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Quinn: Tax hike doomed if Dan Hynes wins

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Illinois

* Gov. Quinn repeated his claim yesterday that if he loses the primary to Dan Hynes, a tax hike could be doomed…

Quinn also continued pressing his case for a hike in the state’s 3 percent flat rate income tax hike, to 4.5 percent, to address an $11 billion state budget deficit that has the state failing to pay its bills. He suggested that if he wins the Democratic gubernatorial nomination next month while pressing for the tax hike, it will spur support for it in the Legislature, which refused to pass the measure last year.

“Perish the thought, but if I don’t prevail, it will be extraordinarily hard to get any revenue reform in Illinois,” Quinn said.

It’s going to be extraordinarily hard to get that tax hike passed even if Quinn wins the primary. And while everybody dithers, more problems pop up…

Doctors and other health-care providers increasingly are asking — and in some cases demanding - that state workers and others insured through Illinois state government pay for treatment in advance, according to a state employee union spokesman.

“We hear from members who are told to basically front money for the state,” said Anders Lindall, spokesman for Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Most of the late payments involve people covered by the state’s self-insured plans, Lindall said. Those plans are operated through Cigna Corp., Health Alliance, Humana Benefit Plan of Winnebago and HealthLink OAP, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

At one point last year, officials said the state’s expected cost of health coverage is underfunded by $600 million, or 46 percent, in the current fiscal year. The delay averaged 200 days last fall.

* The governor was on a tour of southern Illinois yesterday, where the questions are usually much softer…

The governor visited Belleville a day after delivering a State of the State address that was roundly panned for revealing too few details about his ideas for solving the worst fiscal crisis in state history.

Quinn attributed the lack of financial details in Wednesday’s address to the fact it was not “a budget speech. I got to do one of those later.”

Instead, after a turbulent, tumultuous year, Quinn said he thought it appropriate “to lay out where we were a year ago and where we are today.”

If that was his goal, he failed. In the future, some historian is going to stumble over the transcript of Pat Quinn’s State of the State address and find stuff like this…

That’s just the beginning of openness in our government. We had to work together on all kinds of important tasks. One of which, a very important one that’s important for our economy, is that we had to get three-fifths vote of the general assembly in the House and in the Senate, 60 percent of each house, to vote for what is a called a capital bill or a job recovery bill, whatever you want to call it.

And that historian is going to wonder what the heck happened. Zorn has more…

There’s an undeniable authenticity to this kind of off-the-cuff windiness. Part of Pat Quinn’s charm is that he’s not in the least bit slick, and nowhere was that more evident than at the close of the speech when he choked up speaking about his late father’s military service.

But there’s also an undeniable echo in all the verbiage of a desperate college student taking an essay exam and trying to fill up the blue book with ground-pawing words in hopes their sheer volume will disguise the fact that he doesn’t really know the answer.

For whatever reason, Quinn decided to wing it rather than bring it Wednesday. The moment slipped through his grasp.

Zorn is exactly right.

* Related…

* Lawmakers leave town without OK on borrowing plan

* Pat Quinn still hesitant about tax abatement for Glen Carbon development

* Quinn announces assisted living funding

* Quinn: Illinois can turn it around

* Supporters of high-speed rail say new route would create thousands of jobs

* Wills can now be stored at Illinois secretary of state’s office

* Cemetery regulation to fall under gov.’s office

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 10:55 am

Comments

Quinn is doubling down on a weak political position in order to enhance it. Unfortunately for him, no one really believes it.

There will be no tax increase in an election year, regardless of whom the Democrats nominate.

Doesn’t he have some rambling to do somewhere?

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:01 am
That has to be the worst election pitch of all time.

“Re-elect me or else I won’t be able to raise your taxes!”

Comment by well Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:03 am
In his defense, Quinn is more genuine than other politicians. Obviously it isn’t a popular move, but the tax increase is what needs to be done, and Quinn is letting everyone know. No one else is willing to recognize the reality of the state’s economic situation. Good for him.

Comment by The Heat Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:06 am
From the behealthyspringfield.com link:
“Payment delays hit home to Bluffs woman

Armilla Berry has seen first-hand effects of state government’s delays in paying health insurance bills for some employees and retirees.

