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Sorry, Jim, but it just got really personal

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* Gov. Jim Edgar in the Peoria Journal Star…

“You never want to lie to Mike Madigan. And you don’t make it personal. You realize you’re coming at it from a different direction, but at the end of the day, you’re going to need to compromise.”

Edgar doesn’t appear sure how that can happen now between Madigan and Rauner.

The former governor ascribes blame to both sides, although he appeared a little tougher on Rauner. Edgar said it was a mistake for Rauner to finance television commercials last year that criticized Madigan for the budget stalemate.

* Edgar ain’t seen nothing yet. Press release…

Illinois Republicans began airing a new television advertisement today targeting House Speaker Mike Madigan’s property tax appeals business. It explains how Madigan gains personally from high property taxes at the expense of everyday Illinoisans and links candidates for the state house to his inside game. The ad is airing on Chicago broadcast.

“Every single one of Mike Madigan’s handpicked candidates will have to answer for his record of profiting from high property taxes at the expense of hardworking families,” said Illinois Republican Party spokesman Steven Yaffe. “Madigan is the king at the top of a broken, corrupt system he’s protected for decades and that’s why he’s hands-down the most despised politician on the ballot this November.”

* The new ad…

* Script…

Mike Madigan made a fortune on tax appeals.
Representing the powerful and politically connected.
Saving his friends millions, forcing you to pay more.
It’s an inside game – played by people like Merry Marwig, Madigan’s handpicked candidate.
When Marwig thought her property taxes were too high, she got them lowered, at your expense.
Saved so much she did it again.
Marwig and Madigan – profiting from the same corrupt system.
Looking out for themselves, instead of you.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 10:49 am

Comments

Solid ad and by airing it on Chicago broadcast it will have an impact far outside McAuliffe’s district. Smart political move.

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 10:51 am
=== When Marwig thought her property taxes were too high, she got them lowered, at your expense. ==

Is the GOP asserting that it’s somehow wrong to try to lower one’s property taxes? Have any Republican legislators ever successfully appealed their property taxes?

Comment by anon Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 10:54 am
===”Madigan is the king at the top of a broken, corrupt system he’s protected for decades and that’s why he’s hands-down the most despised politician on the ballot this November.”===

Rauner just doesn’t want to govern.

Rauner wants labor destroyed, social service groups (Less “The Ounce”) to fail and go away, and state universities to close.

You campaign like this when you must scorch the earth and working to get 60 and 30 isn’t important and a budget… Rauner wants no budget(?)

Democrats, Labor, Social Service advocates, patrons, and clients… vote accordingly. Rauner wins, you all will lose.

Ask AFSCME. They taught Quinn a lesson. Now?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 10:57 am
I would humbly suggest it’s been “personal” for a while. For both of them.

Comment by A guy Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:01 am
Is Edgar’s warnin’ out of date? In a more polarized environment, with the massive amounts of money Edgar coudldn’t raise, with more antipathy to state workesrs and a growin’ pension problem, maybe this strategy is the winner?

Rauner still owns it, but it ain’t the 1990’s amymore.

Comment by Dr X Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:04 am
Gee, I wonder if Governor Rauner ever tried to have his property taxes reduced on his homes or businesses? Or for that matter any other GOP legislator. People who live in glass houses and people who want to play in those glass houses should not throw stones!

Comment by HRC2016 Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:06 am
I think it an effective ad.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:08 am
I think Rauner is going all in on a losing hand. He’s putting money and all of his time into campaigning and I think he thinks that there will be a Republican landslide and he can then continue going forward with his TOA or his no agenda. As always - vote accordingly.

Comment by Dread Pirate Roberts Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:09 am
Maybe these Grumpy Old Men, Rauner and Madigan, could find another way to amuse themselves in their dotages, like with an epic checkers tournament down at the Senior Center.

They’re not doing the rest of us much good these days with their chosen post-retirement hobbies.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:10 am
Politics of destruction + tons of money = continued impasse

Comment by Norseman Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:12 am
That’s a shallow oppo file on Marwig when appealing your property taxes is the lead.

Comment by Conn Smythe Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:14 am
Not sure why anyone cares what Edgar says. He is as much to blame as Madigan for our sorry state

Comment by Ron Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:15 am
–Ask AFSCME. They taught Quinn a lesson. Now?–

God knows we pay for our sins every single day.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:16 am
It’s unreal to me that Rauner and his supporters can, with a straight face, accuse others of profiting of insider deals with taxpayer dollars. Maybe Stu Levine could explain hypocrisy to them.

