Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Downstate newspapers appear to be picking the lesser of two evils

Posted in:

Illinois

* The Bloomington Pantagraph goes with Rauner…

We simply cannot endorse a candidate who wants to extract even more money from taxpayers. We cannot add more debt. We cannot spend more. We cannot add taxes.

Do that, and our population losses will continue. Students will go elsewhere. It will continue being difficult to do business here. We will suffer.

No deal.

We don’t see a long-term, sustainable vision in Pritzker. The governor has doggedly fought lawmakers, sometimes to an extreme. Rauner will have to adopt a spirit of cooperation if he is to be successful, but he is our best option this election day.

* The Peoria Journal Star also goes with Rauner…

As a Republican, Rauner offers checks and balances to Madigan’s stranglehold over state government. But will some of his recent negotiated bipartisan victories continue in a second term? Pritzker’s wealth nullifies the political grip Madigan has on Democrats. But what arrangements and tax hikes has he made with Madigan heading into the campaign?

Rauner appears to have the best grasp on the magnitude of the state’s overspending and how to fix its structural deficit by flattening or lowering income tax rates, reducing regulations on businesses to allow for their growth and willingness to stay in Illinois and experimenting with counties and cities to allow for no forced union workforces which has been successful in Wisconsin, Kentucky and Michigan, even resulting in an increase in union workers there. […]

But our biggest problem with Pritzker is the strings he pulled to get a $330,000 property tax break on his Gold Coast mansion in Chicago by claiming the property was uninhabitable because the toilets were removed during a renovation. This is something he did knowingly and only recently acknowledged, saying he would repay the $330,000. We asked him who suggested he seek the tax breaks and if he would have sought them if he knew six years ago he was going to run for governor. He didn’t answer the questions.

This move is a dealbreaker, and an investigation is warranted to determine the level of corruption, if any, this demonstrates. It also raises concerns about what kind of a governor he would be.

* And the Southern Illinoisan goes with Pritzker “Despite our reservations”…

The bottom line in this election: Does Bruce Rauner deserve another four years?

The short answer is no.

Rauner wasted two years stubbornly refusing to compromise with the legislature. That refusal to budge on principle crippled state agencies, harmed our schools and set back the state’s economic recovery.

For those reasons, we believe J.B. Pritzker is the better choice for Illinois in 2018.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:27 am

Comments

One might argue the Rauner Administration has been disproportionately hard on downstate (higher ed, facility closures, no capital bill) and these guys still can’t get past myopic notion that government reform fairy dust will solve all our problems. Unreal.

Comment by Conn Smythe Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:30 am
Much worse on downstate.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:33 am
–We don’t see a long-term, sustainable vision in Pritzker. The governor has doggedly fought lawmakers, sometimes to an extreme.–

That extreme included $16 billion in unpaid bills, busting out higher ed, bleeding social services and reneging on contracts for goods and services delivered.

These alleged conservative deep-thinkers never seem to mention those facts.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:34 am
What an inspirational campaign this is, truly.

Comment by People Over Parties Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:34 am
Illinois newspaper editorial boards are some of the last bastions of Paul Ryan type economics in the nation.

Comment by Natty_B Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:35 am
The Pantagraph might want to learn about the development of the sunbelt and the PJS might want to read up on how Pritzker isn’t the governor until he’s elected and inaugurated. Yikes!

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:37 am
When you have the likes of Mr. Barickman continually voting to hurt downstate, and you see editorial boards still endorse Raunerism, it’s more important to defeat Raunerism than change the minds of editorial boards willing to hurt the people most likely to read their editorials.

It’s far more telling, Crain’s and the Daily Herald, that those looking at the damage being too much already and stopping it is more important than facing they’re endorsing a “Democrat candidate”.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:38 am
Today I learned that some editorial boards don’t understand revenue sources.

I wonder when we’re going to see a flood of people moving in from Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Iowa because their income tax rates are higher there than in Illinois.

Comment by Anon Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:38 am
Also, to add

===Students will go elsewhere.===

LOL. How do they expect to keep the students here without lowering tuition? And how do they expect to lower tuition without public funding?

These guys do a disservice to their community by peddling unsubstantiated fantasies.

Comment by Anon Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:39 am
Whenever I ask my Illinois students why they stayed in-state for college, invariably they tell me that they had strong reservations because of our terrible higher ed funding issues, but that the income tax burden on the wealthy being less than it is in Minnesota sealed their decision.

Comment by LXB Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:42 am
“And how do they expect to lower tuition without public funding?” Easy, just cut taxes and pass term limits. I think. /s

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:43 am
The Peoria, Bloomington and Springfield newspapers are denying the reality of the situation. Somehow we’re going to get a handle on our debt by reducing our taxes and somehow find billions and billions in spending to cut.
They think Rauner will adopt a spirit of cooperation? Rauner will try to finish the job he started which is trying to bankrupt Illinois. He knew what damage he was doing to Illinois but he did it anyway. They are advocating giving our worst Governor ever another term because they have misgivings about Pritzker.

