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* California’s spending is able to rise 6 percent next fiscal year because the state previously did the fiscally responsible thing of cutting spending and raising taxes…
California Governor Jerry Brown said an expanding economy has channeled an additional $6.7 billion in revenue into state coffers, allowing him to boost proposed spending next year to a record $115 billion.
Most extra money will go to schools, Brown said Thursday at a Sacramento news conference where he released a revised budget for the year that begins July 1. Fellow members of the Democratic Party who control the legislature said he should spare some cash to augment programs for the poor. […]
Brown, 77, the longest-serving governor in California history, has steered the world’s seventh-largest economy away from deficits and turmoil. At points, it paid bills with IOUs. In the past two years, however, the three biggest bond-rating companies raised their rankings on California four times, more than any other state.
Voters increased taxes in 2012 and let lawmakers pass budgets with a simple majority instead of a two-thirds vote. Brown is capitalizing on a surge in revenue from capital-gains taxes that turned a $25 billion deficit four years ago into a surplus. […]
Brown’s new plan would provide health care to undocumented immigrants and offer an additional $2.2 billion for responding to a record drought.
Brown announced an agreement with University of California President Janet Napolitano that would freeze in-state tuition for two years by steering $436 million to the university system’s pension obligations, among other funding increases. Napolitano and Brown clashed last year when the Board of Regents granted her authority to raise tuition, inciting student protests. […]
Brown’s plan would create an earned-income tax credit to steer $380 million to 2 million low-income workers. The credit would provide an average $460 annually to households without dependents whose income falls below $6,580 and those with at least three dependents earning below $13,870.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:02 am
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Which model will we follow, Kansas or California? Sadly, at the moment it’s Kansas.
Comment by Sangamo Sam Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:08 am
Jerry might want to use some that cash to hire some rain dancers.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:10 am
I think Minnesota is acting like California, and the MN economy is humming. I wish Illinois politicians would put politics aside and make the tough choices for once. Stop telling people that they can have everything and not pay for it. Stop being irresponsible and do the right thing.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:12 am
Simply incredible. California was supposedly going to be in ruin not even 5 years ago, and Jerry Brown was toast… It seems like both have never been better.
Comment by The Muse Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:12 am
Don’t they have pension funding problems?
So when capital gains from tech dry up, which might not be too far off, what happens to all the programs they expanded and pensions they underfunded?
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:12 am
Its California we’re talking about. To me that is like getting excited that the famous French restaurant that was closed by the health department for poisoning customers, is now open again and serving organic cuisine.
We’ll see how long this continues. I’m still cynical over what they’ve been doing over there.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:14 am
So, it could be this easy if Illinois had a total democrat controlled GA and the governor was a democrat. If only Illinois had that……oh, wait. Never mind.
No matter - we have a new scapegoat. We can all sit back and breath a sigh of relief. It’s all Rauner’s fault.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:15 am
All anyone moaned about in the last year was the temporary income tax hike being extended or made permanent. That’s first among many reasons PQ lost. Rauner ran on cutting the income tax as his flagship promise. Illinois, you reap what you sow.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:15 am
Fiscal stability, brought about by a true grand bargain of revenues and cuts that has a realistic chance of success, would be a very good thing for the business climate in the State.
Comment by McGurt Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:16 am
Well said, Dupage Dan,
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:17 am
=====So, it could be this easy if Illinois had a total democrat controlled GA and the governor was a democrat. If only Illinois had that……oh, wait. Never mind.======
:) Yeah, for some reason Rauner seems to be the reason the state is a mess.
Comment by Peoria Guy Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:18 am
McGurt,
Running up the budget to record highs on capital gains revenue is extremely risky. When the market turns down or tech has a slowdown, capital gains become capital losses, and that revenue stream flips upside-down.
We can talk about other tax hikes in general all we want, but they should should not be making long-term spending plans based on short-term cap gains. It has to be the single most cyclical source of revenue possible.
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:19 am
The worst spending decisions by companies as well as municipalities are made when times are good. Hopefully, California heeds that old axiom.
Comment by Peoria Guy Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:21 am
Even though the budget problem was a bipartisan creation going back decades, I’d submit to you that Governor Rauner has an 0-2 count and he has looked at both pitches and wasn’t even in the batter’s box for the second pitch.
Comment by SAP Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:22 am
Some of you guys are a laugh riot. You finally get the mansion back and you still play the victim.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:23 am
GD: Seems like the California Republicans only disagreement is in how to spend the money. They must think that the state’s business climate is strong enough to sustain long term growth.
