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Englehart’s debut

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* A text message from GOP state Rep. Dave McSweeney…

Rich - Did you listen to this? It sounds like the Governor is ok with the Madigan tax increase. That would explain why he looked the other way and didn’t work hard against it.

He sent me a link to Gov. Rauner’s comments today and I asked him what the governor said.

* From McSweeney…

On the video, starts at 21:29. He’s crowing about Illinois allegedly having a low income tax rate. He said that he’s working to KEEP it at the new tax rate. Doesn’t sound like he has a problem with it. I stand by my statement above.

* The governor was talking to reporters about the new Amazon headquarters…

“The good news is Illinois still has a lower income tax rate at the high end compared to cities on the coasts. That’s a strategic advantage. I want to work to keep it there and not have our income taxes go up even further. That’s a critical strategic imperative.”

He has, indeed, been promising to roll back the income tax rate to 3 percent since the campaign. And he’s made the same sort of promises since the tax rate went up to 4.95 this year.

So, is the governor now saying he’s OK with the current income tax rate?

* Rauner spokesman Hud Englehart…

Are you kidding? Does the Rep. not remember who vetoed Madigan’s 32 percent tax increase? Where in the definition of the word “veto” are the words “doesn’t have a problem?”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 8:54 am

Comments

Rauner’s statements change depending on what audience he is speaking to. They change a lot day to day.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 8:59 am
As do his costumes

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:01 am
Perfidy, Englehard, perfidy

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:01 am
“A lower tax rate at the high end” of income. In other words, all Rauber cares about is preventing a fair tax (graduated rates) that would require more from millionaires and billionaires on the North Shore cocktail circuit.

Comment by Reality Check Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:04 am
has anyone ask “Hud” what the hell is that. No offense intended but a check of the Medill webstie offers nary a clue. Perhaps folks wer
e big Y.A. Tittle fans and this is a short.
At least he returned the call.
he other interestin’ connect for the week is Durkie tellin’ the City Club he and NoTaxBill talked to the Governor all the time about SB1 so it is unlikely they will be able to pretend they are workin’ on their own.

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:05 am
Rauner sounds to me like he’s okay with it. And he certainly didn’t use all the Constitutional and political powers of his office to make the veto stick.

In fact, Rauner’s actions were precisely what you’d do to ensure that a veto was overriden in a hurry.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:08 am
===I want to work to keep it there and not have our income taxes go up even further.===

No no no. Please, Bruce. You have been a failure at everything you have ever done in government. Just say you want 3%. It ain’t ever going to happen. But please don’t start talking about keeping taxes from going up more.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:09 am
“Outrageous — Where would anyone get the idea that Bruce Rauner’s words and actions are inconsistent to the point of complete incoherence???”

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:10 am
Some veto, done so quickly after the GA passing the tax hike so it could be quickly overridden.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:11 am
If we didn’t have the Madigan tax hike, we would t have a budget.

If we didn’t have budget (for the 3rd year in a row), would we even be talking about bringing Amazon to Illinois.

The Guv is just a passive complainer. Will take none of the blame - but will glom onto any success that happens despite his actions.

Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:13 am
The 4.95% rate is only temporary. Its simple math. There will be no progressive income tax. We will see additional service sales tax. We will see an increase to the motor fuels tax. We will see property taxes continue to escalate. Why? Its what Republicans and Democrats do. They are good at simple math. It is simpletons like myself who cant seem to understand.

Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:13 am
Couple really fun things here.

First, words matter. Hud, the cocktail party friend and confidant of Bruce and Diana Rauner says…

===Are you kidding? Does the Rep. not remember who vetoed Madigan’s 32 percent tax increase? Where in the definition of the word “veto” are the words “doesn’t have a problem?”===

Let’s break these words down first, then what the governor actually said.

“Are you kidding?”

Setting up the phony by trying to make the question seem preposterous, no matter what the governor said.

