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* UPDATED x2 - Definitely misquoted * Madigan: Senate moved too fast on income tax, House ratcheting down spending

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* We’ve been expecting a message from on high for a while now and it looks like we got two today…

In his visit with the Public Affairs Reporting program class at the University of Illinois Springfield, Madigan (D-Chicago) said legislative committees in control of budget appropriations have taken Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed levels of spending in next year’s budget and “ratcheted them down” in case measures supporting that spending do not pass.

Those measures include legalizing recreational marijuana and sports betting, which Madigan said are “not guaranteed today.”

And while he supports Pritzker’s attempts to change the state’s income tax structure from a flat to a graduated rate, Madigan said the Senate moved too quickly on the issue, and should have “given it more time.” The Senate on Wednesday, May 1, approved a bill and resolution that would put an amendment question on the 2020 ballot about instituting tax rates based on income.

Madigan’s comments indicate a slower-than-expected pace of passing new legislation with Democrats in control of the Legislature and governor’s office.

“Have you ever worked with Democrats?” he joked.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown claims the House Speaker was responding to a question about the length of the Senate’s surprisingly short seven-minute debate, not that the Senate had moved too quickly on the issue itself.

*** UPDATE 2 *** What he actually said…

And while he fully supports Pritzker’s attempts to change the state’s income tax structure from a flat to a graduated rate, Madigan said the Senate moved too quickly when it debated for only 7 minutes Wednesday, May 1, before passing a bill and resolution that would put an amendment question on the 2020 ballot.

“It should not have gone that quick in the Senate,” he said, adding that the chamber should have given the debate “more time.”

“It’s not just a statute — it’s an amendment to the constitution,” Madigan said. “It goes right to the heart of how you finance state government…clearly something like that deserved more attention than it got.”

Nevertheless, he said he was “optimistic” the graduated tax measures will pass in the House.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:19 pm

Comments

Pretty disappointing. How about showing some leadership. No wonder Madigan has such a bad reputation.

Comment by Illinois Resident Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:22 pm
–Madigan (D-Chicago) said legislative committees in control of budget appropriations have taken Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed levels of spending in next year’s budget and “ratcheted them down” in case measures supporting that spending do not pass.–

Makes sense. What’s the downside?

If revenues come in higher, you can have a supplemental approp. in the fall or even go crazy and pay down existing bills.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:31 pm
Speaker Madigan slow Democrats roll and as usual is always one step ahead of the pack.

Comment by DeseDemDose Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:36 pm
I don’t think this is what they meant by mushroom season.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:38 pm
For any of us who have been around more than a session this is no surprise. I’m sure that those closet to JB have told him exactly how this would play out.

Comment by JAH Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:41 pm
Madigan’s “moved to fast” comment came in response to a question about the length of floor debate.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:44 pm
Ruh-ro….this seems a bad sign for the governor.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:46 pm
Speaker “splaning” how things will play out and including when session will end.

Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:54 pm
This is an important point for all the tax eaters to remember. Even if the progressive income tax passes, the earliest it can be implemented is January 2021. Many of them are already spending that money in their heads now.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:55 pm
Twisting arms is always easier when you’re working on a deadline and the folks are weary. Face action also means more folks have a clearer idea of what’s going on and can raise informed opposition. That’ Madigan 101.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:56 pm
I agree with JAH. These types of moves by Madigan under Rauner seemed to surprise him which showed how nieve he and his crew were. I have higher hopes under Pritzker and his team. I hope they always had a plan B in the drawer.

Comment by Been There Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:58 pm
Worth noting that Madigan supports video gambling + marijuana bills. Likely is just saying some more changes will be made.

Comment by PotPie Monday, May 6, 19 @ 2:59 pm
So let me get this right. We elected JB in order to have a unified government that would work more effectively than what we had under Rauner. Now we hear that Madigan isn’t on the same page as JB. Why didn’t the three leaders come together before the session started and agree on the money needed? Not that anyone cares but this is why Democrats are useless in this state. Note, I didn’t say impotent, just useless. Unless Mr. Madigan is just yanking everyone’s chain.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:01 pm
Before many people condemn Madigan’s comments, he probably has a good sense of how many votes he can deliver right now for some of these important issues. He might not have the votes yet on all issues.