“Senate Republican leader Bob Huff told reporters the plan scants transportation and criticized Brown’s proposal to spend $500 million on a high-speed rail project. “What we need to be doing is investing our transportation infrastructure money on the things that matter to people right now,” Huff said. “Right now, our roads are crumbling.”
I guess this is what happens when Republicans stop trying to drown government in a bathtub and instead work to solve a state’s problems. I wish Illinois Republicans would help to create an optimistic business climate rather than engaging in endless fear-mongering.
Comment by McGurt Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:23 am
If we construct a rational budget built on targeted cuts and revenues, won’t that be like breaking the seventh seal?
Comment by Waffle Fries Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:24 am
Governor Moonbeam brings more sunshine to the Sunshine State.
Meanwhile, back in dark and dreary Illinois, Doc Rauner is fixin’ for a showdown with Ike Madigan at the Not OK Corral in the Land of Blinkin’.
Sounds like time for a climate change.
Comment by Tommydanger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:25 am
Tax fairly, and spend wisely. (Yes Governor, the State needs more revenue in the pot.)
Comment by Ares Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:29 am
@DuPage Dan, you should know the answer to that. The Democrats insisted that Republicans have some skin in the game too when it came to raising revenue. Going back to the Quinn administration when the Democrats controlled all 3 branches, the GOP said no to new revenue, in effect saying, you have the votes go ahead and raise revenues, then we have a political issue to use against you. That’s why revenues haven’t been raised already.
As for the California success story, that contradicts what folks like Rauner and the IPI have told us, which is if you raise taxes, especially on the wealthy (the job creators) it will suppress he economy.
Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:30 am
It looks like Governor Brown is going to have to spend millions cleaning up the Santa Barbara oil spill last night. Offshore oil pipelines are ruing our environment.
Comment by John Parnell Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:30 am
==So, it could be this easy if Illinois had a total democrat controlled GA and the governor was a democrat. If only Illinois had that……oh, wait. Never mind.==
It’s pretty undeniable that the fiscal situation was better before Governor-Elect Rauner asked the GA to let the tax hike expire.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:31 am
McGurt:
Check out pages 154-155 of the link below. The top 1% of earners (whose incomes are increasingly tied to stocks/tech) regularly pay 40%+ of state taxes, and revenue from capital gains has swung between $2 bil and $12 bil in the last 7 years.
Talk about leveraging the hell out of your tech sector and planning for disaster in the state budget. Whenever the next recession is, Cali is going to be a bloodbath.
http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2015-16/pdf/BudgetSummary/RevenueEstimates.pdf
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:32 am
I presume you are referring to folks who are skeptical about the current meme, word.
I don’t have the mansion back. Some jamoke named Rauner has it back. I am not a victim. Just pointing out the painfully obvious. Something that seems to be lacking now that the new whipping boy is in town.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:33 am
=== It’s pretty undeniable that the fiscal situation was better before Governor-Elect Rauner asked the GA to let the tax hike expire ===
Oh, Prunella. Further proof. The GA does what a “governor elect” tells them to do? Who’s the victim here, again?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. Rauner should lead. Absolutely right. It’s way past time for a plan and some proposed legislation to boot. That’s on Rauner and him alone. A tall order, considering all the mess the state gov’t has been engaged in the past 30 plus years.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:37 am
For several years I have been telling friends about California and in recent months have mentioned Minnesota . . . and bemoaned the fact that Illinois had a Dem governor and Dem GA and we still couldn’t figure out how to fix our fiscal mess. C’mon, GA members, do the right thing.
Comment by illinoised Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:39 am
This Governor is a just “whipping boy”?
Bizzare.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:40 am
GD: “The top 1% of earners (whose incomes are increasingly tied to stocks/tech) regularly pay 40%+ of state taxes, and revenue from capital gains has swung between $2 bil and $12 bil in the last 7 years.”
And yet businesses aren’t fleeing the state but instead investing more in California. California’s business climate is strong and inspires statewide optimism. It’s foundation is progressive taxation, good services, and opportunities for all. California - more than any other state - has a solid business climate and mints new billionaires and millionaires monthly. In Illinois, the business community seems more intent on holding on to “theirs”, clawing away from the middle class and fostering a poor business climate with limited opportunities for those outside the 1% to succeed. It’s both very pessimistic, defensive and likely to fail Illinois as a state.
Comment by McGurt Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:44 am
DD, I’m sure you have a point in there somewhere, but what does the “past 30 years” have to do with the FY16 budget?
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:48 am
McGurt:
Depends on which businesses. Tech, for sure. Manufacturing? Maybe not so much.
