* From the Democratic Governors Association…

Today, Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner again attempted to claim the mantle of job creator. The truth is Rauner has made his fortune by perfecting the art of massive layoffs and shipping jobs overseas.

Incredibly, in today’s pamphlet, he directly cites India and the Philippines as places where he wants to make Illinois more competitive. This is rich, since these are places where he himself has established companies to snatch American jobs, drives down wages and maximize profits.

Billionaire Bruce says he’s going to “travel the world” to work on jobs. Maybe while he’s over in China, the Philippines and India, he can say hello to some of his workers.

* From the IMA…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) announced its endorsement of Bruce Rauner for governor at a press conference today with the candidate at Quality Float Works, Inc., a family-owned and operated manufacturing company. The IMA undertook a rigorous endorsement process that included candidate questionnaires, a survey of member companies, and individual interviews with both candidates. The IMA became the first statewide business organization to endorse in the race for governor and has donated $250,000 to Rauner’s gubernatorial campaign.

In their endorsement, the IMA pointed to the continued economic struggles the state is facing along with the hostile business climate towards job creators. Illinois manufacturers employ 570,000 workers directly and contribute the single largest share of the gross state product. Yet, the state’s poor economic conditions have resulted in nearly 130,000 manufacturing jobs disappearing - more than 47,000 of these jobs have been lost in the last few years.

“Illinois is closing one day at a time with a quiet exodus of businesses leaving the state. We cannot afford a hostile business climate coupled with a tax and spend policy that crushes investment across our state. While you cannot blame the current administration for all the problems facing Illinois, it’s time that Illinois has a governor who is fully committed to creating a pro-growth economic strategy. We are proud to support Bruce Rauner who is the right kind of leader to turn our economic ship around and put people back to work,” said Greg Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association.

The IMA also applauded Rauner’s ambitious plan to grow jobs in Illinois. This includes a reduction in income tax rates, freezing property taxes and modernizing the sales tax structure so that we have a broad-based tax system. “In particular, Bruce’s call for a permanent extension of the Research & Development tax credit is critical because innovation is the lifeblood of manufacturing,” Baise added. “His commitment to reduce the high cost of workers’ compensation and bring long awaited tort reform - two issues that plague Illinois employers, particularly those in the manufacturing - are long overdue.”

Finally, Baise referenced the current limbo with hydraulic fracturing as a perfect example of the challenges facing business and state government. “More than a year ago, business leaders, labor unions and environmental organizations stood together and announced a comprehensive deal for hydraulic fracturing. This innovative technology will create tens of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenue. It has the strongest environmental safeguards in the nation and will reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy. Today, a full 13 months after the measure was signed into law, the State has refused to issue the final rules. They have all kinds of excuses, but at the end of the day, they have failed to get the job done.”

I’ll add more as I receive them.

* Durkin and Radogno…

This afternoon, the leaders of the Republican caucuses in the Illinois House and Senate released the following statements in support of Bruce Rauner’s Jobs and Growth Agenda:

Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont):

“The contrast in this election has never been more clear. Bruce Rauner wants to lower your income taxes while Pat Quinn wants to raise them 67%. Bruce Rauner wants to freeze your property taxes while Pat Quinn lets them rise. There’s only one candidate who has a vision to create jobs and turn Illinois into a growth economy, and that’s Bruce Rauner.”

House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs):

“Middle-class families across Illinois are struggling under the Quinn-Madigan policies of higher income taxes, higher property taxes, and burdensome regulations. Bruce Rauner’s plan offers the citizens of Illinois a new direction of lower taxes, high-paying jobs and real opportunities for growth.”

* Quinn campaign…

Below is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Communications Director Brooke Anderson following the unveiling today of the Rauner Tax by Republican nominee for governor Bruce Rauner. Rauner’s proposal emerged today after 500 days of hiding his budget from voters, over a period where he repeatedly reneged on promises for details and solutions:

“After 500 days of keeping voters in the dark about his plans to deal with the state’s structural challenges, we now have clarity on exactly where billionaire Republican Bruce Rauner wants to take Illinois: into a ditch.

“Not only did Rauner today propose a regressive tax that pushes the burden onto the middle class to preserve tax breaks for the very rich, the Rauner Tax doesn’t even remotely add up.

“Under Rauner’s policies, Illinois would face a nearly $10 billion budget hole next fiscal year, which would cause radical cuts to education, public safety and health care services. Even according to his own pamphlet, the Rauner Tax adds up to just $577 million.

