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* Tribune…
While the full scope of Pritzker’s spending plan remains unclear, an administration document shows the governor will propose spending an additional $630 million on education, from preschool through college.
A new statewide formula for funding elementary and secondary education already calls for an increase of $350 million for public schools compared with the current year, but Pritzker wants to add another $25 million.
His budget plan also will call for spending increases of $55.2 million for public universities, $13.9 million for community colleges and $50 million for tuition grants to low-income college students.
He also will call for $100 million in additional spending on early childhood education.
And since he’ll use this address as an opportunity to kick off his two-year campaign to implement a graduated income tax, expect a lot of talk today about how this budget is merely a “bridge” to the future…
“Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will deliver a budget that begins to stabilize our state finances while starting to rebuild our human services, our universities and P-12 education, and our public safety, along with the funding needed to make this minimum wage a reality,” Pritzker said.
* The other side is waiting for him…
Ideas Illinois has launched a digital ad campaign just hours before Gov. J.B. Pritzker makes his first budget address. The ad, obtained by POLITICO, highlights what chairman Greg Baise calls a “lack of new ideas” to solve Illinois’ serious financial problems.
“Even though Illinois has a new governor, all we hear are the same failed solutions to our state’s budgetary problems—higher taxes, shorting our pension funds and massive amounts of new spending,” said Baise. Ideas Illinois is a 501C4 not-for-profit that’s pro-business and anti-progressive income tax (which it refers to as a jobs tax). It’s the counter to Pritzker’s Think Big Illinois group.
The ad claims “Illinois leads in all the wrong categories” and it ticks off as examples “high property taxes, billions in unpaid pension obligations, never-ending tax increases and population that has declined for five years in a row.”
It’s all a shot at Pritzker, whose party controls both houses of the legislature—leaving Republicans wafting in the wind.
The ad is about a minute long…
* Meanwhile…
Incoming Gov. J.B. Pritzker will include revenue from Illinois sports betting when delivering his budget proposal to the state legislature Wednesday, according to an advance briefing to lawmakers Tuesday.
As the new Democratic governor who upended a Republican incumbent, Pritzker holds a lot of sway with his party members. Democrats dominate in each chamber of the Illinois General Assembly.
Illinois Rep. Mike Zalewski, who soon plans to introduce a sports betting bill, tells Legal Sports Report that Pritzker backing IL sports betting will be “a huge help” to his efforts.
“He’s trying to rectify a budget situation that’s four years in the making, and he sees sports betting as part of that solution,” Zalewski said. “He’s an incoming Democratic governor who won by a wide amount. Those in our caucus want to give him what he asks for to lead us.
“To have him ask for sports betting, I think we’ll be supportive of it.”
That’s a pretty good article, by the way. So click here and read the rest if you’re interested in the topic.
* In other budget-related news…
During his campaign for governor, Pritzker frequently attacked his predecessor’s handling of multiple Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at a state-run veterans’ home in downstate Quincy, Ill. The families of 12 residents are suing the state for neglect over their loved ones’ deaths. Legislators overrode a veto from Rauner to raise the limit of what those families could win in their lawsuits, from $100,000 to $2 million.
Chicago attorney Steven Jambois, who represents one of those 12 families, told WBEZ Tuesday that those settlement negotiations have just begun. Jambois said he’s demanding the full $2 million for his client, the family of Valdemar Dehn, a Korean War veteran who died in 2017 — two years after the first Legionnaires’ outbreak at the Quincy home.
“How does one evaluate the value for that? Particularly on our case, he was one of the last persons to die and clearly in our mind the most preventable of all the deaths, since they clearly had sufficient notice,” Jambois said.
In addition, Pritzker vowed during the campaign to continue Rauner’s plan to rebuild the Quincy veterans’ home. Last year, lawmakers put $53 million as a down payment toward construction. Rauner estimated the total spending on a new veterans’ home in Quincy could cost about $245 million.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 9:43 am
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whose $$$ is Baiser P’in’ away on this stuff? Really ineffective. Perhaps a full retirement is in order
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 9:47 am
So deficit plus new spending equals 4 billion. Maybe a few hundred million in POTENTIAL new revenue. So what will JB propose to cut to bring that into balance?
