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* The Tribune has a well-written and pretty thorough session preview…
Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday for a spring session that will be a test of whether Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Democratic-led General Assembly can address issues at the root of the state’s long-running problems with fiscal instability and political corruption.
Remedies for the state’s notoriously high property taxes, soaring public pension debt and weak government ethics laws top the agenda for lawmakers and the second-year governor. All figure to be especially tough tasks in an election year and under the cloud of an ongoing federal corruption probe. Pritzker isn’t on the ballot, but voters in November will decide the fate of his signature initiative: a constitutional amendment that would shift the state to a graduated-rate income tax.
Further complicating the political dynamics are Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s continued push for help from Springfield on a Chicago casino, a new Democratic leader in the state Senate and the ongoing federal probe that has reached into House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle.
Pritzker said in an interview with the Tribune earlier this month that passing a balanced budget is his top priority. He also said he needs to balance his “impatience” to get things done with “a desire to bring everybody along on this journey to fixing the challenges the state faces.”
* The Question: What should be the governor’s State of the State “theme”?
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:36 am
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“It’s a good start. Capitol Fax commenters like me better than Rauner.”
Comment by Responsa Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:44 am
Pound home the message, the Cap Bill and related programs are just a start. It is way past time Illinois invest in the human services the same we do infrastructure.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:48 am
===…Capitol Fax commenters like me better than…===
No.
Speaking only for me, I respect governors who respect and understand 60/30 and cobbling.
Holding a state hostage won’t endear someone to many.
Being a victim to Pritzker’s success is about 60/71 and 30/36, something Rauner never purposely tried to achieve, without leverage.
K? K.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:48 am
Remedies for the state’s notoriously high property taxes, soaring public pension debt and weak government ethics laws top the agenda for lawmakers and the second-year governor.
The same exact sentence could have been written about Governor Rauner’s second year in office.
Democrats stonewalled efforts to reform Illinois and were only interested in raising taxes even higher. Most commenters cheered them on.
Political considerations ruled out all action on these issues that are now significantly much bigger problems.
Why they didn’t try to work to solve these issues in a cooperative and professional bipartisan manner?
Mayor Lightfoot is asking for “help” to fix a flawed Casino bill that imposed a 72% tax rate that scared off any potential investors.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:50 am
Good Lord. It’s QOTD response and it was meant to get a chuckle. K? K.
Comment by Responsa Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:53 am
Trust
With indictments and the upcoming vote on the Fair Tax he needs to reassure voters that things are going to improve for the better. 2020 is a big trust year, either he successfully makes that case and he meets his goals or the failure to do so is due to a lack of trust.
Comment by The Captain Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 11:58 am
Is a trite old theme but he should stress openness and ethics
As was said earlier he is asking a lot and needs us to trust him
Way too many politicians under indictment or investigation. From big crimes to misdemeanors. If you want to bring forth your policies make let public know you will make life miserable for corrupt practices and self dealing
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:06 pm
“soaring public pension debt” A commenter would know that until a few years from now, under The Edgar Ramp, pension debt will continue to increase. Posting about it is the blogosphere version of yelling at kids to get off the lawn.
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:06 pm
Fair Tax or bust
Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:08 pm
This year we should put People over Potholes and review state funding for social service needs.
Comment by Back to the Future Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:18 pm
Before we ask our taxpayers to give us more of their money, we need to ensure they’re getting an honest and efficient government.
Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:22 pm
Electrical Rivian
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical Rivian
Is bound to be the very next phase
Comment by Bigtwich Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:22 pm
Slow and steady progress. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day and Illinois won’t be rebuilt and renewed in a day either. Even “Rebuild Illinois” is a six-year plan.
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:23 pm
Suggested theme: “We are one” (state, that is).
Capital bill - CEJA - downstate development with the help of both - Fair Tax - property tax relief - confronting the pension funds deficit - social services - a state with a human face.
Comment by dbk Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:25 pm
Remedies for high property tax’s would be if everyone payed there fair share, starting with HIM.
Comment by Hard D Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:33 pm
What Precinct Captain said. We’ve done a lot to start turning the state around last year, but there’s so much more to do (such as getting the graduated income tax, for one).
It’s so much more optimistic now, because our chief executive is not holding the state hostage and sabotaging us.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:44 pm
==Why they didn’t try to work to solve these issues in a cooperative and professional bipartisan manner?==
Why don’t you go away already instead of continuing to whine about the same things over and over.
To the post:
I think the theme should be continued cooperation. He managed to get a lot of stuff done in his first session, some of it with bipartisanship. We can continue to accomplish a lot by keeping up this trend.
Might also use the theme: “Continuing to fix the nightmare left behind by the last administration.”
