* The mansion “issue” is such a red herring…

Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford kept his plans for pension reform and the state’s income tax rate close to the vest Sunday, but he did make one vow Springfield residents should like.

Rutherford, a Republican from Chenoa, said during a stop in Springfield to announce his gubernatorial candidacy that he would live at the Executive Mansion if elected the next governor of Illinois.

Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar and George Ryan all lived outside the mansion at one time or the other. It makes no difference. You can be a good governor and not live at that mansion.

* More…

As for the state’s pension crisis, he said there were elements of the dueling reform plans passed in the House and Senate this spring that he liked, but he declined to say if he supported one over the other.

Rutherford also did not rule out extending the state’s income tax increase, which is scheduled to expire at the end of 2014.

“Let’s put (the income tax rate hike) on the table and negotiate the whole thing out,” Rutherford said. “What they did two years ago was a bad deal. I’ve learned you don’t agree to one thing until the rest of it comes along. They raised taxes and didn’t fix the problem.”

Rutherford opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions, he said.

He ought to say where he is on pensions. And that’s an interesting comment on the income tax, although I’m not really sure what it means…

“Put it on the table. When I take that oath of office in January 2015, that income tax increase is going to have to be on the table for discussion and debate,” Rutherford says. “And I will tell you what, I will not sign any income tax increase that doesn’t fix the problem of Illinois.”

And the failure to approve the gay marriage bill hurts Republicans far more than it hurts Democrats. The GOPs wanted it resolved so they could move forward and ignore the issue. It ain’t, so they can’t.

* He does, however, have a very positive theme of inclusion…

The son of pizza shop owners, Rutherford said he worked his way through college and graduated without debt. After he was elected to the Illinois House in 1993, Rutherford kept a private sector job with ServiceMaster, which operates brands like Terminix and TruGreen.

“I learned to work with people,” he said. “I worked with people of different religions, different skin colors, different customs and different cultures.”

The dual themes — hard work and an embrace of diversity — were apparent throughout the campaign event.

In introducing Rutherford, Steve Kim, who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2010, said “no one” would work harder as governor.

Kim joked that a friend once asked if Rutherford was Korean because “he’s on Korean radio all the time.” As Kim spoke, Rutherford, who is single and has no children, stood behind the lectern, flanked by relatives and a multicultural array of friends.

“You go to Chinatown and you’re going to think he’s a movie star,” Kim said. “His picture is in every bank, it’s in every beauty salon, it’s in every restaurant.”

* And he has a message that some commenters here can probably relate to…

Rutherford said Sunday he has a track record of reaching out to people and communities “with different colors and ethnicities … and also with other beliefs.” He said the Republican Party and other GOP candidates need to do the same.

“My party’s not been that good at it,” he said. “You don’t have to be with someone 100 percent of the time to be a good Republican. I understand that there are people that have a different position on the social issues than some, and they are still good Republicans.”

* This can help as well…

Rutherford, a Pontiac native, said his experience in the private and public sectors make him qualified and so far, he is the only Republican who’s already won a statewide office who will run. He was elected treasurer in 2010 and served as a state representative and state senator for years. Before entering politics he was an executive with Service Master Co, based in suburban Downers Grove.

“I do have government experience, but I’m not a career politician,” he said. “I’m the only Republican that has won statewide that is looking to run for governor. I’m the guy to win.”

* His campaign splash page…

Caption?

*** UPDATE *** Video of today’s Springfield announcement via BlueRoomStream.com…

* Related…

* Rutherford announces gubernatorial bid at Pontiac event