Comment by Captain Obvious Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:01 am
==Legislators overrode a veto from Rauner to raise the limit of what those families could win in their lawsuits, from $100,000 to $2 million.==
Can we stop repeating this misleading statement? The legislation isn’t Quincy-specific; it raised the limits for all litigants.
Comment by Chris Widger Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:01 am
I thought more highly of Baise.
Recycling Raunerism thoughts… he’s better than that.
This ad reminds me why Raunerism gutted the brand formerly known as ILGOP, and why Raunerism lost so dramatically at the ballot box, couldn’t recruit statewide candidates, and why Dems sit 74 and 40 in the GA.
Yep.
Baise was better than this once.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:04 am
Didn’t Pritzker also include projected marijuana license revenue in his budget proposal? I wonder if that is still in play.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:07 am
Ideas Illinois is an initiative of the Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity. The Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity is chaired and controlled by Ron and James Gidwitz, multimillionaire brothers and heirs to the Helene Curtis fortune built by their father.
Ron Gidwitz is now the Ambassador to Belgium after serving as Donald Trump’s Illinois finance chair.
I think this context is important when weighing the credibility of an organization that is trying to move the debate on tax policy. As they advocate for transparency by legislators voting for a change in our income tax system, it seems reasonable to ask them to release their own income tax returns so that the public can see how they could benefit by maintaining the status quo.
Comment by Jeffrey Sterbenc Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:15 am
=Recycling Raunerism thoughts… he’s better than that.=
I could be wrong, but wasn’t it reported Mike Z and Erika Harold’s old campaign manager got a contract with Ideas Illinois? If so, might explain the recycled Raunerism.
Comment by Lack of New Ideas Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:17 am
===…might explain the recycled Raunerism===
I completely understand the play, I just thought Baise was better than this after Raunerism was soundly defeated.
It’s more on Baise’s continued connection… than the “why go Raunerism?”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:20 am
I love seeing the
feckless gestures
of
The Callous Privileged
“I am not getting”
all that I feel I deserve as your better
“I am not getting”
my tax breaks and relief from regulation
“I am not getting”
deferred too as a tax payer and job creator
The wailing and gnashing
of the aggrieved Privileged
is epic
Like a chorus
Their voices rise to
Mammon their God, Lord of Profit
“We are better so we should pay less”
“We are better so we should not have to care”
“We are better so we deserve”
Wailing and gnashing
perfidy made
to disguise
selfishness
Baise fights for selfishness
perfidy for selfishness
justifications for selfishness
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:26 am
Heh, it’s interesting that a “lack of new ideas” seems to have the same meaning as “not agreeing with my ideas”.
Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:30 am
I liked the ad. There is a lot of truth in there that can’t/shouldn’t be ignored. I’m perplexed by many of these responses that ignore the objective realities in favor of the subjective and personal opinions.
Why would Pritzker say, “along with the funding needed to make this minimum wage a reality.” Get the cart ahead of the horse much? It’s a reality, sir. Let’s hope the state can figure out how to fund their self-inflicted financial hit.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:33 am
$245 Million seems grotesquely overpriced - How many veterans will it serve? If the building will accommodate a far more veterans, then I would stand corrected. I hadn’t heard anything about that….
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:36 am
None of us are the target audience for this communication. I predict that Mr. Baise et al will get a LOT of support from the business community and you should not slough off what he and his group can accomplish. For those of us who relish the public fight, it could end up being mighty impressive.
Comment by Violet Seepage Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:40 am
=I just thought Baise was better than this after Raunerism was soundly defeated.=
Baise is better than this. However, the people working for Ideas Illinois, to use their own spin, lack new ideas when it comes to messaging.
Comment by Lack of New Ideas Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:43 am
===I predict that Mr. Baise et al will get a LOT of support from the business community and you should not slough off what he and his group can accomplish. For those of us who relish the public fight, it could end up being mighty impressive.===
74 to 44
40 to 19
6 to zero
It’s impressive.., how the Dems flat out pummeled these ideas in 2018.