Comment by Steve Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:07 pm
–This is an important point for all the tax eaters to remember.–

It’s adorable that you imagine yourself some completely self-sufficient, independent being who’s above it all. Childish, but adorable.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:14 pm
–We elected JB in order to have a unified government that would work more effectively than what we had under Rauner.–

Says who?

Fun to build strawmen and knock them down.

Routine separation of powers issues are a wee bit different than Rauner’s willful destruction to advance a personal agenda.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:24 pm
Geez. The need for the update is why Madigan doesn’t do these kind of public engagements often.

Comment by Hyperb Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:25 pm
===legislative committees in control of budget appropriations have taken Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed levels of spending in next year’s budget and “ratcheted them down” in case measures supporting that spending do not pass.===

Ruh-roh.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:34 pm
That walkback of the length of debate seems odd… it’s not like the House has never got something quickly put thru.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:49 pm
===it’s not like the House has never got something quickly put thru===

Brown says he was surprised it was so short. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a vote on an issue this divisive go thru so quickly

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:51 pm
===Brown says he was surprised it was so short. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a vote on an issue this divisive go thru so quickly===

Fair enough, I’ll defer to you both, very easily, on that point. Withdrawn.

To this…

===And while he supports Pritzker’s attempts to change the state’s income tax structure from a flat to a graduated rate, Madigan said the Senate moved too quickly on the issue, and should have “given it more time.” The Senate on Wednesday, May 1, approved a bill and resolution that would put an amendment question on the 2020 ballot about instituting tax rates based on income.

Madigan’s comments indicate a slower-than-expected pace of passing new legislation with Democrats in control of the Legislature and governor’s office.

“Have you ever worked with Democrats?” he joked.===

Tough to see this orange be the apple Brown describes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 6, 19 @ 3:57 pm
Madigan is as confusing as ever.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, May 6, 19 @ 4:05 pm
All the Raunerbots (and Illinois voters who know nothing about Madigan except what the Rauner said in his ad campaigns) out to actually listen when Madigan speaks in public.

Comment by Whatever Monday, May 6, 19 @ 4:21 pm
Steve Brown’s clarification does change things. The graduated income tax vote is pretty black or white, and I don’t see how the Senate could have acted too soon on it. It is probably prudent to prepare for a budget without marijuana and gaming taxes.

Still, the HDem caucus has less southern Illinois conservative Democrats than ever. They got a big money bags governor too who I bet is willing to protect targets that take tough votes. They have to be ready to pass the Governor’s agenda, and can’t drag their feet and avoid doing anything besides passing the budget like they did with Quinn.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, May 6, 19 @ 4:52 pm
Madigan had been a wizard at this stuff. I have full faith and confidence he will do what is right.

Comment by foehfv39cn Monday, May 6, 19 @ 5:14 pm
Point of clarification:

My apologies for not checking the blog sooner, but I was present for the news conference and both my notes and the audiotape of the speaker’s comments correspond to Steve Brown’s update.

Here’s the transcript, with my introduction:
The reporter prefaced his question by noting in the Senate “how quick the debate was over, I think it lasted like 9 or 10 minute,” then asked, “Are you expecting it to go that quick in the House?”

Madigan responded, “No, and it should not have gone that quick in the Senate. I’m not quite sure what happened in the Senate, but certainly they should have given more time…

“Number 1, it’s a constitutional amendment, it’s not just a statute, it amends the constitution. It goes right to the heart of how you finance state government. The governor will say if you go to a graduated tax there’ll be an additional 3.2 billion dollars to support education, to support mental health, whatever it may be. Clearly something like that deserves more attention than it got. But you should direct that question to some people in the Senate.”

The news conference then moved on to another topic.

Charlie Wheeler

Comment by Charlie Wheeler Monday, May 6, 19 @ 7:49 pm
Thank you, - Charlie Wheeler -

Thank you.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 6, 19 @ 7:56 pm
I second OW’s thanks to Charlie. His contributions to understanding what’s going on in State government is priceless. His retirement will leave a tremendous void.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 6, 19 @ 9:16 pm