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Pritzker talks about his $5 million contribution

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Illinois

* Brian Mackey on Gov. Pritzker’s $5 million contribution to the Vote Yes for Fairness committee, which is pushing his graduated income tax plan…

Because voters have the final say, the Democratic governor and his Republican opponents are expected to spend a great deal of money on persuasion.

“Well certainly there’s been a threat by lots of well-funded right-wing organizations and individuals to preserve the unfair tax system that exists today,” Pritzker says.

“It was important to me to step up and support something that I’ve been talking about since day one of my campaign, something that I think is very important for the state,” he says. […]

The group on the other side of the issue is called “Vote No on the Blank Check Amendment.” It has yet to report any contributions and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* Mark Maxwell doesn’t quote anyone from the opposition group, but did catch up with the Chamber’s point person…

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has already come out against the proposal, and its President predicts more groups will soon join their ranks.

“When I saw that [Pritzker] put $5 million into his PAC, I think that indicates he’s afraid he’s going to lose,” [Chamber President Todd Maisch] said in a phone call Wednesday night.

“Illinoisans are incredibly skeptical of the competence of Illinois state government right now,” he said. “We think taxpayers are going to say, ‘We’re not going to send a whole lot of money to Springfield under the current circumstances.’”

Maisch and his allies are closely studying the campaigns to defeat a progressive tax push in Colorado, where Democrats put the question on the ballot three elections in a row, but voters rejected the idea all three times.

In the most recent election, “Colorado tied it to education,” Maisch said, “which is almost always the most popular priority for spending, and they still couldn’t get it done. Illinois has no tie to where the dollars are going to go. So you don’t know if it’s going to go for new bronze doors for the statehouse, or to pay the light bill, or to pay for plane trips out of state. We are confident we are going to win.”

And they’re so confident that they haven’t done any fundraising yet? Is that the logic?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:37 pm

Comments

Is that the logic?

“Forget it, he’s rolling.” — Donald “Boone” Schoenstein, Animal House (1978)

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:46 pm
“We’re not going to send a whole lot of money to Springfield under the current circumstances.”

“We” are not the taxpayers who right wingers are talking about. They are talking about the 3%, who are the highest incomes. “We” the 97% are going to be sending less of our money to Springfield, or the same amount.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:47 pm
=== “When I saw that [Pritzker] put $5 million into his PAC, I think that indicates he’s afraid he’s going to lose,” [Chamber President Todd Maisch] said in a phone call Wednesday night.===

Huh?

I’d be afraid folks will realize Maisch has no response to Pritzker and these millions… and stringing people along in hopes of some earned media will do the trick.

It should noted that Todd Maisch was also a big supporter of Ken Dunkin, and in reality, the forces that could work to defeat the progressive income tax seemingly would be the same obstructionist during the Rauner years, especially when Uihlein was in the fold too.

My point? The acumen and spin here is revolving around the inevitable pleading and begging for wealthy folks to back a plan, in reality, to keep more monies for the 3%.

Maybe realizing that, I shouldn’t be surprised at such an empty response by Maisch. What do they have?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:49 pm
==“Forget it, he’s rolling.” — Donald “Boone” Schoenstein, Animal House (1978)===

“Mine’s bigger” J.B. to any of the “dark money” groups that start fundraising against him.

Comment by njt Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:50 pm
No fundraising?
Todd and Spanky Baise were seen were seen dumpster diving for aluminum cans…JB not worried just messaging whack jobs to get some cash or sit down

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:52 pm
JB’s confidence has been a weird subtopic of conversation on the IL right since 2017, as If he‘s Dumbo and can only succeed if he believes in himself.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:57 pm
I am a member of a local Chamber of Commerce and usually
cringe whenever I read anything (mostly everything) Todd M. says.

Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:03 pm
This is another reason why I wonder how Todd is still employed. How is that language going to help the Chamber get anything done? If they wonder why the Chamber is so ineffective, they can add this quote to the long list of reasons.

Comment by Suburbs Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:06 pm
Yea, each side has the right to contribute money on this issue. It should be reported and be totally open.

End of story.

Comment by OpentoDiscusssion Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:14 pm
Don’t know who decided to put Maisch in charge of fighting an idea that 66% of Illinoisans already endorsed in a referendum a couple years back, but that’s some bad strategery right there. This is the same guy who couldn’t even delay a big minimum wage increase until the end of February. JB is putting his actual money where his mouth is, other side is putting their proverbial money inside an incinerator.

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:21 pm
Pritzker brings $5 million to the fight, and the IL Chamber brings an empty suit. Painful.

Comment by King Louis XVI Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:29 pm
Colorado isn’t Illinois. In 2016 Clinton only won Colorado by 5 points, whereas she won Illinois by 17 points. Pritzker won by almost 16 points.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:31 pm
Geez why even vote. Sounds like it’s a slam dunk.

Comment by SSL Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:40 pm
===“Illinoisans are incredibly skeptical of the competence of Illinois state government right now,” he said.===

After last spring’s GA session, with major legislation passed with bipartisan votes, Illinoisans may be reassessing that.

Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:51 pm
“The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.“

—Todd Maisch

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:56 pm
Nothing wrong with showing up at the blackjack table with a stack of chips.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 3:57 pm
=== “When I saw that [Pritzker] put $5 million into his PAC, I think that indicates he’s afraid he’s going to lose,” [Chamber President Todd Maisch] said in a phone call Wednesday night. ===

Uh, he put $172 million into his campaign fund for his gubernatorial race, he must have really thought he was going to lose that one.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:20 pm
While JB may be afraid to lose, he may not be afraid to lose $5 million. That should be your bigger concern, Mr. Maisch.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:28 pm
“A well funded campaign is a sign you are going to lose.” said no one, ever.

Comment by Montrose Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:45 pm
Pritzker brings eat the rich to the table, Todd wants to take the rich off the menu

Comment by Rabid Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 4:24 am
Pritzker-

“Here’s five mill, for starters.”

Maisch-

“Yeah, well, you smell funny.”

Comment by efudd Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 7:48 am