“Only someone who uses elite accounting methods to avoid taxes himself would propose a tax hike on services that hurts small businesses, hits working families the hardest and doesn’t solve the problem at the same time. Only someone with nine homes would propose taxing trailer parks.

“Bruce Rauner believes that if Rauner succeeds, Illinois succeeds. But history shows that is a failed ideology and just like his proposal to cut the minimum wage, the Rauner Tax is designed to help himself.”

* Rauner react to Quinn react…

In 2009, Quinn Supported A Tax Hike Plan Passed By Senate Democrats That Would Have Applied The State Sales Tax To “Dozens Of Services.” “Democrats warned of severe cuts in education and health-care funding without a tax increase, but couldn’t muster the votes in the House for a two-year, 50 percent increase in the personal income tax. The House likewise balked at the prospect of considering a Senate-backed plan to raise the income tax 67 percent and apply the state sales tax to dozens of services. Republicans, the minority in both chambers, opposed all tax-increase plans and blamed Democrats for a new round of dysfunction made infamous during the tenure of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

With lawmakers facing the need to revisit the budget talks in coming months, post-session voting requirements will give the GOP a seat at the bargaining table. Rookie Gov. Pat Quinn, who supported both failed tax plans, said he would call legislative leaders together Monday to work on putting together a better budget than one that is ‘hopelessly out of balance.’” (Rick Pearson and Ray Long, “Tax Hike Defeated; Budget Gap Remains,” Chicago Tribune, 6/1/09)

· Quinn Testified In Favor Of The Senate Tax Hike Plan Before An Illinois House Committee. “The Senate Democrats’ 2009 income tax increase bill also included a provision extending the state’s sales tax to services, such as haircuts, that are not taxed now. Quinn testified for the bill before a House committee.” (Chris Wetterich, “Quinn, Brady Far Apart On Taxes,” The State Journal-Register, 10/3/10)

The Tax Plan Quinn Supported Taxed The Following Services (not an exhaustive list):

(5) Dry cleaning and laundry, except coin-operated (81232).
(18) Taxi and Limousine services (4853)
(12) Coin operated video games and pinball machines (71312)
(20) Motion picture theaters, except drive-in theaters (512131)
(30) Laundry and dry cleaning services, coin-operated (81231).
(37) Circuses and fairs — admission and games (7113).
(38) Cable and other program distribution (5175).
(39) Rental of video tapes for home viewing (53223).

* From the union-backed Illinois Freedom PAC…

Today, Billionaire GOP candidate Bruce Rauner held a press conference to propose 30 new regressive taxes. It comes on the heels of a bevy of news that Rauner and Rauner financed companies avoided taxes and overbilled taxpayers.

· Rauner used loopholes now under scrutiny by the IRS to slash his tax obligation. He avoided contributing a single penny to Social Security and Medicare for two straight years, in 2010 and 2011, but says he’s open to taxing retirement income including Social Security.

· Rauner was a director of HealthRev, which failed to pay $81,000 in Illinois taxes. The company also made thousands in contributions to Cook County officials after it received a multi-million dollar government contract.

· American Habilitations Services - a Rauner financed firm linked to deaths, assaults, and legal action - was cited by the state of Florida for overbilling taxpayers.

· The firm Rauner ran for 31 years, GTCR, failed to pay nearly $13,000 in unemployment taxes in 2005.

· Rauner’s current company, R8, failed to pay the state’s business license fee.

“It’s crystal clear: Billionaire Bruce Rauner wants middle class families to pay more, while he pays less,” said Neal Waltmire, Communications Director for Illinois Freedom PAC. “He already pays a lower tax rate than millions of Illinois’ middle class families, but apparently exploiting the status quo is not good enough for him.”

* From Brooke…

They are wrong about the Governor’s position. He opposes a tax on services as he stated unequivocally and spelled out, in his Budget Address this year.

“I won’t institute any new, unfair taxes on everyday services that working people rely on. It hurts working families the most to tax basic services like going to the Laundromat…like taking your child to daycare…like visiting the barber shop…or taking your dog to the vet.
We should not create a new and unfair tax burden on everyday families and the small businesses that serve them.”

http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/Documents/Budget/FY15%20Budget%20Address.pdf

* The Rauner folks point out that laundromats, daycare, barbershops and vet care - all mentioned by Quinn in his speech - are not covered by Rauner’s proposal.