Berry, 87, lives near Bluffs and receives dental coverage from the state because her late husband formerly worked at what is now the Jacksonville Developmental Center.

Berry was surprised when a dentist who performed root canals on her in October and November requested full payment at the time of service. She put the cost, a total of $1,520, on her credit card. She has submitted paperwork to the state for reimbursement, but hasn’t been paid yet.”

This gives you some idea of the scope of medical coverage offered to state employees and retirees.
Asking questions about the sustainability of such extensive coverage does not seem to be out of line. Especially to taxpayers who have no dental coverage.

Comment by vole Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:21 am
No, not “good for him”. Quinn is not more genuine than other politicians. While other candidates are being derided for taking the easy way out by saying they won’t hike taxes and will balance the budget with cuts, Quinn should be equally derided for offering nothing but raising taxes will fix the situation. Neither party’s candidates are offering any solutions to the revenue issues AND the spending issues in Illinois. The Quinn Tax Hike is as simiplistic as saying we can cut our way out of this mess.

Comment by SangamoGOP Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:22 am
A large percentage of the people seem to oppose a permanent tax increase before a sweeping overhall of the pension, Medicaid, capital and education funding systems.

Quinn wants to increase taxes to PREVENT fair overhall of these systems.

I suspect that he just punted away a lot of the fiscally conservative Democratic base (yes, there ARE some fiscally responsible Dems without government jobs out there) with this approach.

Quinn makes it pretty simple; if you’re a Dem and you have too much money and you want your taxes raised without reform, vote for him.

For all other tax options, vote for Hynes.

Rarely is campaigning that clear

Comment by PalosParkBob Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:23 am
–”Asking questions about the sustainability of such extensive coverage does not seem to be out of line. Especially to taxpayers who have no dental coverage. ”

My insurance did not cover much of the cost of treatment (me in November, the husband last week)I paid $125 per person yearly deductible, the cost per person for emergency visit (another $100 for the husband, $50 for me at two different dentist) and then I paid up front all the cost over what the dentist actually charged and what my insurance says is reasonable and customary.

While my bill has been submitted for payment (on what little they are actually going to pay) last I checked yesterday the husband’s bill has not yet been filed. I yet to have any idea for when my services from nearly two months ago might be paidthey are paying–just states payment pending–but I do know that both dentist got more from me than they will be getting from my insurance if and when they ever pay up and the dentist got my share up front on day of service. Feel a bit better now?

Comment by Cindy Lou Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:34 am
I take issue with comments made recently by Barbara Flynn Currie. Look, if the House dems want to pass Quinn’s tax increase then they should pass it and be done with it. At this point, practically the same point we were at last year, the republicans have nothing to do with this.

The republicans are clear and consistent with their values: they don’t like raising taxes to begin with. and they espescially don’t like raising taxes to cover for years of wasteful spending and fiscal mismagement by the opposition, that isn’t giving taxpayers much in return.

I think most people understand that democrats are tax-and-spend types. I have no confidence in the Il dems to curb spending in these fiscally perilous times.

Quinn’s is looking more and more like typical tax-and-spend type than the taxpayer friendly advocate that he used to look like. He told the Sun-Times editorial board that he want to make “investments.” translation: he wants to spend.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:35 am
The Heat,

LOL. Really??? I find Quinn to be kinda sneaky, and is in that way not unlike most career politicians.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:37 am
“Feel a bit better now?”
Well, after reading that mumbo jumbo, no.

Just give me an example. I pay 100% for a $750 crown job. How much would you be out of pocket?

Comment by vole Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:45 am
* Cemetery regulation to fall under gov.’s office

we all know how well the gov’s office has handled nursing home regulation. and,I’m not putting the lack of proper nursing home oversight on the quinn administration, but I’m just sayin.’

With respect to regulation and oversight, the guv’s office is the end-all/be-all as we have seen.

I’m not thrilled with the early information coming out about he nursing home task force’s recommendations.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:48 am
WCW is mistaken about the IL-GOP and taxes; if I recall correctly it was the GOP that first passed an income tax in IL. There were other tax increases passed by Republican gov’s as well.

