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Pritzker refuses yet again to talk details about his tax plan

Thursday, Apr 5, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

Democratic candidate for Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker, is promoting his plan for a progressive or graduated income tax, but is declining to provide specifics.

When questioned Wednesday by WJBC’s Sam Wood, Pritzker was vague about taxes during the two years he says it will take to amend the state constitution, which is required to enact a progressive tax that forces the wealthy to pay more.

Pritzker pledges to reduce the tax burden on the middle class.

“Lowering the tax burden is the goal by lowering the tax rate that they might pay on income taxes, and also, very importantly, lowering local property taxes, which are so regressive,” Pritzker said.

* Raw audio…

* Aside from his refusal to lay out his tax rates or say which income levels will pay higher rates, the other problem with Pritzker’s argument about making the wealthy pay more state taxes is this…

The returns also showed that in 2014, [JB Pritzker and his spouse] paid no state income taxes after taking nearly $150,000 in tax credits for research and development, as well as for property taxes and educational expenses.

Even 10 percent of nothing is still nothing for someone with a smart CPA.

…Adding… From the interview…

If we create jobs, we’re gonna add revenue to the coffers of the state of Illinois because we’re gonna bring new jobs online so people will pay taxes. Businesses will grow, they’ll pay taxes. That’s a great way to do, to bring revenue into the state without raising taxes at all. And that would be my goal, of course. You know, nobody wants to raise taxes.

Um, OK. He’s said time and time again that he’ll pay for his proposals by raising taxes.

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Ballyhooed Dem ekes out a win over “stealth” candidate

Thursday, Apr 5, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is quite remarkable…

Two weeks after voters went to the polls, one of two Democrats vying to take on Republican Cook County Board Commissioner Timothy Schneider in November has declared victory in the primary, after counting of the last provisional ballots showed he was 12 votes ahead.

Barring any last-minute hitches before the county election results are certified Tuesday, Kevin Morrison, of Elk Grove Village, will advance to face Schneider, chairman of the state GOP and an ally of Gov. Bruce Rauner, in the fall.

Democrats figure Schneider, a third-term commissioner from Bartlett, could be vulnerable. Hillary Clinton won 57 percent of the vote in his northwest suburban district in 2016, compared with 37 percent for President Donald Trump.

“The status quo isn’t working for our families,” Morrison said in his statement declaring victory in the primary.

I don’t mean that Morrison’s win was remarkable. Just the opposite. The guy had support from several unions and some prominent locals…

Morrison won endorsements from Elk Grove Township Democratic Committeeman Ted Mason, Wheeling Township Democratic Committeeman Mark Walker and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th).

State Central committeeman Mike Cudzik also backed him.

* Morrison was up against an opponent who produced kinda weird campaign videos like this one…

Don’t laugh, Ravi Raju almost won, even though the Trib says he “only raised $3,000 and ran something of a stealth candidacy.”

Raju skipped editorial board endorsement sessions. Just 232 people “liked” his campaign Facebook page. His campaign website’s “blog” had just one brief post (from April of last year, no less).

There was this…

Raju had the backing of Palatine Township Democratic Committeeman Matt Flamm, who state campaign disclosures show was his campaign fundraising committee chairman.

If the Democrats want to beat Schneider, they’re gonna have to first figure out what went so horribly wrong with Morrison.

…Adding… It turns out that Raju has taken GOP primary ballots the last two cycles…

And yet he still almost won. Morrison was obviously over-confident. A mailer or two highlighting this voting record would’ve sufficed. Oops.

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