It’s got to be the best tech state in the US (world?), but that does not make it a solid business climate.
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:52 am
Caliornia’s increased revenue is do primarily to the increase in person income tax revenues. Revenes that fluctuate dramatically. California is no where close to righting its financial ship.
Spending actually went down from 2013 to 2014 $6.6 billion dollars. The increase for 2015 is $7.2 billion. Most of the tax revenues are based on income tax revenue, which fluctuate drastically. Jerry Brown inflicted some spending cuts, which Democratic legislators didn’t want, but reluctantly agreed to. Too bad the Democratic legislators in Illinois can’t seem to get it.
Comment by Apocalypse Now Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:54 am
The drought is going to continue to be a game-changer in California. http://www.wsj.com/articles/latest-victim-of-californias-drought-water-bonds-1430763555
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:55 am
As a dyed in the wool and partisan Republican, I can only hope that Governor Rauner, Leader Radogno and Leader Durkin set out to compromise and go along with the “millionaires tax” as well as other solutions. I am okay with paying 4.5% income tax. I would be fine with the state sales tax going up .5% (which would put the Springfield rate at 9% in non-TIF areas and 10% in TIF areas). Just get it done.
Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:55 am
@- VanillaMan - Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:14 am:
“Its California we’re talking about…
We’ll see how long this continues. I’m still cynical over what they’ve been doing over there.”
You should come out and visit for a week or so VM. You might never leave…I know I won’t be coming back to IL any time soon.
Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:59 am
Facts are stubborn things, especially when they prove that one’s ideological beliefs are deeply flawed. GOPers always preach cut, cut, cut. California, Minnesota, Kansas and Great Britain have proved that the GOP ideology is fatally flawed.
Smart investment works. I’m not defending all spending and certainly not how things have been done here. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to right the ship. Let’s learn from history and do it the right way please.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:03 am
Figure someone should post this for the conversation…
California tax rates
Tax Bracket (Single) Marginal Tax Rate
$0+ 1.00%
$7,582+ 2.00%
$17,976+ 4.00%
$28,371+ 6.00%
$39,384+ 8.00%
$49,774+ 9.30%
$254,250+ 10.30%
$305,100+ 11.30%
$508,500+ 12.30%
$1,000,000+ 13.30%
Comment by IllinoisO'Malley Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:09 am
@ Wordslinger
===, but what does the “past 30 years” have to do with the FY16 budget?===
Pensions, and the non-funding thereof
Comment by Any Mouse Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:22 am
For those who keep mentioning Minnesota in the California thread, keep in mind…
- Minnesota taxes all retirement income at an even higher rate than IL taxes employment income
- Minnesota is a predominately white state (82% to 62% for IL) with AA and Hispanic populations that are 3 times less than IL as a % of population.
Very different demographics and social infrastructure make it difficult to compare states just by tax rates.
Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:30 am
The logic of some is that if we have California’s tax rate we will have greater prosperity and ever more millionaires.
Really?
News Flash. There are many, many reasons butIllinois is not California
Comment by Federalist Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:31 am
Well, I don’t know about anyone else but if I had to trade California’s higher income but lower property tax rates for Illinois’s lower income tax but higher property tax rates, I’d choose the former. Lower Illinois’s average property tax of 2.28% of assessed value to California’s average of 1.25% and I’d be more supportive of raising our income tax.
Comment by Confused Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:39 am
It’s amusing to see the Raunerbots trying to pour water on the California example of digging itself out of a hole. Gee, CA’s credit ratings have improved and they’re running surpluses, but their world is going to come to an end. Remember plate tectonics tells us that a slice of CA will move on up to Alaska in a few million years or so. That means we can’t raise taxes and cut program expenses here because of this poor future for CA.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:42 am
Wait, whats that?!?! Tuition freeze? Health care for those that don’t have it? Ahhh, the things that can be accomplished with revenue!
Worst things the GA ever did was pass that tax increase to sunset.
Comment by Corporate Thug Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:45 am
Jerry Brown School of Economics. Interesting. More revenue, more spending. What happens when today’s commitments don’t meet tomorrow’s revenue? History predicts that. Do those rates have room to go up even more? Only Californians can decide for sure. So much of this is what your state’s population will tolerate…not support necessarily; tolerate.
Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:51 am
People who are complaining about how “temporary” the revenue surge may be should note that about half of this spending increase is made up of basically one-time things.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:54 am
This is all very good information Rich. Very thorough. And interesting. However, I think comparing California is an unfair comparison. There are many, many super-wealthy people in California, a state of 38 million. Our pocket of extraordinary wealth resides in the Chicagoland area mainly, and it’s definitely one of the top areas in the United States to be sure. But California’s pockets of extraordinary wealth, and I mean extraordinary wealth, resides in Hollywood, Napa Valley, San Francisco, and many other areas including in San Diego which incidentally not only has the best climate in the United States that would attract wealth but also the richest suburb in America. Wealthy people in these areas are less likely to move out of state for various reasons than their Illinois counterparts.
Comment by The obvious Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:54 am
Somebody asked if California doesn’t have a “pension problem”.
Take a look at: http://illinoispublicpensions.com/uploads/3/5/6/1/3561752/tale_two_new.pdf
John Terwilliger
Comment by JohnTwig Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:54 am
Norseman- “It’s amusing to see the Raunerbots trying to pour water on the California example of digging itself out of a hole.”
Some might want to “pour” it on-
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-california-drought-great-lakes-water-compact-lake-michigan-edit-0426-bd-20150424-story.html
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150516/OPINION/150519588
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 11:57 am
Following are links to information on California and Illinois pension funding from the Public Plans Data. This is produced by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College in partnership with the Center for State and Local Government Excellence and the National Association of State Retirement Administrators.
California Pension Systems
http://publicplansdata.org/quick-facts/by-state/state/?state=CA
Illinois Pension Systems
http://publicplansdata.org/quick-facts/by-state/state/?state=IL
Looks like CA is doing better than IL.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 12:25 pm
Any position that differs from Word and Willy, they play the “victim” card!
Comment by anon Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 12:25 pm
==- Apocalypse Now - Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 10:54 am:==
Income tax revenues do not fluctuate as drastically as consumption taxes.
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:07 pm
Jerry Brown is very interesting. And while Cali is late to the work to enact water restrictions, their situation is instructive for money and the water issue. we cannot take for granted that we are next to a huge body of fresh water. it’s not just about the drought, it’s about the plastics problem and pollution and the mismanagement of landscape creation and care and storm and sewer runoff. all of that is a huge fiscal impact on our region and as our climate changes…planning for something more like New Orleans in Chicago….our money needs should include this issue in a key way. there was a piece in the Trib a couple of weeks ago about how water can be an economic generator by innovation related to water as is done in Milwaukee. Vision is needed.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:11 pm
Anyone arguing that California is a failure has instantly discredited themselves.
California, Texas and Florida lead the nation in in-migration, all for three very different largely non-competing reasons:
California for high-skill, high paying jobs;
Texas for low-skill, low-paying jobs;
Florida for retirement.
That said, Illinois is the #1 destination for Californians moving to the Midwest.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:15 pm
@Juvenal- Well stated. It would seem that taxation is not resulting in an exodus of residents in California or Minnesota for that matter. Look at other high tax states and generally the same thing is found.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:31 pm
=== DD, I’m sure you have a point in there somewhere, but what does the “past 30 years” have to do with the FY16 budget? ===
Exactly the same as the idea that Rauner got the GA to vote down the temporary tax increase before he even took office.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:35 pm
Rich,
Over-reliance on cap gains and the 1% is what put Cali in the mess they had 5 years ago. Tax rates went up and now times are good for stocks and tech so everything feels fine. When this cycle ends they are right back in disaster.
They are double or triple-leveraged to the stock market. They need stock market and capital gains returns for their pensions plans and also for a huge chunk of the state’s revenue through cap gains and the earnings of the 1%.
They’re planning a disaster.
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:49 pm
===what put Cali in the mess they had 5 years ago===
California has been a hot mess a whole lot longer than 5 years, dude.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 1:57 pm
@Juvenal
“That said, Illinois is the #1 destination for Californians moving to the Midwest”
Both of them?LOL
The simple fact is that there’s a lot of government military spending in cali (a lot from the inequities of tax redistribution from the Midwest, and high tech up North is a revenue driver.
Their problem is that they “invest” with government funds unwisely. they had money allocated for a massive underground water reservoir system to store excess water in the aquifer as is done in Arizona, but asinine things like “bullet trains” and other boondoggles got in the way.
I’ve had job offers in Cali, but the congestion, traffic and air quality just wasn;t worth the extra pittance in salary most get when you deduct for the price of housing and government involved.
BTW with what they’ve been spending on roads in Cali, there’s NO excuse for “crumbling infrastructure”.
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 2:13 pm
=== This Governor is a just “whipping boy”? ===
Uh, yeah. If you did nothing else but read many who post here it would appear, to an outsider, that Rauner is THE source for all of Illinois’ woes. And the source for THE solution.