“Does the Rep. not remember who vetoed Madigan’s 32 percent tax increase?”

Here’s where it gets fun. Rauner also vetoed the entire budget (at that time, less K-12) and wanted it vetoed as quickly as possible so an override could occur.

This silly ignorance will come to haunt Ole Hud come campaign time. A really smart campaign, a savvy campaign would use the quote over and over…

===Where in the definition of the word “veto” are the words “doesn’t have a problem?”===

Now, on the Winnetka Cocktail Party circuit, the place where Diana Rauner needs to feel safe and beloved, this might seem smart or winning, someone so in tune to governing.

“However”

“Are you kidding?

===Where in the definition of the word “veto” are the words “doesn’t have a problem?”===

Bruce Raunef has a problem with…

Higher Ed
Social Services
State Agencies
Infastructure
State Police

“Where in the definition of the word “veto” are the words “doesn’t have a problem?”…”

Ole Hud ain’t too bright, is he?

That, or Diana Rauner herself sees destroying Illinois as “not a problem”… since a veto, according to Hud means Bruce has a problem with….

Higher Ed
Social Servives
State Agencies
Imfastructure
State Police

Even Ole Slip and Sue knows that magic is that great.

So, now let’s see what the governor actually said…

===“The good news is Illinois still has a lower income tax rate at the high end compared to cities on the coasts.===

This is Rauner taking his own failure and taking that tax hike, that he couldn’t stop and needed that override and making lemonade.

“..,Illinois still has a lower…”

Mmm. That lemonade is Dee-Licious.

===That’s a strategic advantage.===

What is? Not being on a coast or “still” having a lower income tax? The first line ain’t talking no Gee-Og-Gra-Fee…

Right here. Right here is Rauner eating a cookie with that lemonade, telling us all he’s fine with it going up, “but don’t you go higher… HeHe”

===I want to work to keep it there and not have our income taxes go up even further===

“I want to work to keep it there”

Bruce Rauner is fine with it where it’s at now. Bruve Rauner just told me so. Here’s where the Rauner phony really kicks in…

“and not have our income taxes go up even further”

lol

“You know what… go any further, then I’ll get real upset”

That Governor Rauner.

I want to thank the Cocktail Party friend Hud for reminding me… what vetoes “really” mean.

I wonder what Ann Cananaugh thinks… lol

#Failure

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:15 am
Rauner’s statements change as often as his costume wardrobe. What will the audience be this week? Biker, Cowboy, or Hunter. Maybe he could rent some of his costumes out for Halloween.

Comment by Get it Solved Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:15 am
When you take the Governor’s intransigence and you add in Englehart’s arrogance, temperament and political ignorance, you have all of the ingredients for an impending disaster. Keep the popcorn handy folks.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:18 am
I’d like a Reader’s Digest version of Willy’s post, please.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:24 am
No, these are the words that say “doesn’t have a problem” “I want to work to keep it there…”

Comment by Michael Westen Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:26 am
Schools would not be open if he sat on the bill for 60 days. Only the far-right nihilists wanted that outcome. Politically, he’d be in worse shape than he is now.

Comment by Three-Finger Brown Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:29 am
What screams at me is that I have yet to hear any of the Dem gov candidates apologize to the working poor and middle classes about the pain inflicted on them because of the recent rate hike. Arent they supposed to be looking out for us all.?

Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:30 am
More Rauner nonsense.
Rauner is just generating phony sound bytes to cover his future failures.

Comment by Chicago 20 Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:31 am
What happened was bad politics. When the income tax rate was returned to its pre-Rauner rate, Rauner chose to play angry and be a loser. Bad choice. He should have spun it as I said he should have, as a win. A smart pol would have claimed that thanks to him, Madigan couldn’t raise the income tax higher, and had to settle for a rate lower than it was in 2014.

Poor political play on ILGOP. Voters back winners, not pity losers.