In the mitten state a lot of health care providers have been demanding payment up front for a long time now due to the poor financial health of the state and businesses (i.e. GM, Chrysler, Delphi…). I suspect this will be the new reality in IL as well - up front payment for any state reimbursed services.

Comment by Angry Republican Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:58 am
vole, are insurance coverage is not a secret. You may look up online through CMS Empoyee Services and then look what is allowed, then the rest is up to person. What you pay for that crown where you live and what dentist you use my not be what a different person in a different area with a different person would end up paying.

To answer your question as to what it would cost me out of pocket you’ll have to look up on the five page allowence guideline exactly the allowence(s) on overall treatment and then take the other items (area/dentist) into consideration.

If you think I mumble-jumble it would be because as soom as one says something without some clarification tossed in someone else jumps in making all kinds of assumptions and generalizations. If you don’t like what I say and/or how I say it, feel free to skip over my postings, it’s as easy as that. If you are indeed interested in compared coverages and allowences you are able to do that , our benefits are not a secret.

Comment by Cindy Lou Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 11:59 am
I am having a hard time figuring out how much, if at all, I should evaluate Quinn’s candidacy based on his campaign promises. If he isn’t a strong enough leader to actually demand or carry through on them … Even though on paper I like Quinn’s positions over Hynes’, I think Hynes might still be the right candidate to support.

Comment by ZC Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:00 pm
ok. point taken–fine.

If it’s absolutely necessary to raise taxes, which in this instance I think it is, then ok the democrats just need to do it. and not worry about republicans and what they might say in campaign ads.

I just think it’s totally disengenous for the IL house dems to use the republicans unwillingness to go along as the deal-breaker.

I agreed with the IL GOP last year that if you’re going to raise taxes the least you could do is give the taxpayers something in return (Dan Hynes and Lisa Madigan said the same thing) or make it just a temporary tax.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:07 pm
ooopsie…

With respect to regulation and oversight, the guv’s office is the end-all/be-all as we have seen.

That should have been:

With respect to regulation and oversight, the guv’s office is NOT the end-all/be-all as we have seen.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:15 pm
My Year With Political Twins Pat and Roland

A little over a year ago, two old political names were given a political rebirth, one as governor and the other as a US senator. Thanks to Rod Blagojevich, these two has-beens, became haves. While not reborn on the same day, Pat and Roland are Blagojevich’s twin political sons, stepping into the political spotlight at a crucial historic moment in Illinois history.

Pat Quinn and Roland Burris both grabbed a golden ring when Blagojevich imploded. Both men have held statewide offices and were old names to Democrats. Both men have tried running for higher offices, and lost their races. Both men were on the verge of permanent political retirement after decades-long careers in elected office. When their political benefactor, Rod Blagojevich, was arrested, the keys to upper offices that voters had denied them previously, fell into their laps.

So? How’s it goin’?

Not so great. For two guys who have decades of Illinois institutional knowledge, they have seem to have struggled in their dream offices, as though they never saw the underbelly of a capitol dome before. Pat Quinn, the man with all the answers regarding reform in Illinois, forgot about reforming Illinois. Roland Burris, the man who served as Illinois Attorney General, forgot about ethical behavior. 2009 became a year in Illinois history where citizens saw that even men with decades long governmental experience, could act like clueless wonders.

However, their political fates are different at this point. While both men have disappointed their supporters by failing to behave as themselves, Pat has held public affection longer than Roland has.

The difference is that when Quinn is compared to Blagojevich, he comes out ahead, and when Burris is compared to Obama, he comes out behind. Pat is an improvement, but Roland is not.

Both men considered their political luck to be a sign that the offices were meant to be filled by them and that each somehow enjoyed voter support, although neither were elected to the offices they currently hold. Both men claim some kind of mandate as though they were elected. Each man has presumed that their earlier terms in offices means that they carried along with them some kind of political legitimacy.

Burris not only fails in comparison to his predecessor, he gained the seat by dealing with Blagojevich in a unethical manner which was revealed after an ethical investigation by a US Senate who themselves are considered unethical by many people. (Kind of like getting thrown out of a thieve’s club, for being a thief!) Even so, Burris still expected voters to embrace him and expected campaign support. It wasn’t until his expected campaign funding failed to appear, did Burris recognize his non-existent chance of being elected on his own.

