* Both Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Bill Brady talked to reporters after their debate last night. First up, Bill Brady, who talks about the allegations of conflict of interest (several times), early release, “forensic audit” vs. “business audit” (which he claims could be completed in 50-75 days for 80 percent of the government) and how he will deal with his company after he’s elected. Watch…

* Gov. Quinn spent most of his time whacking Brady for the Senator’s alleged conflicts of interest…

* The Quinn campaign sent out press releases throughout the debate last night which responded to Brady. Zorn gives us Brady’s response to a Phil Ponce question about whether he’s “seriously out of step” on gay employment rights and civil unions…

I don’t belive so. My beliefs are what they are. And I believe a lot of people in Illinos respsect those believes. But unlike Governor Quinn my agenda is focused on solving the economic crisis and bringing jobs to Illionios by balancing our budget without raising taxes. Gov. Quinn’s agenda is to promise that he’ll pass a civil unions bill as his first priority after he’s elected. Now I believe that the people care deeply about bringing jobs back to Illinois That’s what I’m focused on, and as governor of this state that will be by first and highest priority.

Audio…

And here is the Quinn “rapid reaction” team’s response…

Senator Brady claimed tonight that social issues weren’t his first priority. However, his actions after the February primary belie that claim.

Two days after the Republican primary, Senator Brady introduced a bill to permit mass euthanization of dogs and cats in gas chambers (SB2999, Filed 2/4/10)

He proposed two other bills that week:

* The first was his third attempt to ban gay marriage and civil unions (SJRCA 95, Filed 2/10/10; SJRCA

* The other would allow religious organizations to discriminate in hiring against people based on sexual orientation, gender identity or religion (SB 3447, Filed 2/10/10).

He transferred sponsorship of all three bills after their appearance in the media and public outcry.

After the primary, Brady’s first priority was animal euthanization and restricting LGBT rights.

* The two sides also talked about the budget last night. Not many specifics were offered up, despite the best intentions of the questioners. But Zorn has Brady’s answer to a question about a specific budget cut…

Well, the Medicaid program under Governor Quinn allows people like Governor Quinn to walk in and receive an eligibility card. We don’t verify eligibility in the Medicaid program. It’s costing other human service providers and educators and other people in state government.

…Adding… Audio…

* Earlier this afternoon, I sent the governor’s office some questions, without alluding to last night’s debate: “Does Illinois verify income eligibility in the Medicaid program? If not, why not? If so, how?” The response from Stacey Solano, who is the communication manager for the Illinois Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services…

Yes, HFS verifies income information when an individual applies for Medicaid benefits, as it is both state and federally required. At application, HFS checks paystubs as well as federal data for income sources, such as Social Security. We also identify unemployment benefits and coordinate with DHS for any income information received in conjunction with SNAP or TANF programs.

So, according to this response from HFS, Brady appears to be wrong.

* Kurt Erickson has more on “forensic audits” in his weekly column…

…the team of auditors in the Lone Star State also recommended raising a number of taxes and fees that were deemed too low.

That’s the risk with backing the idea of a forensic audit. After millions of dollars and thousands of hours spent analyzing state spending, the pencil pushers could recommend that some taxes actually need to rise.

John Sharp was the comptroller in Texas when a forensic-type audit was launched there in 1991. He told me the process was tough, but it worked. Cuts outlined by his team helped fill in a $3 billion deficit, and a tax hike was avoided.

But, he said, “I never caught more (crap) than that in my life.”

* Speaking of the budget, the Paul Simon Institute has released some new polling results about the budget. 83 percent opposed cuts to programs for people with mental or physical disabilities. 82 percent opposed cuts to education, 74.5 percent opposed cuts to public safety, 66 percent opposed cuts in state spending “on programs for poor people,” 57 percent opposed cuts for universities and 53 percent opposed cuts for state parks and conservation.

But here’s one answer that kinda surprised me, considering that public employee unions are this year’s “Cadillac-driving welfare queens”…

Do you favor or oppose cuts in state spending on pension benefits for state workers’ retirement?

Favor 45.5%
Oppose 47.3%
Other/Don’t know 7.2%

Split.

* The revenue side of the poll was also predictable. For instance, 57 percent agreed with this statement…

The state takes in plenty of money to pay for public services but wastes it on unnecessary programs. We can fix the problem by cutting waste and inefficiency in government.

And that agreement holds up pretty much everywhere in Illinois. Click the pic to see a larger image of the xtabs…

Full budget crosstabs are here.

* And now, a brief foray into campaign news. Gov. Pat Quinn hasn’t been in Lake County since before Labor Day? That’s not the way things usually go here…

[Sen. Bill Brady] held a 35 percent to 29 percent lead over Quinn in suburban Chicago in a poll of 1,000 registered voters last week by Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. That survey, which gave Brady a nearly 9 percentage-point lead statewide, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points […]

With slightly more than two weeks until the election, some of Quinn’s allies still regard this as a race for the hearts and minds of suburban voters. Link would like the governor to spend more time in the collar counties, noting he hasn’t been in Lake County since before Labor Day.

“I think he can run very good in the collar counties,” Link said of Quinn. “Obviously, he has to work them a little better. His message has to get out here. He himself has to get out here more.”

Rod Blagojevich beat Judy Baar Topinka in Lake County by about 6400 votes four years ago. Blagojevich lost to Jim Ryan in the county by almost 16,000 votes four years earlier. It’s competitive turf, and it’s pretty surprising that Quinn hasn’t set foot there in months. Not even in Waukegan? Well, it turns out, he has been in Waukegan recently. From the Lake County News-Sun’s Quinn endorsement on October 11th…

We also like Quinn’s jobs plan, which he outlined this week while in Waukegan during a campaign stop.

Still, that’s the only visit I could find.

* Related…

* Evidence that our next governor will be unable to answer a question

* WBEZ’s third-Party Gubernatorial Forum

* How Gubernatorial Races Affect Senate Races