Comment by The Dude Abides Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:44 am
=We simply cannot endorse a candidate who wants to extract even more money from taxpayers. We cannot add more debt. We cannot spend more. We cannot add taxes.=

We cannot pay our bills.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:44 am
Editorial boards can say what they like. It seems, and this is why polls aren’t moving, is that most Illinois residents have made up their mind about the governor and his performance. There are few undecideds (relatively speaking) and many Republicans prefer a different option, like McCann or Kash Jackson. That says a lot. Just wonder when newspapers are going to pick up on this.

Comment by Maestro Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:45 am
–We simply cannot endorse a candidate who wants to extract even more money from taxpayers. We cannot add more debt. We cannot spend more. –

I commend the Pantagraph for voluntarily foregoing revenues from the state’s archaic laws that public notices be printed in a general circulation newspaper.

Ridiculous government spending that serves no purpose today.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:46 am
“Bruce Rauner assures us that the state’s many problems can be solved without causing any pain to anyone except Chicago. We endorse Rauner.”

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:51 am
Newspapers for the ‘education=indoctrination’ &’taxation is theft’ crowd.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:54 am
Rauner has fought lawmakers *to an extreme* much longer than two years. I don’t see any evidence that that has stopped or even diminished. The only thing, in my opinion, that indicates otherwise is Rauner’s disingenuous speech in which he attempted to be contrite about his 4-year-long failure to work with lawmakers and his statement indicating he’s “learned” some things. He’s learned how to campaign, but he has been found wanting as it relates to his record of delivering on his commitments. Just ask Bishop Cupich.

Comment by Happy Retiree Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:55 am
==We simply cannot endorse a candidate who wants to extract even more money from taxpayers. We cannot add more debt. We cannot spend more. We cannot add taxes.==

Regardless of one’s politics, this is not an adult way to talk about our problems. It isn’t rational. It makes no sense. It is completely unserious.

Comment by SWIL Voter Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 10:59 am
Does anyone really care anymore who a newspaper endorses?

Comment by Ryan Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:01 am
==Rauner appears to have the best grasp on the magnitude of the state’s overspending==

I should say so…considering he’s the one who ran up the $16B tab. Does Bruce plan on letting any of the Munger hires go or will they be grandfathered into his second term?

Comment by Jocko Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:05 am
Irrational is the way our unbalanced budgets have been handled for decades

No spending restraint or acknowledgement that high taxes are driving nation leading population loss

More unsustainable spending promised by Democrats and no reforms to the cost drivers for the higher taxes

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:09 am
I wonder if the editorial boards even have a pulse in their communities anymore. Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Decatur, and Springfield papers have all cut their staffs to bare bones. Do the editorial boards just take the orders from corporate at Lee and Gatehouse? Allowed to add their own flair? That is what I really would like to know.

Comment by P-Town Skeptic Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:14 am
=No spending restraint or acknowledgement that high taxes are driving nation leading population loss=

Remind me again how much of that recent tax hike Rauner is using? That’s right, all of it. And he put us $16B in the whole to boot.

What we’re you saying about unsustainable spending?

Comment by Pundent Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:17 am
What these endorsements say to me is that these papers will never endorse a Democrat, unless the Republican is facing indictment or worse.

Comment by DarkHorse Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:20 am
Rauner was elected to fix Illinois and address the lopsided political disaster heaped upon it by Democrats.

Rauner failed so spectacularly that Illinoisans are ready to re-embrace the very party that has been ruining it.

What did we do to deserve these horrible governors?

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:23 am
Aren’t we all?

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:23 am
Downstate editorial boards and the neo-liberal economics they’re still peddling to the unsuspecting. Very irresponsible.

They’ve got some issues with themselves, and are out of sync with their readership. Sort of like mini-Tribs, I reckson.

Comment by dbk Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:26 am
“…Illinoisans are ready to re-embrace the very party that has been ruining it”

Sad but true.

Comment by Liandro Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:32 am
Yet, the U of I system sets records year after year for enrollment.

Hmmm.

Comment by Pick a Name Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:36 am
“What did we do to deserve these horrible governors?” Well, maybe the problem isn’t gerrymandered districts, it’s the way the nominees are chosen?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:37 am
===the U of I system sets records year after year for enrollment.===

They lowered their admission standards too.

You and - Piece of Work - should go listen to someone who does actually “know”, like the UIUC Chancellor.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:39 am
Newspaper editorial staff are dinosaurs, making their money off the people and then scaring them with one-sided stories of Democrats taxing them to death. They continue to support the fantasy of trickle-down economic theory that even its founders acknowledged doesn’t really work past the very, very short-term.

So you have the argument about unsustainable spending versus unsustainable tax cuts. Done by people with no understanding of basic economics and no desire to learn it.

If we don’t raise taxes, how do we pay our backlog of bills? Cut taxes, which will reduce revenue, and HOPE that business comes back and thrives and doesn’t do what they always do, take their profits and run? Or maybe just keep following the Rauner Doctrine - shut down the state again and not fund anything at all until we don’t have a state left?