Now Rauner’s stuck with these extreme GOPists and their finger pointing amateur games.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:32 am
===I’d like a Reader’s Digest version of … post, please===

“Everyone’s a critic”

- VanillaMan -

I’ll get you a copy of the Cliff’s Notes.

:)

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:32 am
LOL, no one’s going to think that Rauner was pro-tax hike. BUT, it’s significant that some conservative Republicans are trying to “make fetch happen”.

But what else are they supposed to do? If you’re anti-tax hike, Rauner failed you. If you’re pro business reforms, he failed you. If you’re anti-sanctuary cities, he abandoned you, and it looks like he’s in the process of doing that on abortion, too. Basically, if you’re a conservative, Rauner vacillates between failing you and abandoning you, so why not brief against him?

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:35 am
But Hud is making progress… it’s better than his debut as Director of Communication for Donna More:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160301/BLOGS02/160309992/why-has-donna-more-disappeared-from-states-attorneys-race

Comment by Man in the Arena Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:36 am
Without the tax increase there would be no school funding reform, you know, the fantastic thing that Rauner celebrates as his accomplishment. Tell me how that new formula looks without any money.

The gov and his team really need to figure out what his story is and then figure out how to stick to it. Perhaps in addition to not returning calls they could also just stop talking until that happens. Maybe they need a retreat. Just go away for about 14 months. That should take care of things.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:37 am
In the comments section fighting with Greg Hinz…

Comment by Man in the Arena Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:37 am
==I have yet to hear any of the Dem gov candidates apologize to the working poor and middle classes about the pain inflicted on them because of the recent rate hike==

What silly nonsense. There were no out-cries when it was higher during Quinn’s term. Pain? Give us a break.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:39 am
Just keepin’ it pithy, OW.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:41 am
===Just keepin’ it pithy…===

You win, lol

- justacitizen -

You can yourself add to the discussion, no one is stopping you. Your driveby isn’t helping.

===I have yet to hear any of the Dem gov candidates apologize to the working poor and middle classes about the pain inflicted on them because of the recent rate hike.===

… that’s because anyone with any sense or math acumen knew in January of 2015 there would be a need for revenue.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:44 am
==apologize to the working poor and middle classes about the pain inflicted on them==

I think an apology to the social services providers and other vendors who got stiffed would be a better apology. The destruction caused to social services affected those same lower and middle classes you speak of.

I get it. It’s all about the graduated income tax for you. But guess what. That can’t happen anytime soon. We needed a fix now. Enough with the whining already.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:45 am
VM. My point exactly..no one cares. Its business as usual.

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:46 am
Dem. Are you saying the states problems are fixed?

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:47 am
Messy

Comment by WSJ Paywall Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:48 am
==I have yet to hear any of the Dem gov candidates apologize to the working poor and middle classes about the pain inflicted on them because of the recent rate hike.==

This is just bizarre. They’re not responsible for Rauner’s mess, and only one of them even voted to clean it up. If they’re supposed to apologize for that, what are they supposed to say to the higher ed employees who were already laid off, the charities that closed, or the thousands of IDOT workers who were on the chopping block without the budget?

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:48 am
What are they supposed to say to state vendors (the fabled small businesses) who’ve gotten stiffed to the tune of $16 billion? “Hey, we need to keep not paying so that no legislator has to run with a tax hike in his jacket. We cool?”

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 9:51 am
OW. I understand. My math acumen tells me that we need a state income tax at approx 7.75%. That’s at current population levels….that’s at current life expectancies…that’s while we are going through good economic times.

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:01 am
==Are you saying the states problems are fixed?==

Umm, no. Where did I say that? But I’m pretty sure sitting on our hands hoping for a graduated income tax wouldn’t fix the problems either. I live in the real world.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:20 am
===I want to work to keep it there and not have our income taxes go up even further.===

Where in the definition of the words “keep it there” are the words “rollback to 3%”?

Comment by anon2 Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:27 am
==The 4.95% rate is only temporary.==

According to what source?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:33 am
Good response from Hud.

