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Democrats prepare for chaos

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Illinois

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Illinois Democrats were hoping for some big election night wins last week, but now everything has devolved into finger-pointing chaos.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal was in some doubt for a while. The governor’s campaign chose not to advertise early because of the delicacies of politics during a pandemic, so they passed up a chance at total dominance of the playing field during crucial months.

When billionaire Ken Griffin finally decided to weigh in against it, the proponents had lost the crucial advantage of time to drive their message home unfettered. And the “anti” message was strong and relatable: Don’t trust Illinois politicians to do the right thing. The proponents’ much less focused message simply had no chance.

The ballot measure was losing as of Nov. 6 by almost 10 percentage points and about 500,000 votes.

A narrow loss would’ve been one thing. But after voters overwhelmingly rejected taxing a relatively few upper-income people, it’s going to be hugely difficult to convince Democratic state legislators to make up for those billions in lost revenues by increasing the state’s flat tax on everyone.

Without the money generated by a graduated income tax, Gov. Pritzker’s fallback was the hope that Joe Biden would win the White House and the Democrats would take control of the U.S. Senate and give big bucks to the states. As I write this, Democratic control of the Senate appears in doubt.

So, if Pritzker can’t raise taxes and he can’t get a federal bailout, that leaves a $5 billion Federal Reserve loan, and the only way to make room for those payments will be to slash an already bare-bones budget to the marrow or consider shafting the public employee unions and “reform” pensions.

Pritzker is most definitely not in a good place. He put literally everything on this tax vote and he came up way short.

A big loss like that can easily devastate legislative confidence in a governor. As I’ve said for years, this business is a protection racket. You earn support by proving you can protect your fellow politicians’ interests. Despite Pritzker’s billions, his big win two years ago over an incumbent governor and broad public support for his handling of the pandemic, he did not hold up his end on this one.

That brings us to soon-to-be-former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride, who conceded defeat in his retention bid. The opposition’s message, also mainly funded by Ken Griffin, was brisk and simple: A vote against Kilbride is a vote against Madigan.

We’re to the point where I don’t even have to explain that “Madigan” means House Speaker Michael Madigan. Everybody knows who he is and most despise him, so the attack worked like a charm in that Downstate, blue-collar district.

Like Pritzker, Kilbride did not have an effective counter-argument. Kilbride fell way short of the votes he needed to be retained.

One of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s favored Democratic congressional candidates, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, was handily defeated last week after narrowly losing to U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis two years before. The ads run by Davis and his allies constantly featured “Madigan.”

And while the Griffin-funded effort to defeat the Fair Tax didn’t mention Madigan in their TV spots, they did use Madigan in direct mail and people generally hate Madigan so much that it’s probably not a huge leap to say he’s why the “Don’t trust ‘em” approach worked so well.

In disgust, the governor and U.S. Sens. Durbin and Tammy Duckworth all threw Madigan under the bus after the election ended, calling on him to quit the chairmanship of the state Democratic Party. Duckworth even suggested he should no longer be House Speaker.

But if you zoom out for a moment, you’ll see that congressional Democrats failed to meet expectations all over the country last week and a massive national push to elect more Democratic state legislators crashed and burned.

On election night, Madigan appeared to have lost two House seats to the Republicans when expectations were that he’d pick up several, but that might change for the better when all the votes are finally counted.

The bottom line is the “Madigan” message appears to have worked and it’s probably only going to get worse for the Democrats if he remains in power.

But that doesn’t let the governor, Durbin and Kilbride off the hook. And a much better than expected performance by President Donald Trump in Illinois combined with a national trend that defied expectations were also involved.

In other words, simple explanations are usually neither.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:29 am

Comments

This is going to be a rough one. Looks like a draconian budget is coming. Maybe even some closing of downstate unis that are struggling with lower enrollment. All gift wrapped in a nice bow with a note advising the voters that this is what they asked for.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:05 am
I’m always fascinated by the phenomenon of Democratic political campaigns repeatedly hiring staff from large metropolitan areas with incredibly strong preference for Democratic candidates to run campaigns in areas that are predominantly rural dotted by a handful of larger cities that are just technically metropolitan statistical areas, or part of one.