But, he brought it on himself. Now he has to perform. Just like Quinn brought in on himself - and failed to perform.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 2:18 pm
Arizona Bob:
18,000 Californians a year move to Illinois, as of the latest count.
For Indiana, that figure is 8,000.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 2:42 pm
Wait, Rich, past problems aside is having both your budget and pensions leveraged on cyclical stocks and tech a good or bad way to run a state budget?
And in your opinion is spending the boom-year windfalls on one-time expenditures and new programs a prudent idea or a bad one?
Comment by Grendel Drendall Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 2:47 pm
The grateful dead (a california band) has announced they are playing their last series of shows ever in Chicago, IL.
Someone had to say it. Just sayin!
Comment by throwing Stones Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 3:04 pm
=California, Texas and Florida lead the nation in in-migration, all for three very different largely non-competing reasons:=
The mountains, ocean, generally warm weather are a strong contributing factor to the appeal of these states.
Comment by Apocalypse Now Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 3:33 pm
– DD, I’m sure you have a point in there somewhere, but what does “the past 30 years” have to do with the FY16 budget?”–
– Exactly the same as the idea that Rauner got the GA to vote down the temporary tax increase before he even took office.–
Thanks for clearing that up, in your own unique fashion.
For the record, for those of us on Planet Earth, the temporary tax increase wasn’t “voted down.” It sunset, as the law was written.
Gov.-elect Rauner requested that the GA not pass any major legislation in the lame-duck session. No problemo, because Gov. Quinn certainly wasn’t going to sign any major legislation to make Rauner’s life easier after the beating he took, so no legislators were going to stick their necks out.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 3:35 pm
=The mountains, ocean, generally warm weather are a strong contributing factor to the appeal of these states.=
Sunsets, you forgot to mention beautiful sunsets.
We cannot really change the natural attributes of our geography so we can do things to make it an attractive destination. Some here have looked to any and all reasons to attribute California’s fiscal improvement. Paying the bills is surely one of them. Who wants to do business with someone that does not pay their bills? Might be part of Illinois issue economically, just maybe.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 4:33 pm
Juvenal, the data at which I looked showed a net migration from Illinois to California of over 25,000 over the 2000-2010 period. What year is your data from? If it’s currently accurate, those taxes must really be driving them out if they’re willing to trade the Pacific for Lake Michigan and balmy Januaries for Chicago winters!
BTW, a key factor I saw was that those leaving Illinois for Cali had incomes about 16% higher than the Californians coming to Illinois. Except for the recent bulge of 150,000 grads coming to Chicago every year, the past has shown that those with good incomes are leaving and those with not so good incomes are coming. THAT’s how you get falling revenues with falling population and net migration poorer than what you’re losing.
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 4:39 pm
@sangamo
“Which model will we follow, Kansas or California? Sadly, at the moment it’s Kansas.”
I guess that’s a problem for you if you don’t want jobs explosions and increased income for your citizens. Kansas unemployment is dropping like a stone and they’re regaining just about all the jobs lost in the Obama depression. KC is especially telling, where the Kansas side is booming but the high tax Missou side is tanking.
The biggest problem in Kansas now is how to work government to be more cost effective to balance the budget, not growing the economy.
Comment by Arizona Bob Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 4:43 pm
==regaining just about all the jobs lost in the Obama depression.==
Wow Bob. Going right for the national talking points. That whole economic collapse in 2008 certainly didn’t have anything to do with it. But I’ll let your revisionist history stand and get off of the national commentary.
Anyway, are you really holding Kansas up as the model of how to do a government budget? Because if you are kindly keep your hands off of the state’s budget. It’s tough enough already for Illinois already. Thanks, but I think Kansas can keep their budget model.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 4:52 pm
Bob:
You and I are looking at this very differently. I want the sons and daughters of Illinois who want to pursue their dreams on California, New York, Texas or Florida to be able to do so, whether it’s a dream of working in the film industry or hiking mountains every weekend or retiring on a beach.
Republicans seem to think that the solution is to limit their educational opportunities, reduce their wages, and undermine their retirement savings so they can never leave.
I don’t think that is a vision most Illinoisans share.
But that is why you constantly find yourself focusing on the people leaving Illinois and how we can reduce it rather than the people coming to Illinois and how we can build on it.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 5:43 pm
AB, you can’t seriously be comparing the economic dynamism or opportunity of California to Kansas, can you?
Dude, put a floppy hat on that dome while you’re waiting by the mailbox for your Illinois pension check.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, May 20, 15 @ 8:07 pm