Raunerism lost by the largest margin in 100 years for an incumbent “GOP” governor.
I think running the same plays seems like vanity more than strategy.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:44 am
== will include revenue from Illinois sports betting ==
Well, at least that beats “sell the Thompson Center” and “working together”
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:49 am
Why is the governor proposing additional spending when we can’t pay for our current spending?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 10:52 am
Jay Robert is throwing prizes out to everybody with no conceivable way to pay for everything.
Can’t wait for the information on the new graduated tax.
Sigh, much what we have come to expect from the left.
Comment by Pick a Name Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:17 am
=== “along with the funding needed to make this minimum wage a reality,” Pritzker said. ===
Wait. What? I thought it was a reality…
Comment by Birdseed Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:24 am
==Sigh, much what we have come to expect from the left.==
I’ll take this over lies and inaction any day.
Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:28 am
I am still in sticker shock over the proposed new Quincy facility. I hope complete transparency from the design thru build process is available.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:28 am
Time to get the state out of the veterans housing business. Close down the homes and move the current residents to certified nursing homes. Quincy is a bottomless pit.
Comment by striketoo Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:36 am
Ok I know you can fudge the whole revenue & expenditure stuff to comply with the balanced budget requirement but how do we hike spending with a 3.2 billion deficit & balance? It may be the most worthy spending ever but how does the math work?
Kind of think AFSCME should be a little nervous about their contract negotiation. Something has to be cut.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:45 am
==Why is the governor proposing additional spending when we can’t pay for our current spending?==
Anonymous for the win, and the comment applies to all factions of government in the U.S., not just Illinois.
Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:46 am
“Can’t wait for the information on the new graduated tax.”
Me too. It should be great, if it gives a tax cut to 90% of Illinoisans or thereabouts. We really need a graduated income tax. Most of our neighbors have it. We should have it as a moral statement.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:53 am
That’s a good one Grandson, a cut to 90% of IL residents.
You really believe that????
Comment by Pick a Name Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 11:57 am
So is it mostly Ricketts’ money behind Baise or a bunch of civvy types, too?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:01 pm
Taxinv the current revenue sources, the only way I see the 90% cut math working is if the flat rate has already been raised to between 6% and 7%.
Now if new service taxes were part of the mix, or if retirement income gets taxed, then the 90% math could work.
More realistically, I would say 50% - 60% will get a cut or be neutral if the only change is a graduated income tax.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:03 pm
I think you’re right Mason born. I think it Pritzker is going to fulfill Rauners dream of 120% increase in State worker health insurance premiums.
I don’t think it will be wages cut as Pritzker has affirmed the placement of workers on their proper wage step come April 1.
Unless that was
perfidy
But I don’t think so.
If anything he’s been backed up by the Civies on
Rauners State Employee Health Insurance
union buster.
What folks don’t realize is that
300,000 plus
Individuals are pegged to AFSCME’s health insurance.
If Pritzker fulfills Rauners vision of a 120% hike.
Then insurance will more than double for
300,000 plus people
There’s Rauners 500-800 million saved.
So yeah, State workers, union or not
Public University employees and professors
should be super worried.
Maybe this is just another time Honeybear
is wrong
It wouldn’t be the first.
But not once in the several times I’ve
yapped about this
was it denied.
It used to be that no sane private sector
CEO would treat their workforce like this.
Yet now
Squeezing your own workforce
for the profit of the investor/owner class
is commonplace.
We shall see if Pritzker
truly is
a champion on the frontline,
of the common worker
or if the 15$ minimum wage
was a front
for perfidy.
(Not unlike making contracts with other unions before hammering AFSCME as unreasonable)
Remember- Minimum wage workers are not the workers you have to rely on to execute and maintain policy, statute, law, and the functions of government. State workers are.
JB Pritzker
don’t fulfill Rauners dream
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:16 pm
RNUG, out of that 50%-60%, what % pays little state income tax currently, in your opinion?
Comment by Pick a Name Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:29 pm
“That’s a good one Grandson, a cut to 90% of IL residents.
You really believe that????”