When Mr. Fulks was tapped to lead Vote Yes For Fairnese I had private concerns about his resume being exclusively filled by candidate based campaigns over a handful of cycles, but presumed that his relationship with the Governor’s campaign was going to be helpful in directing others who are experts or experienced at issue advocacy. While it sounds silly, there should have been booths at county fairs, bird dogging of politicians on the issue, letter to the editor campaigns, etc. There should have been periodic mailers with county sorcificn data, district specific data, and just frankly explaining that the ability to tax GOP Daddy Ken more than a lower income household would allow for flexibility better k-12 funding which could lead to property tax reductions, etc. They could have put together some fancy mailers with simple charts showing the relationship between revenue sources, showing the tax brackets, and explaining how it works, and they could have started this in 2019.

This all should have been written in a campaign plan, well understood, and presented to stake holders. This is as much if a standard that I just assumed it happened, but in hindsight it appears that not a lot of effort was made and most of what I saw was low information or low effort attempts at digital ads.

They should probably just try again and try spending tens of millions on the project again. I’m not available right now, but I could be if they’re going to throw me the kind of budget I’ve only dreamed of having for any campaign I’ve been involved with and I’m starting to think I have more experience with issue advocacy and voter education than the people responsible for the Vote Yes for Fairness boondoggle.

Maybe they should have used a competitive hiring process, but as a rule of thumb if you’re putting together a campaign to reach out to independents and leaning conservative voters it helps to hire people that have had conversations with those folks.

Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 2:45 am
Madigan’s continued presence as Speaker and Democrat Party Chairman has certainly eroded what little trust citizens had in the House. Perception has become reality.

Comment by topcop Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 5:28 am
A lot of voters who may have voted “yes” on the amendment may have been disenfranchised because of the problems at IDES and the difficulty in getting unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

Comment by Dutch Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 5:43 am
I would argue a better headline is Democrats are Unprepared for Hard Decisions.

Illinois Democrats have never made really difficult choices. They’ve always instead delayed, deflected, and demurred decisions since 2002.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 6:08 am
Great stuff by Rich, it’s horrible time for the governor right now.

The Fair Tax Flop is devastating for the governor, his allies, and Rich hits in the point to the politics to the GA Dems.

I wrote in September…

===… The Governor had “71 and 36” to get the CA on the ballot.

The Governor also had GA pass the rates.

Two votes, the Dems had for this tax

The Governor then sat on $50 million+ for weeks and weeks and weeks. Now, with early voting and absentee ballots out, has the governor made a colossal error by not saturating a message on the 97% aspect, and by Stratton bringing in the closing argument, in September (well, people *are* voting) what is going to be discussed more; the 97% not seeing an increase or the increase that will be needed if it fails… for weeks and weeks.

Then, if it does fail, will the governor find Dem votes to increase as Stratton says (they probably can) but how can you trust a governor who sat on two huge assets (time from spring passage and $50 million) to define the CA, unabated, and make time an asset, which now is squeezed, artificially now, by burning daylight.

Will Dems legislators say… “Governor, you had the time and the money, why did you wait, you had the field open too?”===

I saw the pandemic as an opportunity to get to a captive audience during a global pandemic, an audience with tens of thousands of unemployed, so many businesses closing, and making a case that “it’s time for a fairer way, as so many are hurting”

It wasn’t that Griffin had misleading ads and flooded the zone, it was that Griffin had the room, opportunity, and won the day as time became an enemy when time in June, July, August, was a big ally.

There is going to be massive, painful, staggeringly hurtful cuts.

Everyone can be adults, or places like the 51st state areas, higher education downstate, DNR downstate, downstate that takes in, by far, by miles, by every measure, far more that it contributes.

You want equitable taxes? “Ok”

Dollar for dollar, by region. That’s equitable.

It’s up to adults now to save what needs saving, or folks least helpful will find the least amount of help for their region, constituents, and themselves.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 6:32 am
The attacks on the Fed will stop and I suspect very low interest loans to all states of the Senate doesnt flip.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 7:01 am
Cuts coming of course, but the real question is with its budget and many assests why can’t the state make it work with what it had. Many other states do with a lit less. Lets look there first.

Comment by Mask up Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 7:12 am
Rich-
Great column. Spot on.

Comment by NORTHSIDE reformer Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 8:15 am
The Governor should hedge his bet and make another $56.5 million donation to the cause in Georgia. If the US Senate stays Republican then he really will have no exit strategy from the real problems the State faces.

Comment by Nagidam Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 8:26 am
In the “end” the Democrats still have state super-majorities, the US House and now the presidency. There is apparently a hard ceiling in regards to how effective the anti-Madigan message is.

The president and his allies are trying to delegitimize the election, so I put “end” in quotations. That is scary and dangerous. We are probably in unprecedented times.