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 12:54 pm
dbk has it. Yes, the economic engine of Illinois is Chicago, but there is more to Illinois than the city. Pritzker needs to say and continue to focus on things that affect all residents of the state.
Comment by SpfdNewb Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:02 pm
=== Democrats stonewalled efforts to reform Illinois and were only interested in raising taxes even higher. Most commenters cheered them on.
Political considerations ruled out all action on these issues that are now significantly much bigger problems.===
Can’t rewrite history.
Rauner couldn’t get 60 and 30
“I’m frustrated too but taking steps to reform Illinois is more important than a short term budget stalemate”
Rauner chose to hurt Illinois, not… “work to solve these issues in a cooperative and professional bipartisan manner“
Rauner used Ken Dunkin, and Drury and Franks to hurt Illinois.
Rauner, knowing he was a failure, tried to get FOUR people to take his place to avoid total humiliation, not seen by a “Republican” in 100 years type of humiliation.
It’s funny. Rauner, humiliated, still doesn’t spew his rhetoric, but you do.
To the QOTD,
Higher education, property taxes, and K-12 solutions, the next big hurdles a 74 and 40 super majority can do.
Salvaging state universities, while folks like Mr. Demmer, Mr. Rose… Mr. Barickman, votes over and over to hurt Illinois higher education, almost causing a crisis so bad, EIU wondered aloud about its own existence.
This would be a great thing to hear;
Education. Education and taxes, funding, and realizing higher education matters, even if Raunerites with universities in their region can’t see it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:05 pm
Typical nuanced response Demoralized.
The nightmare started under Rauner and Democrats were so helpful fixing things?
The problems won’t go away if I stop commenting or “whining”.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:15 pm
=== The nightmare started under Rauner===
Not one person said that.
Only under Rauner has Illinois, for a whole General Assembly, not had a budget that the governor held hostage with Dunkin, Drury, and Franks… not getting 60 for a passable budget, but holding Illinois in a hurtful, purposeful position.
That’s why my hope is Gov. Pritzker, working with Leader Brady and the Democratic leaders can marginalize the Eastern Bloc / Hateful Eight combine, along with the other silly HRaunerites, and work towards more things to keep Illinois moving forward.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:20 pm
==The nightmare started under Rauner==
Where did I say that? I didn’t. But, what is an indisputible fact is that Governor Rauner was a failure as a Governor. He chose that route. Instead of taking wins (which he could have had a few) he remained defiant and demanded he get his way regardless of whether it was doable or not. That was his failure. Failure to focus on the doable. He chose to waste 4 years whining (just as you continue to do).
You suffer from the same syndrome he suffered from. You don’t get anywhere by whining. You focus on the doable. Unfortuantely you continue to fail to do that. You can accomplish a lot of stuff when you do that. And you can accomplish things in the areas you mention by doing that.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:27 pm
Madigan helped pass pro-business reforms last year very quickly and without the blink of an eye. It wasn’t Madigan who held up the state during Rauner’s term. It was Rauner and his allies who held the state hostage. You know who you are—especially those who supported Rauner’s labor war against AFSCME, who didn’t want labor peace.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:47 pm
“We’ve steered the ship from the brink of disaster, but the journey to shore is long and requires fair winds and a steady hand.”
The theme should be historical, forward thinking, and nautical (sorry, Naval traditions die hard). The electorate needs reminding of where we were, told where we are at, and where JB wants to go.
That begs the question of how do we get there (Fair Tax, rational spending, and ethics reform). Then he can finish the speech with continued allusion to the strong bipartisan support to get everyone “on board.”
Comment by MG85 Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:49 pm
===historical, forward thinking, and nautical ===
I think it would be a mistake to invite editorial cartoonists to depict Governor Pritzker in a “sailor outfit.”
You’re right about the rest of it, though MG85.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 1:59 pm
Please tell us more about all the legislation that was doable to fix Illinois problems in the Rauner administration besides just raising taxes again
Everything was blocked from even being voted on and you know it.
Amazing that the Leader of the Democratic Party In Illinois and the Speaker of the House was more cooperative with the Democratic Governor
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:09 pm
He should frame the choices ahead as to continue moving forward or to turn back on the progress we’ve made.
Choose the fair tax or choose higher income and property taxes. Choose the fair tax or choose to cut education funding. And healthcare funding. And social service funding.
Choices. We don’t have any good choices left, but there are still bad choices and worse choices in front of us. We have to choose the least bad to keep moving forward.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:14 pm
=== Please tell us more about all the legislation that was doable to fix Illinois problems in the Rauner administration besides just raising taxes again===
LOL
60-30.
The rest is your phoniness.