We don’t have rates yet, so that’s why I qualified my comment. The Responsible Budget Coalition is proposing a tax cut for 90% of us.
Even if it’s less than 90% but still a large majority, it would be great. We can’t allow the state’s most vulnerable people and government employees to face the degree of fiscal strains that the former governor either put on people (social services cuts) or tried to (horrible state employee contract terms plus union-busting). It’s not moral when the people making a million or more dollars a year—in the former governor’s case tens or hundreds of millions more—are taxed at the same rate as everyone else. It really boils down to that.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:32 pm
== . I think it Pritzker is going to fulfill Rauners dream of 120% increase in State worker health insurance premiums. ==
-Honeybear-, 120% increase was not Rauner’s goal; that was just step 1. I had it from an very reliable source that the goal was for the State to contribute zero to employer health and the employee to pay the full cost … even though the employee has no real choice in the plans the State chooses to offer. My source saw the complete plan laid out … every step of it.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:41 pm
== RNUG, out of that 50%-60%, what % pays little state income tax currently, in your opinion? ==
It’s been 2 or 3 years since I saw a breakdown. I’ll have to look for a current one.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:43 pm
Very few taxpayers will see there taxes reduced. There is no way 50 to 60 of taxpayers will have an income tax reduction.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:44 pm
Greg throwing out cover for the likes of the Gidwitz brothers and Griff with no workable solutions to offer or suggestions for budget cuts that Rauner could have made (but didn’t)
Can’t wait to see his ideas for savings through “reforms” and “term limits”
Sigh, much what we have come to expect from the right
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:45 pm
Honey,
To be blunt you’ll be lucky to break even. I.e. raises that mask the hikes.
Good luck.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 12:45 pm
Latest available report is 2016.
0-25k - 1.96m returns - $0.56b paid
25k-50k - 1.28m returns - $1.31b paid
50k-100k - 1.33m returns - $2.68b paid
100k-500k - 1.04m returns - $5.47b paid
500k-more : 0.06m returns - $2.96 paid
All numbers rounded.
Source: 2026 Final report PDF format
https://tinyurl.com/y5jpmp7q
Bottom line: I would guess the under $100k AGI will pay the same or less, over $100k will pay more. You may see that line dip as low as $75k depending on the revenue target.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:01 pm
Obvious typo … 2016 report is the source
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:03 pm
And the $2.96 is missing the b for billions.
So much for trying to type and proof on a smartphone.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:06 pm
Mason born- yep.
What I can’t understand is
Why cripple the workforce
or future workforce
who has
to execute and maintain
all the
wonderful things he wants to do.
Beat the poor oompa loompas
who make the candy.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:13 pm
Thanks RNUG
Comment by Pick a Name Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:21 pm
Thank you for sharing RNUG.
I wouldn’t doubt it.
I still find myself
stunned by the malice.
I just don’t know why Pritzker
would even entertain these things.
I haven’t found the passage in the budget book yet.
Maybe that’s a learning for the Pritzker crew
Don’t foreshadow the bad stuff.
If I’m wrong
They need to lay down a marker
and state that they will not go after
us poor oompa loompas
working away in the factory.
The Rauner era has made me
suspicious and paranoid.
I am thankful for the insights and tips
you, Rich and OW give.
You are the protectors of the state worker.
Thank you
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 1:52 pm
Honeybear
No offense but your salary is an expense to the state. It’s one the Governor has exclusiveish control on. Add to that if reducing that expense is pain born by a few that can then be used for pet projects that benefit the many. Not saying it’s right but that seems like reality.
Question do you know if AFSCME is going to try to resurrect the binding Arbitration bill? (You might wish you had it)
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Feb 20, 19 @ 2:06 pm
Do Baise’s Boys really think they “owned the libs” yesterday? They’re so far behind on the scoreboard they stopped looking. They only care about cashing the checks.
Comment by Middle of the Roadster Thursday, Feb 21, 19 @ 8:01 am
I just deleted a “rant”.
I’ll simply say “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” whether lead by Republican or Democrat wealthy leadership.
Comment by cc Thursday, Feb 21, 19 @ 10:59 am