As far as the Fair Tax flop, that’s on the voters as well, because we didn’t cut our taxes and will continue paying more of our money to Springfield, and may in fact pay even more via a flat tax hike. Very ironic.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 8:32 am
Bravo. Well done.

Comment by Teve Demotte Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 8:59 am
Voted for the fair tax, but messaging on it wasn’t good. Also, if it was aimed at the top 3% only, they could have gone a little bit higher and pegged the minimum at the median of the top 5%, or a little over $300K. The realities of two income households mean that $250K scrapes right against income at the moment a family can start to chip away at the mortgage and student loans. Essentially, I think the actual rates sunk the tax increase, because the message was “tax the rich” and it’s hard to call two people’s combined income of $250K “the rich.”

Comment by Biker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:00 am
I assume Governor Pritzker will be reinstating the 3 percent pension-spiking cap that he lifted just last year?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:05 am
Why should, what you all seem to call, downstate bear the brunt of the responsibility here?

Why not Joilet shut down,. Illinois beach and chain of lakes closed? Why not shave off funds to the wealthiest communities and school districts in the state..

From the county websites results
Lake 151918(55.1%) no
DuPage 261912(57.3%) no
Kane 128966(55.0) no
Will 188382(60.2%) no

Add these up and then start thinking how much of “down state’s” population would have to vote to offset just the collar counties? Every single vote cast south if I64?

The more of them voted argument is as asinine coming your way as it is sending it ours.

Maybe everyone needs to understand that those of us down south know we don’t really have the population to sway statewide initiatives, or even statewide offices for that matter.

Maybe everyone, all of us, need to talk to our neighbors about how we get through what comes next..

Comment by 618er Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:12 am
Pritzker might reset his administration as some of his government people go to the Biden administration. The governor looks vulnerable for the first time.

Comment by northside reformer Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:20 am
“”simple explanations are usually neither.”"

I’m posting that on my office wall.

Comment by walker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:25 am
I would like to know more about the campaigns for and against the Arizona wealth tax that passed this election at the same time IL voted down a method by which to tax the wealthy.

Apparently the voters approved an extra 3.5% tax on incomes over $250,000 with the funds from the tax going right to education spending.

The supporters of the IL fair tax never said what the extra money would be for.

Maybe they should have used amendment language like the AZ proposition and it would have passed?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:49 am
===because the message was “tax the rich” and it’s hard to call two people’s combined income of $250K “the rich.”===

Is it? The median income in the state is $63k and the average household income is $88k (2018 figures). You’re saying that the average family in Illinois thinks of people who make 3x their income as middle class?

If you can’t pay down student loans and mortgage before making $250k annually, you’re doing something majorly wrong.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:07 am
===The realities of two income households mean that $250K scrapes right against income at the moment a family can start to chip away at the mortgage and student loans.===

Again, that’s only 3% of all taxpayers in Illinois.

3%

That’s the real to the $250K number.

===Essentially, I think the actual rates sunk the tax increase, because the message was “tax the rich” and it’s hard to call two people’s combined income of $250K “the rich.”===

No. Taxing the “top 3%” is taxing the rich.

Essentially, the anti-tax folks made the Frerichs Tax, taxing retirement income, not on the ballot, and changing how people can be taxed, which was not happening, and calling it the politicians’ tax, making it about Springfield… that won.

Getting 55% to defeat a tax hold or better for 97% of folks wasn’t predicated on people thinking $250K isn’t rich.

That was nowhere in any messaging.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:15 am
hisgirlfriday - if the amendment passed, it would have (through other legislation) raised $3.2B-3.6B - so it would have made a dent in the nearly $8B bill backlog (money already owed). But it would not have paid down the hundreds of billions in debt the State owes. The failure of the amendment to pass appears to be a matter of trust, or a lack thereof. Since the the legislation passed put only a small dent in the debt, and the track record of every recent tax increase has been for the State to increase its overall debt, it made sense to many that future increases would fall on the middle class. It is difficult to defend the status quo, but actions to move away from it are so very painful, choices are dismal all around.

Comment by willowglen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:16 am
“downstate bear the brunt of responsibility”

Democrats have effectively washed their hands of the 618 area code.
No challenger for the 115th, the 118th, and the Senate 58th. Plus, Pritzker didn’t have that much support down here in 2018.
He has very little to lose by cutting southern Illinois to the bone.
Elections, consequences, put it on a sampler, hang it in your kitchen.

Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:20 am
“If you can’t pay down student loans and mortgage before making $250k annually, you’re doing something majorly wrong.”

