traveling on that road that you should pay your fair share,” he said.

A VMT tax “is something we should look at … we have to careful how it gets implemented and that’s why it should only be a test at this point.”

How is that a proposal?

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