Quinn wins in his comparison to his predecessor and has used the political opportunity available to him. Consequentially, he is on the verge of winning his own party’s guberatorial nomination from party faithful, just as general voters seems to be tiring of his lack of substance.

If Quinn is nominated, he can only win if the GOP nominates a loser. Burris is already a loser.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:28 pm
Both Democratic front-runners want to raise income taxes, with Hynes’ proposal being less regressive. I’m not sure how a victory for Quinn means any more than that the Democratic base wants more of taxpayers’ money, something we already knew. And Quinn supporters would prefer to take their money from the middle class and leave the rich alone. Even as Obama attempts to shield middle class taxpayers from federal tax increases on top of a recession, our local Democrats can only think of getting more money. Many of them would profit, of course. Profit personally. Illinois politicians are all about stuffing their own pockets.

But not everybody even in blue Illinois belongs to the Democratic base. The voting population will be broader in the fall, and probably angrier. Presumably Democratic leaders other than the ever-clueless Pat are considering the risks Democrats face beyond the primary as they decide whether to shove through a regressive middle class tax increase in the absence of any substantive cuts. Our Pat’s assumption that his victory means widespread support for an income tax increase is political rhetoric from another greedy Illinois “traditional” pol, nothing more.

Comment by cassandra Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:51 pm
I don’t buy Quinn’s argument; Hynes also will try to raise taxes if elected, their quibble is over where the dividing lines go.
Frankly, though I think we desperately NEED a tax increase, none of these cowards want to put their names on it. Cutting alone won’t do it and will damage the state and hurt citizens in many ways.

We may have to dig up Ogilvie and re-animate his corpse I guess, so someone can wear the jacket and not worry about re-election.

The longer this budget kabuki dance with Quinn, Hynes Cullerton and Madigan continues, the more I want to throw all the bums out and start with a clean sheet of paper. I wanted a dem majority, had they all played nice we could have fixed a lot of what’s wrong with Illinois and set it on a great path, but you guys couldn’t deliver when the time came to stand up and do what’s right. I can’t believe I’m the only one with a huge anti-incumbency streak building in silent rage.

There’s the bible story of the rich master and his three servants that I think is appropriate here, even if you’re not religious. The master gives each of the three a sum to invest over a time, and expects a progress report when he gets back. Two do pretty well, and get rewarded and approved by their master. The third one was cowardly, afraid of his master’s wrath, and rather than risk losing what he’d been given in investing it, buried it and just returned the exact amount to his boss, nothing accomplished but lost time, not even interest. That’s the governor and legislature right now: too cowed by the boogeyman o losing votes from passing a tax increase to take that money of ours and put it to work to get a better return from it. In the bible story, the third servant gets thrown in a dungeon and his money is split between the other two servants who took what was given to them and made the best of it.

The Repubs are worse still, making their ridiculous no-tax and tax cut promises. Nobody but a fool would take them at their word, and should they somehow win, and try those more draconian cuts and tax cuts, this state will burn.

God help me, Squideshi’s guys are starting to look comparatively good to me.

Comment by Gregor Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 12:57 pm
Cutting may well not do it but some cuts are advisable. And what has Quinn actually cut. A few furlough days among high-paid, non-union employees (a tiny fraction of the total) don’t count, especially as they can easily be made up through higher raises next year. I don’t believe there is a state hiring freeze, and the Quinn administration continues to bring on political hacks. Despite all the hype, Quinn can’t impose a two-tier pension system without negotiating with employee unions and he has shown no skill at all in this area. Ideas don’t count as cuts. That $2 billion cut in state government expenses he’s touting needs a lot more detail before I would accept it as adequate in the face of his demand for a tax increase that will bring in tens of billions over the next decade.

Comment by cassandra Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 1:26 pm
Cassandra, what Quinn asked of my union (no idea what he talked to others about) amounted up to 15% wage decrease for some of it’s members, no, no making up anything next year. And where Quinn and the agencies are making hiring if they are are not down here among my low union ranks, in fact as I told you the other day, retirees are not being replaced that we’ve lost. While I’ve seen numerous workers laid-off or retire, I have not seen a new face in over ten years. While I’m sure things are different from agency to agency and level to level, your wild generalizations just don’t hold weight.