It’s usually called “having kids before running out the fertility clock with menopause.” Costs more to have a kid in daycare than in university these days. When you’re paying off two sets of student loans and paying a whole second “college tuition” for a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old.

A lot of people with that $250,000 combined income have two graduate degrees in the house — JDs, MDs, MBAs — which means not only do they have undergraduate AND graduate loans, but they started earning later than their peers with “just” BAs. Moreover, a lot of people in their 30s and early 40s graduated into really bad economies, and often had to defer student loan payments until their economic situation got more stable.

I finished a top-10 law school at 25 with only $60,000 in student loans. Still took me until I was 40 to pay them off, because we were paying my husband’s (much more substantial) loans, paying a mortgage, struggling with undercompensated positions because we both graduated not long after 9/11 and law firm hiring was nightmarish. We went into parenthood fairly financially-stable — although still paying off student loans — and then one of our children was boring with a significant disability, and that’s been an ENORMOUS drain on our household finances that has delayed our ability to pay off my husband’s loans completely.

I have lots of friends with JDs or MDs who put off having kids until they were 40, because they WERE being responsible about money, and they simply couldn’t afford it before then.

Comment by Suburban Mom Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:23 am
=== Why should, what you all seem to call, downstate bear the brunt of the responsibility here?===

Downstate has the biggest tax eaters.

Gotta cut heavy downstate. Get them to every dollar sent, then match a dollar.

Only fair.

=== Add these up and then start thinking how much of “down state’s” population would have to vote to offset just the collar counties? Every single vote cast south if I64?===

Even more reason.

Enough of downstate sponging off She-Caw-Go.

Big cuts downstate. Lose a university (or two), close DNR facilities (more than one), IDOT closures…

Get downstate to dollar for dollar. They don’t like Democrats, they don’t wanna work with Democrats… “elections matter”… welp, now it’s gonna hurt.

=== Maybe everyone, all of us, need to talk to our neighbors about how we get through what comes next..===

Maybe Raunerites downstate need to realize it’s ONE state, come to the table and make bipartisan cuts and revenues.

The adults can do this.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:26 am
===Candy Dogwood ===

I believe much of what you say in your comment is being done by Stacey Abrams and Fair Fight in regards to voter turnout.

I have not been following the Georgia elections closely but from what I have read a big reason the Georgia US senate races are in runoffs is the work of Abrams and Fair Fight. And they have not done it with just digital, Facebook, etc but extensive canvassing.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/09/stacey-abrams-georgia-senate-run-off-election

I think Alexandria Ocasio Cortez dicussed the same thing in a New York Times article about how the Democratic Party tries to reach voters i.e. too much TV ads and not enough focus on social media ( especially Facebook to counter the strong right wing presence on FB) and canvassing door to door.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/us/politics/aoc-biden-progressives.html

As you say it was a lack of voter education, canvassing, mailers, etc. If Pritzker and his people wanted the graduated tax vote to pass he needed to channel his inner “Dan Walker” and/or get on a bus and travel from town to town and do the hard work of a door to door salesman.

Comment by Big Jer Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:32 am
Remember the Lockbox Amendment, which passed, since people knew where the money was going.

Comment by Ares Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:37 am
==Gotta cut heavy downstate==

Are we ceding East St. Louis to Missouri?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:45 am
Republicans do not need to come to the table and make “bipartisan” cuts. Democrats have the governor’s mansion and SUPERMAJORITIES in the legislature and STILL can’t fix this problem. This is on them. They broke the state, now they can clean it up. Expecting the GOP out of benevolence to help when the Dems are completely unwilling to tackle the real problem (pensions) is frankly ridiculous. Good luck to the Democrats - they’re going to need it.

Comment by Supermajority Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:48 am
=== Are we ceding East St. Louis to Missouri?===

Of course not.

Are we contemplating big cuts.

Of course we are.

Blow out the candles if you’re leaving the dorm room.

Cuts are coming, it’s up to the adults to save things, or downstate, the biggest, by far, not even close, by double, tax eaters… they need deep painful cuts.

Add a prison too while we’re looking.

You cut couple universities, a prison, IDOT facilities, DNR facilities… that’s real money.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:49 am
To clarify, I think the margins at which the fair tax jumped cut in a way that made the passage of the referendum unnecessarily close. Taxing the top 1% alone, which starts at $558K, would capture 19.2% of all income earned in the state. Including the top 5% has a min of about $220K, and only gets you another 3% of the total income earned (22.2%). Why make the decision close? We could have baked in a tax on all household income over $300K or even $400K and still captured pretty close to the amount of money intended to be taxed without even breaking out the calculators. The goal was for it to pass.