Comment by Mr. Smith Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:40 am
==I wonder when we’re going to see a flood of people moving in from Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Iowa because their income tax rates are higher there than in Illinois.==

Do they get to bring their much lower hometown property taxes with them? If not, they’re in no rush to get here.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:48 am
with one-sided stories of Democrats taxing them to death. They continue to support the fantasy of trickle-down economic theory that even its founders acknowledged doesn’t really work past the very, very short-term.

Republicans are more trusted on the economy

“Republicans regain advantage on dealing with the economy

In a reversal, Americans now prefer Republicans over Democrats as the party best equipped to deal with the economy and taxes, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

The survey, which was conducted April 8-11, shows that 35 percent of Americans believe the GOP is the better of the two major parties to handle the economy, compared with 28 percent who name Democrats — a seven point advantage for Republicans.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/republicans-regain-advantage-dealing-economy-n866416

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 11:50 am
Yet the U of I admissions standards are higher than most Big Ten universities, likely higher than all of the Big 12 and SEC schools(except Vandy of course)

But, the bottom line is record enrollment and $$$ flowing to the Big U.

Comment by Pick a Name Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:02 pm
I’ve got an idea. Hear me out.

Everyone vote for their choice of politicians. And then — here’s the idea — pay attention after that. Are our elected officials doing the right thing? If not — again, hear me out — vote them out.

Rauner had his chance. Quinn did before him.

The newly elected can really stir things up by not being beholden to party leaders in order to hold onto a job that they don’t really need. They’re all eminently employable.

If Pritzker and Madigan go on a spending spree, and if your newly elected Democratic leaders go along with it — vote them out.

Minnesota fixed themselves. California did too. So can Illinois.

Just an idea.

Comment by Lefty Lefty Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:04 pm
===But, the bottom line is record enrollment and $$$ flowing to the Big U.===

Lower admission standards are still… lower admission standards.

Big $$$?

Chancellor?

===“Given the financial challenges facing higher education over the past 25 months, our focus has been on protecting our students’ Illinois experience and ensuring their success,” Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones said in a statement. “We are proud that despite the state budget crisis, our graduation rate, freshman retention rate, admitted student quality and reputation among peers and high school counselors all held steady or improved. Our class sizes crept up, but only slightly.”===

… but you “know” more than the Chancellor, LOL

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:05 pm
==We cannot add more debt. We cannot spend more. We cannot add taxes.===

All three of these things occurred during Rauner’s first term. How is voting for him again going to stop that?

Comment by supplied_demand Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:20 pm
–”…Illinoisans are ready to re-embrace the very party that has been ruining it”

Sad but true.–

Rita C. was a Dem?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:24 pm
I’ve been voting for the lesser of two evils since at least 1998. About time the newspapers figured it out.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:24 pm
== The survey, which was conducted April 8-11, shows that 35 percent of Americans believe the GOP is the better of the two major parties to handle the economy, compared with 28 percent who name Democrats — a seven point advantage for Republicans.” ==

Except in Illinois …

Comment by RNUG Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:31 pm
Minnesota fixed themselves by electing a Republican legislature with fair maps.

Illinois maps are rigged

Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:53 pm
I doubt anyone in Pantagraphland was surprised by the paper endorsing Rauner. It has been a pro-Republican paper for most of its existence.

Comment by Nearly Normal Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 12:55 pm
“Illinois maps are rigged” So are Wisconsin’s. Your point?

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 1:36 pm
Rauner paid for a lot of ads in their newspapers & other media formats the last 5 years. That is the only reason I can think of that they would pick Rauner over Pritzker. Not to mention they are all solid Republican newspapers.

Comment by M Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 3:52 pm
The unpaid bills line is not scoring as many points as it ought too. I attribute this to the fact that Illinois has always been notoriously slow about paying bills. Oldsters can recall all of the smaller pharmacies that closed up shop because unlike the bigger national chains the mom and pop stores could not wait months to be reimbursed by the state. I am not excusing Rauner, but this bad practice has been going on for ages, he made it much worse.

This election is truly one of the worst in modern memory. Two of the least appealing gubernatorial candidates imaginable.

Comment by Practical Politics Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 4:57 pm
Editorials the question is simple, do you want to pay more taxes ? Yes or No ? If yes what do you expect to get in return for that money? The State has done zip to alleviate propperty taxes nor curb its spending the past 8 years. Spend and tax the modus operandi in Illinois.

Comment by theCardinal Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 5:26 pm
– Do the editorial boards just take the orders from corporate at Lee and Gatehouse–

If ownership is interested in a race, of course they lay down the law. You don’t let a bunch of gasbags way down food chain make the call.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 5:56 pm
These editorials are appropriate to a Republican leaning readership. I probably fit into this somewhat. We elected Rauner to reform the State. He failed. And we should vote JB? The Dems don’t get a free pass for our fiscal crisis. Vote for JB? The guy who is silent on key issues…

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 6:57 pm
Whether you’re a voter or an editorial board - it appears EVERYONE is holding holding their nose.

Comment by Hawkeye Monday, Oct 22, 18 @ 8:04 pm