Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Thursday, Apr 26, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pat Quinn appeared on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” this week to talk about Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Quinn told the host that he watches the show almost every night. Quinn’s appearance begins about six minutes into the video, which is here.

I’ve never watched more than a few minutes of that program. I despise cable news, and that’s one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen. Man, talk about shrill. And Quinn’s admission about being a loyal watcher sure tells us a lot about his partisan bent.

But, hey, some people dig that cable stuff, so…

* The Question: How often do you watch cable news programs? What do you watch the most? What do you dislike the most?

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Madigan on cigarette tax hike: “I don’t think it will pass”

Thursday, Apr 26, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Subscribers were told about this earlier today…

Though he supports the move, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Wednesday he believes a plan to jack the state’s cigarette tax will have trouble passing.

“I would support an increase in the cigarette tax, especially for the Medicaid program,'’ Madigan said. “The Republican position to date is against, so I don’t think it will pass.”

That’s pretty much that, unless Madigan can be convinced to twist some arms. I don’t see it happening right now, though.

* Background…

House Republicans have been hesitant to support a cigarette tax increase, instead urging Quinn to make good on his initial call for $2.7 billion in spending cuts to Medicaid. Republican Rep. Patti Bellock of Hinsdale, who worked on a Medicaid cut panel, said she does not support the hike and does not see “a lot of support” among House Republicans.

The Senate has passed cigarette tax increases twice in recent years, only to see the proposals stall in the House, where some Democrats joined Republicans in opposition.

Democrats who control the General Assembly face potential backlash from voters for increasing the personal income tax rate 67 percent last year. In turn, GOP lawmakers largely have staked out opposition to tax hikes, and they have called for more cuts in the Medicaid program before increasing any taxes.

Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson called the governor’s cigarette tax hike a responsible way to stave off the collapse of the state’s Medicaid program. Anderson said failing to straighten out the program would be “disastrous.”

“Hesitant” is a charitable word usage. “Adamantly opposed” would be more like it.

* And Gov. Quinn continued to defend his Medicaid plan…

Gov. Pat Quinn defended his proposed Medicaid cuts Wednesday, even in the face of a new report that claims more than 25,000 jobs will be lost if his plan is enacted.

In an appearance before the editorial board of The State Journal-Register, Quinn also said he will be “reminding” some lawmakers of their previous votes in favor of cigarette tax increases.

Quinn repeated that a $2.7 billion hole in the Medicaid program must be plugged this spring in order to keep the program that provides health care to the poor operating.

“It is on the verge of collapse,” Quinn said.

* Related…

* Study: Medicaid cuts would hurt IL economy

* Editorial: Quinn in the lead on big issues

* VIDEO: Gov. Quinn on the benefits of a $1 cigarette tax increase

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Koch brothers group: Ban AFSCME from contributing to Quinn

Thursday, Apr 26, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

* After the Rod Blagojevich scandal, Illinois banned campaign contributions to constitutional officers from businesses and people who have state contracts of higher than $50,000 with those officers. Today, Sen. Matt Murphy held a press conference to demand action on his bill to ban public employee unions with state contracts of higher than $50,000. From his press release…

The legislation, SB 2988, sponsored by State Senator Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), was developed in conjunction with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Americans for Prosperity, a free-market advocacy group.

It will apply the same restrictions on donations that were enacted two years ago for private companies that do business with state agencies. A vendor that does over $50,000 of business with the state is now prohibited from donating any funds to a candidate who may oversee that company’s contract. However, a loophole was left in the 2010 bill to allow government unions that negotiate employee contracts worth hundreds of millions to continue to donate huge amounts to politicians in charge of those contracts.

The bill would mean that Gov. Quinn could not receive contributions from AFSCME and other public employee unions. Other constitutionals who have union contracts would also be barred from receiving contributions.

* A representative from the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity was also at today’s press conference. Here’s that group’s press release…

Today Americans for Prosperity – Illinois (AFP-IL) announced its support for SB 2988, legislation which will prohibit government unions from contributing campaign funds to the state constitutional officers with whom they negotiate their collective bargaining contracts. At a press conference with Senator Matt Murphy and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, AFP-IL State Director David From explained his support for the bill:

“Taxpayers should always take precedence over the demands of special interests – whether they be corporations or unions. Unfortunately, a loophole allows state officials to take large campaign contributions from the very government unions they sit across from at the negotiating table supposedly representing the interests of the taxpayers.”

A few years ago, in the wake of the Blagojevich scandals, state legislators and Gov. Quinn saw fit to put an end to “pay to play” deals by banning contractors with over $50,000 in state business from contributing to the state constitutional officer who oversees their contract.

But inexplicably this does not apply to government unions negotiating millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded contracts each year. In fact, right now the Governor’s Office is negotiating a massive contract with the AFSCME, the largest union representing Illinois state workers, and one of Gov. Quinn’s largest campaign contributors.

“The largest campaign contributors to many of Illinois’ statewide officials are the powerful government unions like SEIU, AFSCME, IEA and others. This loophole in our state’s finance laws allows these powerful special interests to be the largest campaign contributors to the very person who negotiates their contracts,” From continued.

* Via our friends at BlueRoomStream.com, the press conference video…

Discuss.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and a campaign and Statehouse roundup

Thursday, Apr 26, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller

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