Comment by Biker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:51 am
=== Republicans do not need to come to the table and make “bipartisan” cuts. Democrats have the governor’s mansion and SUPERMAJORITIES in the legislature and STILL can’t fix this problem. This is on them.===

Then Republican districts should have a Supermajority of all cuts… and when they are cut to the absolute bone, like health facilities in downstate “51st state”… then maybe make much easier, painless cuts in She-Caw-Go…

Asking a Supermajority to choose to do things…

Hurt those not with you already, the tax eaters… makes total sense.

Adults know better.

Capiche’?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:52 am
- Biker - Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 9:00 am:

The median household income in Illinois as of 2018 was $63,575. Half of the state’s households are richer, half are poorer. $250,000 household income is almost 4 times the median household income (3.93x to be more precise). Get of your rich bubble.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/IL

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:52 am
- Biker -

With great respect…

Are you saying the top 3% aren’t wealthy?

Sure sounds like it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 10:53 am
Oswego. - of all people you know better. Targeting populations with policy cuts as retribution or based on income would be struck down if not by the Illinois Supreme Court but certainly by the US Supreme Court- it would be a blanket violation of the 14 th Amendment

Comment by Sue Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:00 am
Precinct Captain, I hear you, and again, I voted for it, but it didn’t pass, so it was either the product, the messengers, the messaging, or some combination of the three. I want to focus on the actual offer because people aspire to make more money as they get older, and the cost of college and housing have gone up considerably over the decades, not to mention sales taxes. This is an amendment to the constitution, not likely to be able to be changed in the future unless we have another billionaire governor focused on the poor. Maybe it was the $20M flood of ads against in the final days, maybe it was the anti Madigan sentiment, but I believe we got cute at the margins when even another $50K added to the floor would have assured passed. Just my 2 cents.

Comment by Biker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:02 am
Hey - Sue -…

Thought you left… didn’t you leave?

I can’t help universities are downstate.

I can’t help prisons are downstate.

I can’t help that taxes are being eaten downstate at double the rate.

I can’t help DNR facilities are in Raunerite districts.

People want cuts. That’s where cuts are.

Why spend so much money on so few people? Supermajorities need to help the majority, amirite? Plus, those “Pritzker $&@%” signs… ok…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:05 am
The GOP GA members may/should tune out JB as they gain nothing by cooperating. The failure of his progressive income tax means that JB and MJM must finally put their supermajority political capita at risk and nake cuts and increase taxes on all.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:10 am
Willy, also with great respect, yes $250K for a household is doing very well. I haven’t seen a county breakdown on the referendum, but I would imagine Arizona’s passed because of their large retiree population that wouldn’t really be effected by a tax increase above $250K, and maybe Ken didn’t flood $20M there. I think the $250K bar here cut into a “temporarily embarrassed millionaires” attitude and it’s unfortunate given the million steps it takes to make an amendment to the constitution.

Comment by Biker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:14 am
==I can’t help universities are downstate. I can’t help prisons are downstate.==

cc: AFSCME 31, Illinois Federation of Teachers, SEIU Local 73

Northeastern Chicago State at University Park is quite the mouthful.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:21 am
- Biker -

It’s all good.

All I’m saying is… tough to say the top 3% in income aren’t wealthy.

That’s… whew.

It’s a quibbling.

Be well.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:21 am
=== Northeastern Chicago State at University Park is quite the mouthful.===

Nope. They are safe.

Downstate universities. They are tax eaters, in a region tax eating.

What, no one likes these cuts? Downstate are tax eaters… thought were suppose to make “dollar to dollar” decisions.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:24 am
OW is spot on.

What part of ‘no tax hikes”, ‘cut spending”, “waste fraud and abuse” don’t Sue and her type understand.

The Supermajority is gonna cut where these Superminority screamers are from. Let them experience the results of their wishes.

Comment by don the legend Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:28 am
The Governor should be asking the Republican’s their plan everyday. Ask it publicly. When they don’t give him a realistic one he will have insulated himself a little here. This may be counter-intuitive but make them a full partner. He is running in 2022 which is historically difficult for the party that has the Presidency. About the month of May he can start dropping a whole bunch of “I told you so’s.”

Comment by Nagidam Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:32 am
Agreed, but in a post mortum of this scale, I would have taken an increase on 80% of the wealthy to get the win. Sort of like your 30/60 maxim, it didn’t pass. It’s worth figuring out why. And if downstate firmly voted against it then that was an unfortunate own goal on their part.

