State Solutions, an issue-advocacy organization affiliated with the Republican Governors Association, released a new television advertisement today in Illinois, highlighting Governor Bruce Rauner’s push to balance the budget, reform government and grow jobs.
“The broken ideas of the ‘Duct Tape Dynasty’ - higher taxes and more spending – got Illinois into this mess, but Governor Rauner’s budget plan offers real reforms to fix Illinois now,” said State Solutions spokesman Jon Thompson. “Governor Rauner is working hard to enact a balanced budget that grows jobs and supports the middle class, not the political class.”
Pritzker said that he opposed a property tax freeze, a favorite Rauner talking point, saying local communities should make that decision.
Hat tip to a Democratic operative for finding that one.
* As I was preparing this post, an ILGOP e-mail landed in my in-box…
Today the Illinois Republican Party released a new ad targeting J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan for using a corrupt, insider property tax system to benefit themselves at our expense.
Pritzker is under fire this week for claiming that a Gold Coast mansion is uninhabitable, slashing his tax burden by 83% and taking a quarter million dollars in property tax breaks and refunds.
The ad mirrors a Republican ad [click here to see it] used by Rep. Mike McAuliffe’s campaign in 2016 to defeat a heavily financed Madigan-backed challenge from Merry Marwig.
In a state house district that voted for Hillary Clinton by an 8-point margin, Rep. McAuliffe won re-election by 12 points.
Both ads combine three lethal hits to any Democratic candidate in Illinois – Mike Madigan, Chicago corruption, and abuse of the property tax system at our expense.
* So, I followed up with the state party and asked for a response to Pritzker’s reported Oak Park comments…
It is almost unimaginable that after J.B. Pritzker played an inside game to slash his property taxes by over $250,000, he would oppose freezing the property taxes of middle class homeowners. He’s proving that he’s a billionaire Chicago insider who plays by a different set of rules as everyone else.
*** UPDATE *** I forgot to post this, which I retweeted yesterday…
Started asking 6 hrs ago to speak to @JBPritzker (as I did yestdy too) no word onwhen/if he will react to property tax questions #ILGov18
Pritzker’s real estate attorneys Schmidt, Salzman and Moran contributed more than $25,000 in campaign donations to Assessor Berrios. Pritzker initially said “I’m unaware of that.” But when it was pointed out that was reported Monday by WCIA TV, Pritzker added “someone brought it up for the very first time yesterday.”
You can’t say you’re unaware of something when you were specifically asked about that very same thing the day before.