Of course Rauner wants to lower the rates. But he has a Democratic super majority in the Senate, a lock-step Madigan majority in the House, and a whole lot of moderate spineless Republicans in both chambers.

The best he can hope for is preventing them from going up even further. That’s all Rauner can really do until we give him more allies in the legislature. Block the Madigoons.

Comment by Phil King Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:43 am
Could someone ask HUD if GovJunk— the repealer — plans to spend the tax hike cash? Maybe McSween the Dream can work that in next rave out.

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:43 am
his drinking buddy doesn’t have a problem saying he didn’t say that

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 10:47 am
Phil King @ 10:43 am ==That’s all Rauner can really do until we give him more allies in the legislature.==

He could at least float some actual budget cut proposals (other than unconstitutional “pension reform” fantasies). But that would require him to take responsibility for them, which he has repeatedly shown himself to be incapable of doing.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:01 am
As usual, Mcsweeny never bothers to check the facts. He just shoots his mouth off about what he thinks the answer is to a problem.

Comment by Confused Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:06 am
===But… ===

Rauner needs the override for a budget, even a budget Rauner didn’t sign, lol

===he has a Democratic super majority in the Senate, a lock-step Madigan majority in the House, and a whole lot of moderate spineless Republicans in both chambers===

… that had “enough” of Bruce and Diana Rauner destroying Illinois as their “business decision”

Those Republicans saved Illinois from Bruce and Diana Rauner and the Raunerites they control.

===The best he can hope for is preventing them from going up even further. That’s all Rauner can really do until we give him more allies in the legislature. Block the Madigoons.===

The only way you don’t look utterly foolish, since it took Republicans to save Illinois from the RaunerS is you acknowledging that Raunerism and being a Republican are indeed two different things.

For that, I thank you.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:08 am
===…never bothers to check the facts…===

What did McSweeney miss?

You forgot that in your driveby?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 11:10 am
==You can yourself add to the discussion, no one is stopping you. Your driveby isn’t helping.==

I weigh in when I have something I think is meaningful to say. I don’t like to just babble.

Comment by justacitizen Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:17 pm
Bruce Rauner can’t look AmAzon in the eye and tell them he wants to roll the income tax rate back to 3% because if we did that there’s no way in hell we could promise AmAzon billions in taxpayer subsidies.

End of story, HUD.

Someone just ask Hud how Rauner plans to pay for subsidies for Amazon if he rolls back the tax hike. I dare you.

Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 12:32 pm
The Amazon Headquarters link takes me to HB313 signing or announcement Rich.

Comment by Tier1gal Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 1:37 pm
Rauner campaigned at a 3% level but is spending at a 6% level. What’s the big deal here?

Comment by Original Rambler Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 1:44 pm
=No, these are the words that say “doesn’t have a problem” “I want to work to keep it there…”=

Michael Westen nailed it, above.

Hud, you’re right that the McSweeney’s conclusion that Rauner doesn’t have a problem with 4.95% is not evidenced by his veto last month; but it is evidenced by his telling Amazon today that he wants to work to keep it at 4.95%.

When Hud was a paid consultant, maybe at least Rauner listened to him before doing his own thing. But now that Hud’s on the payroll as Comm Director, he’ll have to do as he’s told. And he’ll do it Bruce’s way or else there can always be another staff change. Don’t expect Hud to clear up any confusion caused by Rauner’s multiple contradictory statements; it will be Hud’s job to spin the narrative so that, on occasion, black equals white.

Comment by James Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 2:09 pm
===I weigh in when I have something I think is meaningful to say. I don’t like to just babble===

lol, I guess drivebys aren’t babble. Good to know.

You keep making it about me if it helps…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 21, 17 @ 3:42 pm
bruce got checked, failing to stop a 32% tax on his watch is no accomplishment. My taxes skyrocketed under the Rauner administration

Comment by Rabid Friday, Sep 22, 17 @ 6:58 am