Comment by Biker Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:32 am
- Biker -

It’s a colossal loss to the politics.

They can look why, see where, but the other politics to the “after” is… if Raunerites wanna make Dems go alone… they risk heavy, deep, severe downstate cuts and damage… as downstate as a monolith isn’t in that supermajority and want nothing to do with these cuts or revenue.

Then… choices have consequences too

Adults need to make bipartisan decisions… it’s up to Republican thinking to save Raunerites cutting noses to faces.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:37 am
When cuts need to be made, you look at usage and cost effectiveness.

Hating government, not understanding the cost of government, ignoring the size of your contribution or lack thereof to the cost of government shouldn’t exempt you from ramifications of cuts when they have to be made.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:41 am
Appears that some commenters are already sweating the promised cuts that are to come.

Sue, if you think high courts are going to involve themselves with actions that have been proven time and again to be within the Executive branch power, then you must really be worried.

Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 11:59 am
I would call $250K rich. However if you’re a two income household in suburban Chicago you might make $180K - $200K. With a mortgage, taxes, health insurance, car payments, saving for retirement and college you sure don’t feel rich. That $250K hits too close to home for that group, how long before $200K is considered rich.

Comment by Delirium Tremens Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:09 pm
=== The GOP GA members may/should tune out JB as they gain nothing by cooperating. The failure of his progressive income tax means that JB and MJM must finally put their supermajority political capita at risk and nake cuts and increase taxes on all.===

Can’t reopen a prison all that easily.

Closing DNR facilities… yeah, don’t cooperate.

Closing dorms, closing a university or two downstate.

Heck, make it easier for the governor.

“Stand firm, Raunerutes”

lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:14 pm
They should have higher sales taxes on the things the super wealthy buy, like wine that costs more than $20 a bottle or goofy vest patches.

Comment by Rich Hightax Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:29 pm
Some wealthy people don’t recognize…themselves…on purpose.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:36 pm
I only see two areas of discretionary spending; pensions and education. Are we looking at another pension holiday? How about a large cut to education?

Close a prison? Which prisoners are released? Wait for Willie Horton stories.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:39 pm
Does Illinois need a constitutional amendment to tax retirement income? Seems like that would be an easier hurdle than the initiative that failed.

Comment by California Guy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:42 pm
=== Close a prison?===

Prison reform, sentencing reform, I don’t know anyone advocating a need for more prisons during these discussions.

Lots of jobs with prisons. Contracts. Prisons need a lot of things.

Could close DNR facilities. Scuttle them. Might not make “much” of a dent, but some could argue “frivolous” spending when schools are hurting…

Maybe it’s best if all the adults get together and talk.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:45 pm
Yes, lets close prisons downstate. That should help Ms Foxx and Ms Preckwinkle that don’t believe criminals belong in jail. Let’s just release all of the folks in those prisons and let them return home. Might make Chicago somewhat less livable but hey, that’s OK.

Comment by Really Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:51 pm
A lot of the students that attend EIU, WIU, and SIU/SIUE are from the Chicagoland area. Closing a downstate university will only help universities in Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana.

Comment by Southern IL Bob too Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:52 pm
- Really -

You live in Chicago or Cook County?

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:52 pm
=== Closing a downstate university will only help universities in Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana.===

Meh. Illinois only trails New Jersey in outward college migration.

Why pay all that money to help Charleston, Carbondale, Macomb?

Raunerites want Dems to go alone? Huh. Ok.

Republicans might wanna be in the room where the cuts happen.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 12:55 pm
Some of the commentators on this website have excellent ideas on how to help solve the problem. Now’s the time to think about a wire transfer fee on all public pensions that are coming from the state of Illinois and municipalities. We’re all-in this together.

Comment by JB' s Tailor Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:06 pm
===Now’s the time to think about a wire transfer fee on all public pensions that are coming from the state of Illinois and municipalities.===

That pesky constitution is laughing… out loud.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:09 pm
It’s not a tax it’s a wire transfer fee. Illinois has all sorts of fees who could oppose that? It’s for the children.

Comment by JB' s Tailor Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:13 pm
===wire transfer fee===

To that part… how much are you going to charge someone to get their own pension money wired?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:14 pm
Illinois state workers don’t work for free they cost money. The wire transfer fee will help pay for state government so those pensions can go out. Whether you retire in Florida or Illinois We’re All in This Together.

Comment by JB' s Tailor Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:19 pm
- JB’ s Tailor -

The supermajority won’t go for it. You have 60 and 30 for it?