Even Rauner knew enough to quit the phony, yet here you are, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:15 pm
=== Amazing that the Leader of the Democratic Party In Illinois and the Speaker of the House was more cooperative with the Democratic Governor===
Again, 60-30
To the post,
As to the *theme*, the real question;
“Working Today for illinois’ Tomorrows”
It’s a vision, call to move forward, while working today, and less dire than a “we need help” and leave it at that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:23 pm
=Please tell us more about all the legislation that was doable to fix Illinois problems in the Rauner administration besides just raising taxes again=
LP - I believe the reference you’re looking for was the Senate grand bargain. You know, the one that would have boxed Madigan in. The one that Rauner blew up.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:24 pm
===Everything was blocked from even being voted on and you know it.===
As George Carlin would say, “Jesus made me drop the ball.”
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:27 pm
Lucky - Rauner didn’t want to fix the state’s budget problems. He intentionally wanted to bankrupt the state. There was a compromise budget between state dems and republicans, but Rauner intentionally sabotaged it.
Comment by ike Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:32 pm
I have a loved one who swore she was right about being spied on. She saw it everywhere she looked. Nobody could convince her otherwise.
Everybody else was wrong and only she was right.
Reading LP’s continuous distortions of the Rauner years reminds me of her.
She did get help and is much much better now.
Comment by don the legend Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 2:45 pm
=== Everything was blocked from even being voted on and you know it.===
LOL
Rauner never showed 60 on the stairs.
“Everything was blocked from even being voted on and you know it.“
- Bruce Rauner explains his blowing up of the Grand Bargin to Leader Radogno.
Rauner quit, - Lucky Pierre -
You fighting for the quitter, who fails to even quit correctly is tiring.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:00 pm
==Everything was blocked from even being voted on and you know it.==
No I don’t know it. What was blocked was voting on Rauner’s take it leave it proposals. I think the Governor thought that since he won he would be able to do what he wanted to do. That was one of the reasons he failed as a Governor. Never grasped the concept of governing.
And, you want to know what an example was of the doable? The Grand Bargain budget. Rauner put the kibosh on that doable thing and the budget impasse raged on.
But you go ahead and keep whining.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:02 pm
==Amazing that the Leader of the Democratic Party In Illinois and the Speaker of the House was more cooperative with the Democratic Governor==
Governors of both parties have managed to work with the man. So your criticism is more of the same - making excuses for Rauner’s complete and utter failure as a Governor.
Go away.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:04 pm
Sorry, one more thing Lucky. If Governor Rauner had spent more time governing and less time on his anti-union crusade he might have been able to accomplish something. Instead he let his obsession with unions get in the way of doing his job as a Governor.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:05 pm
Madigan was more cooperative with someone who didn’t want to decimate unions: Pritzker. See how relatively easily pro-business reforms can pass when union rights are not threatened?
Rauner’s political raison d’etre was to bust unions. He loathed the idea that public employees can give PAC money, just like every other American, and sit at the bargaining table. He sat in the governor’s chair and gave millions of dollars to the ILGOP, if we want to talk conflict of interest.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:17 pm
Grandson you post daily here why FDR thought unionized public employees collectively bargaining was a terrible idea that he never supported.
Government union’s political benefactors are their bosses. Who are they more loyal to?
Their constituents or the government unions?
Politicians have been unable to say no to their demands or raise the necessary taxes to pay for what they have promised and that is bankrupting the state and many cities
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:37 pm
Hey Lucky. Rauner lost. Get over it already.
Comment by Generic Drone Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:46 pm
Go Away.
Many people are taking your advice everyday Demoralized as we lead the nation in outmigration.
This is mostly because of the failure to attract businesses to expand here to grow our economy and raise the necessary tax revenue to pay for our government.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 3:54 pm
To the QOTD: “A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. We’re back on our feet again, let’s make that first step.”
To the rest of the comments: “Do not feed the trolls.”
Comment by Skeptic Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 4:03 pm
We’ve come a long way, baby, in the past year …
Comment by RNUG Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 4:12 pm
LP:
The anti-union rhetoric you are espousing was resoundingly rejected during the last election. You really can’t take no for an answer can you? Were you advising Governor Rauner? Because he couldn’t take no for an answer in that realm either. But you keep banging that anti-union drum and see where it gets you. That is just another exhibit from you in a line of exhibits that illustrates that you do not understand doable.
And, yeah, go away already. You’ve got nothing to offer but your bot talking points. For five years we’ve heard the same thing and your robot programming keeps going on and on and on. It’s why nobody takes you seriously.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 4:51 pm
Here’s another theme:
Governing is back. Because we had 4 years of incompetent governing.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 27, 20 @ 4:52 pm