Comment by Cindy Lou Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 1:38 pm
What is the likelihood of someone like Rep. Sacia (R-Pecatonica) going along with a tax increase? This being politics someone, somwhere is making deals.

Rep. Sacia’s recent robust support of Quinn on Thomson and the SOS, make him intriguing to me. Quinn sure does like veterans, and Sacia is a veteran.

Also if Randle “has” any more screw up at the DOC he’s out says Quinn. Might a Sacia who agrees to support a tax increase be waiting in the wings to take Randle’s place? That is assuming Quinn survives the general. It kinda helps Quinn to wait until after the primary to see who is republican opponent will be. It might help Sacia too.

http://www.sacia.ilhousegop.org/?page_id=3

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 1:49 pm
maybe cassandra is referring to the exective level, which is reported to be still hiring political hacks?
if I read the following correctly, I think she is:

“I don’t believe there is a state hiring freeze, and the Quinn administration continues to bring on political hacks.” —Cassandra

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 1:52 pm
If Quinn wins the whole state is doomed.

Comment by Bill Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 2:00 pm
Bill,

If he wins, maybe you should change your blog name to Glum?

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 2:08 pm
the sun-times endorsed quinn last week, but I wonder if after his SOS the sun-times board wishes that it hadn’t. the editorial page cartoons just continue to speak volumes, and seem to rightly tap into the general consensus.

I can respect the tribune for not endorsing either, but for the sun-times to hold the pension issue against hynes struck me as a little strange and a bit of stretch considering everything. but ok.

I wonder if the dalily herald and the kane county chronicle endorsements of hynes suggest that he may do better with suburban dems than Quinn. there are still more papers yet to endorse.

I’m guessing updated polling will come out next week? If the Trib’s poll was accurate, it would be tough for hynes to overcome a double-digit deficit in such short time. that would place the onous on the republicans to vote well/wisely and vote for someone who can appeal to the center and mod dems.

Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 2:22 pm
Quinn has a point about the tax hike. If even Democrat voters reject the only gubernatorial candidate in either party proposing an immediate income tax hike, it’s pretty unlikely the legislature would approve one this year. True, they probably won’t anyway, but Quinn’s rejection would put Stroger nails in the tax hike coffin.

Comment by Reformer Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 3:29 pm
I thought all union positions were covered by Rutan, that is, they can’t be hired for political reasons but by processes spelled out in unions contracts. Many of those jobs are likely filled through internal bidding but others would be filled from outside state government, presumably
through some type of Rutan process.

That leaves several thousand positions which can be filled by folks with political sponsors, without breaking the law I would hasten to add.
And I believe Quinn is hiring away in this category. And adding them to the Blago hires he can’t bring himself to get rid of. Nice high salaries too. Great health benefits, to-die-for pensions with regular raises if they hang on long enough (upper level bureaucrats tend to benefit from union gains even if they aren’t unionized) That’s one of the many, many reasons why I wonder if the guv and his Democratic Machine supporters are giving us the straight skinny on the budget situation and their capacity to do anything about it without raising the cost of state government even higher for its citizens.

Comment by cassandra Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 3:32 pm
Cassandra, re: pensions, in my agency, DHS, you have to work 8 yrs to be vested and after 8 yrs, what is that? Maybe 30% of your salary & no (free)health benefits. I don’t know the age of the people Quinn is hiring but if a Repub comes in, Quinn’s people are gone. The younger generation are more connected due to their cell and social networking sites. They are not interested in working for an employer 20 - 30 years. If Quinn is hiring employees in their 50s and 60s, they’re not going to work long enough to be vested and they are not coming to work for the state for the benefits anyways. They have other resources.

For personal observations of great state health benefits, see Cindy Lou’s posts above. I have friends who are state retirees whose doctors are asking them to pay upfront for their medical visits and procedures. As for myself, I don’t even use the state’s prescription plan because Walgreen’s buying club is cheaper.

Rutan does not apply to bargaining unit positions. Rutan applies to the hiring, promotion or transfer of any employee.

My apologies for posting after dark, Rich, but I have limited internet access at my state job and cannot read your blog during the day.

Comment by Emily Booth Friday, Jan 15, 10 @ 8:29 pm