You never told… how much is the fee you suggest…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:23 pm
Ideas start debate. The votes might not be there today but soon they might be after thinking about possible Cuts or tax increases. Anyway the possibility of a future progressive income tax opens up numerous exciting possibilities on a possible wire transfer fee right now. How about 7.99% on all checks. This will undoubtedly make all the pension systems in Illinois much more financially stable. Moody’s and S&P obviously would be happy with this.

Comment by JB' s Tailor Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:35 pm
==It’s usually called “having kids before running out the fertility clock with menopause.”==

Heck of a lecture there, suburban mom, but it’s all a fallacy.

The theoretical person with loans, etc. has made hundreds of personal decisions by the time they get to where you’re talking about. Did you move to a neighborhood that was affordable or pay a premium for the one you wanted to live in? Did you trade less of a commute for more affordable living? Do you drive newer or older cars? How about your clothes?

These are all decisions that affect how you feel about your own finances. I stand by my statement. If you think $250k is middle class and just getting by, I can’t help you. What I can tell you is that generally speaking, the exurbs are cheaper than the suburbs. You might want to look there.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:40 pm
=== Ideas start debate.===

Not having 60, 30, and signature end them quickly.

=== The votes might not be there today but soon they might be after thinking about possible Cuts or tax increase===

We’re down $8+ billion, you think a seven figure fee grab will get 60/30 and a signature?

What’s your fee?

===Anyway===…. lol

=== How about 7.99% on all checks.===

You’re gonna charge that on those checks?

There’s no 60/30 for that… is there? C’mon.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:41 pm
Ideas start debates.

Serious ones do.
Throwing some bunk out there that has zero chance and calling it an “idea” is a waste of time.

Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 1:51 pm
Who on earth wires anything??

Deposit in a bank with nationwide branches.

Direct pay from the same account for credit card, electricity, etc.

You could even live overseas and do that….

Wire - next you’ll want a tax on faxing

Comment by Fav Human Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 2:20 pm
===next you’ll want a tax on faxing===

They did that in the 1990s when the GOP controlled everything. Taxed second lines. That killed off the legislator discount forever. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 2:21 pm
=I assume Governor Pritzker will be reinstating the 3 percent pension-spiking cap that he lifted just last year?=

LOL, if yo think 3% is a spike I would hate to be one of your kids on allowance day.

6% isn’t a spike either. it is an increase. A lot less than some CEO who bankrupt his company got as a golden parachute while his company received federal bailout dollars.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 2:35 pm
“Why pay all that money to help Charleston, Carbondale, Macomb?”

Rauner ran for Governor under a “shared sacrifice” theme and won. His administration, as I saw it, quickly moved to kill the unions, community based organizations, and higher education. I realize that something has to change, but killing off what used to be a huge asset for this great State, in my opinion, is short sighted. Maybe the State should limit the number of degrees those universities should offer, concentrating on their strengths. EIU used to be a teachers college. Maybe they should return to their roots.

Comment by Southern IL Bob too Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 2:43 pm
- Southern IL Bob too -

I’d talk to the Raunerites in the region ask them are they going to save higher education or do like they did in the 99th GA and starve institutions to own the libs.

It’s their call.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 3:03 pm
==if yo think 3% is a spike==

That’s why it’s called a “cap”, to discourage the practice.

==6% isn’t a spike either.==

Receiving an automatic, compounded raise larger than the rest of your collective bargaining unit for merely turning in your resignation letter four years in advance when we all know exactly when you’re gonna retire is a pension spike. Well, in the real world it is.

If the state can afford that, they can afford other things. If not, it should be reinstated immediately.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 3:11 pm
=== If the state can afford that, they can afford other things===

What are the numbers.

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 3:17 pm
Yes, Madigan needs to go as Speaker and Democratic Party Chair. But the interesting thing is in Ohio, where the House Speaker, a Republican, was indicted by the FBI for being caught red handed in utility corruption, not only re-elected with 70% of the vote, but the Ohio GOP House gained more seats. So, are only Democrats in Illinois required to clean house?

Comment by VerySmallRocks Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 3:30 pm
===But the interesting thing is in Ohio===

Stick to Illinois.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 3:33 pm
==You cut couple universities, a prison, IDOT facilities, DNR facilities… that’s real money==

What are the numbers?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:08 pm
=== What are the numbers?===

Pick a university, pick a facility, pick a prison.

Now show me your numbers. Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:09 pm
Let’s start with EIU; 2019, Journal Gazette Times Currier

===CHARLESTON — An increase is state appropriations was part of the balanced budget for Eastern Illinois University that the school’s Board of Trustees approved on Friday.