Comment by Daniel Plainview Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:17 am
=== When Marwig thought her property taxes were too high, she got them lowered, at your expense. ==

=Is the GOP asserting that it’s somehow wrong to try to lower one’s property taxes? Have any Republican legislators ever successfully appealed their property taxes?=

Good point, I think they will be checking now. That could turn out to hurt the GOP if some did.

=forcing you to pay more.=

That is true, but only if you live in the county/school district/ township where the tax is assessed. People will not understand that property tax assessments are not spread out across the state. I think Madigan primarily works on clients in Cook Couty, but he probably has others outside of the county too.

The hit is both fair and unfair (because the issues are nuanced) but I bet the ad is very effective.

I think it tells us that Rauners money is really helping the ILGOP dig deep and uncover serious opportunities to hit the ILDP candidates.

I have always been of the opinion that Madigan’s law practice creates a serious conflict of interest for him as Speaker of he house.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:19 am
===Not sure why anyone cares what Edgar says. He is as much to blame as Madigan for our sorry state===

I’m sorry… what is the current backlog of bills due to the Governor refusing to sign a $4b out of whack budget to instead sign an $8b out of whack budget???

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:20 am
Wonder why the PJS reporters did not ask Edgar about the toll BigBrain has taken on his interests?

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:23 am
I wonder if the ad won’t backfire since it’s largely county and local entities that impose property taxes. Lawyers appealing them (and there are a lot of those lawyers) could be looked at as performing a public service. Lots of people besides the wealthy appeal their property taxes.

Comment by JackD Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:25 am
So Marwig is suspect because she legally appealed her property taxes. Got it. And this message is being funded by the guy who illegally claimed three homestead exemptions? Makes perfect sense.

Comment by Juice Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:25 am
Effective ad with a good deal of truth too it.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:26 am
OW & Honeybear nailed it again.

Comment by Bluegrass Boy Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:28 am
Fire Madigan 2.0 will have greater impact in November than first version. Why? People really can’t stand politicians at any level right now and dump truck loads of cash are now supporting it. Will it move any house seats from D to R? Who knows but it has to worry Madigan and crew. At least it should.

Comment by Big Muddy Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:41 am
It also ignores the fact that a whole lot of regular people also appeal their property taxes.

Comment by NoGifts Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:44 am
@Big Muddy

In this instance the goal is to prevent Marwig from flipping a seat from R to D.

The fact that Team Rauner believes it necessary to deploy this level of firepower to protect a 19 year IL GOP incumbent speaks volumes.

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:46 am
A big shot in the arm for McAuliffe in the House race.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:46 am
Just because it is legal to hire Madigan or Cullerton for their influence with Assessor Berrios does not make it ethical.

The fact that in a good year, he makes over 1 million dollars cashing in on this influence in his part time position also raises some eyebrows.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:47 am
==A big shot in the arm for McAuliffe in the House race.==

I find it fascinating that a 19 year incumbent needs this “shot in the arm” to stave off a fresh faced challenger.

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:50 am
It is amazing to me how so many here are willing to defend this obvious corruption. Especially those who think it is okay because: Republicans do it too.

Comment by striketoo Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:55 am
so this must be the only ad like this since this will go on tv with McAuliffe’s other ads? is the opponent well known? or a ghost candidate with little district linkage in either time living in the district or significant profile?

Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:58 am
Even though he has hosted and sponsored a number of property tax appeal seminars himself, McAuliffe can still make this hit? Between Rauner’s puppets and the Presidential election, this campaign season can’t end soon enough.

Comment by Adam Eaton Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 11:58 am
== Lots of people besides the wealthy appeal their property taxes. ==

== It also ignores the fact that a whole lot of regular people also appeal their property taxes. ==

Yep. Done it 3 times myself that I remember. Guess that means I better not run for office or I’ll get hit with an ad. /s

Comment by RNUG Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:06 pm
More to the topic … is this ad being ran to protect a seat or just because they have money to burn and don’t know where to spend it?

Comment by RNUG Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:07 pm
Thank goodness that McAuliffe is such an independent voice in these hyper partisan times. No need to look at where his funding is coming from. Just listen to his wife, she tells us.