The budget projects nearly $142 million in both revenues and expenditures for the 2020 fiscal year.

During the last fiscal year, expenses outpaced revenues by about $3.5 million though total expenses dropped by about $2 million from the previous year, according to information from EIU.===

Ok, your turn.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:14 pm
Willy - the new “cut Downstate” narrative will be much more fun if you can connect it to your bromance with Demmer and Barrickman.

If we are going to hear your cut Downstate diatribe 1,200 times in the next 5 months, please, please, please tie it to the bromance.

Comment by Say What? Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:16 pm
WIU? WQAD…

=== MACOMB, Illinois- WIU has set its budget for 2020, and it is tens of millions of dollars less than the past several years.

On October 4, The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees approved a 2020 Budget.

This budget assumes a state appropriation of $49.6 million for FY20. The University’s total operating budget for FY20 is $210.6 million, which is nearly $20 million less than FY19’s All Funds Budget.===

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:18 pm
- Say What? -

Aren’t you the creepy “Toobin” guy?

Isn’t it icky you keep stalking me… after the “Toobin” thing.

It’s really creepy.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:19 pm
Of course you are correct about simple explanations Rich, but I just can’t help but think the failure to pass the Fair Tax (Graduated Income Tax) has a lot to do w Madigan and in particular the Com Ed DPA.

Those targeted Dem reps who said that they’d vote for someone else for Speaker did well Tuesday. Heck, Stava-Murray, for the rough start she got off to now looks like a total genius. Costa Howard- very adept coming out over the summer saying she’d vote for someone else.

Edly-Allen and Pappas? Well they towed the line and look at the result.

I can’t help but think about Pelosi in Jan 19 and quite a few House Dems from swing districts either voted present or for someone else. She didn’t care. Her motto was “just win” in the 2018 midterms when many were pledging not to vote for her for Speaker. She had the votes anyway.

Madigan should have done the same. He still had the votes.

Comment by low level Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 4:51 pm
Raise the flat tax rate to 6, make the cuts primarily in state education spending. Raise the local property tax rate limitation for school districts–that will allow the school districts and municipalities to increase their property taxes to receive the revenue they would have otherwise received from the fair tax. This will enable school districts and municipalities to share the pain of the tough spending decisions.

The fair tax result was the voters’ choice. We have to live with that, blame who you will. Most voters could have had no change in income tax and a possible reduction in property taxes. But small minds won’t vote a yes for graduated tax rates even when a no means higher taxes for themselves. We have small minds all around the country that continually vote against their own self interest and this is just another example. So they’ll just have to pay higher state and local taxes, as well as their monthly bills. That’s less discretionary spending–just what the majority of voters told us they wanted.

Comment by James Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 5:21 pm
==Raise the flat tax rate to 6, make the cuts primarily in state education spending==

So generate more revenue than the Fair Tax would have generated, then cut education spending that the Fair Tax promised would increase. That’s some plan. Got the votes for that?

Comment by City Zen Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 6:33 pm
In addition to Eastern Bloc districts, after the Governor’s call last week for Madigan to go as House Democratic leader and Speaker, could the Governor also hit hard any services and facilities in any remaining Madigan-backed House Democratic districts? Especially with Scherer’s 96th covering all of downtown Springfield and the Capitol Complex, as well as Dirksen Parkway (IDOT and SOS buildings, plus some other state offices elsewhere in that part of Springfield).

Comment by Chatham Resident Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 6:57 pm
If you want efficiency to punish downstate OW just close UIUC the budget for the flagship Is the largest one and I believe that would qualify as a “deep and painful” cut, which would get J.B. a bunch of national press

Comment by Touchdown Rejus Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 7:07 pm
=== If you want efficiency to punish downstate OW just close UIUC the budget for the flagship Is the largest one and I believe that would qualify as a “deep and painful” cut, which would get J.B. a bunch of national press===

Which is why EIU, WIU, and SIUC works better.

You know, those so concerned about these cuts, don’t look to me to compromise, look to those wanting Raunerites to let Dems go alone.

I’ve tried to explain what I’m doing by showing these choices…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 7:49 pm
=Got the votes for that?=

No, I don’t have any votes, I’m not a legislator. Just a voter who chimes in here once in a while.

I remember long ago working in city government, big meeting, I voiced an idea, someone else shot it down. Our boss looked at me, smiled, and said: “James. Got any more dumb ideas?”

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 9, 20 @ 8:05 pm