Comment by Henry Francis Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:09 pm
For some perspective: How much in tax dollars has the Guv avoided by refusing to submit a balanced budget with a necessary tax increase? By keeping the income tax at an unsustainable low amount how much is he saving?

Comment by Henry Francis Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:18 pm
I appealed my local property tax down by filling out the required form in my county. My quarter acre estate also takes about 30 minutes to mow.

There is no doubt Madigan has dozens of attorneys in his firm who handle thousands of property tax cases and Madigan may actually touch the big money cases. There are also many more firms just as big or bigger who are his direct competition doing the same thing at the same level of clients. I could not afford their rates.

Comment by zatoichi Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:24 pm
Where’s McAulliffe’s term-limits spot?

Boss Rauner bought the band. Don’t they all have to dance to his tune?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:27 pm
Can we all simply thank Edgar for delaying the pension payments for decades? The guy was awful and still is.

Comment by Ron Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:53 pm
@Ron

No. The pension ramp could have worked if it was actually carried out. Ryan and Blago were the 1 2 punch of completely awful governors. That doesn’t mean that Edgar is or was awful.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 12:58 pm
@Ducky LaMoore- Respectfully, I agree with most of your post except this:

= could have worked if it was actually carried out=

The ramp was not a good plan, seriously. Maybe if they set aside the revenue or actually paid it but given the history it just was not realistic.

That said it may have been what was doable.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 1:06 pm
How much has Rauner’s IL property taxes been lowered?

Comment by Mama Retired Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 1:13 pm
I’m with Ron!

Comment by flea Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 1:17 pm
There’s a disconnect in this ad. Did Marwig hire Madigan to lower her RE taxes? The ad doesn’t say. Did she hire Madigan the second time? The ad doesn’t say. The implication is that she did, but if she did not, that seems very misleading.

Comment by Steve Rogers Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 1:20 pm
Related article in by Ben Joravsky in the Reader last summer:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/governor-rauner-speaker-madigan-property-tax-appeals/Content?oid=18036446

Comment by Red Line Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 1:26 pm
You can criticize Edgar for the ramp all you want, but it was the only thing done to try and address the problem until Tier 2 was created. Remember:

“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

Comment by Norseman Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:11 pm
The ramp was working as intended until Blago and Filan came to town. First, they sold the POB’s and handed the payment book to the pension systems, offsetting the gains from the bonds. Then, they took partial holidays in FY2006/07 because Blago wouldn’t consider.raising revenue before an election. Finally, they reset the ramp itself, moving the ramp end date from FY11 to FY 17. They also wiped out statutory 10-year amortization periods for the TRS and SERS formula changes ordered by Edgsr, in effect dumping hundreds of millions of unpaid costs straight into the unfunded liability.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:24 pm
Test post. Almost gone of my comments are posting today.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:26 pm
The ad is likely to be effective because now, unlike prior incarnations, the “Fire Madigan” campaign will likely work. Madigan is almost universally hated. Tying Marwig to her boss — and Madigan is her boss, no doubt — makes lots of sense.

Comment by Deft Wing Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:34 pm
- Deft Wing -

Works for Madigan? How so? Where?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:49 pm
ah, but a tax appeal gives more information on her, does it not?

Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 2:51 pm
there’s a Charles A. Marwig who ran against Rauschenberger in the 33rd in 1996. Any relation?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 3:08 pm
My legislative ballot initiative is to reduce the House to one member. Since he’s the only one who matters while the mushrooms on both sides put up with the status quo. Then everyone can vote on Mike.

Comment by Midway Gardens Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 3:39 pm
This type of campaign - which was run in the March primaries also - will make Madigan (teens) and Rauner’s (low thirties) percentage approval numbers even more similar.

I predict the Governor is headed for the low twenties approval eventually, based on the current trajectory.

But how does this help the Governor with the TA ? The Speaker is already/has-for-a-long-time been unpopular, and as the cliche goes, does not have to run state-wide.

Comment by peon Monday, Sep 12, 16 @ 5:45 pm
her dad ran for office in 1986, so multiple tries to win. Merry Marwig comes from a political family.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 8:58 am
And how many of those hiring Madigan or Cullerton made contributions to to the Democrats? — coincidence I’m sure

Comment by G-man Tuesday, Sep 13, 16 @ 9:55 am