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Income tax hike murmurs

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Illinois

[Posted by Kevin Fanning]

* Over the past few months the Governor has been sounding the alarm that Speaker Madigan wants to raise income taxes.

In fact, there was one press conference I remember where Blagojevich actually challenged Madigan to sign a written pledge that he will not do so after the November elections.

The Governor brought the issue up again yesterday while talking about the capital bill, and this time added a new twist to the conversation:

“I think it’s unethical to stand in the way of creating jobs and putting people back to work,” he said. “It’s unethical to raise taxes on people.”

* I wasn’t exactly sure where he was going with that, or his intentions for tying ethics legislation to his capital plan, but anyways….

The Speaker’s spokesman, as well as numerous election wary House Dems, have emphatically denied that Madigan wants to raise the income tax after the election.

However, there have been several comments by the Speaker, and those close to him, that have added fuel to the fire. After the last special session the Speaker gave a press conference and was pelted with questions about his intentions on the issue.

He said that he didn’t think that it would come up in the fall legislative session, but when asked about the spring he grinned, “Spring is spring. It’s a long time away.”

Not exactly comforting for those aforementioned House Democrats.

*That’s why I was surprised to hear Rep. Currie go off on this tangent after the Leaders’ meeting yesterday:

Currie said a “modest” tax rate hike, coupled with a constitutional amendment allowing the state to apply a higher tax rate to the highest earners, enjoys substantial support among House members. Madigan has said in recent weeks he will not push a tax increase this year, but he has not categorically ruled out such an effort in 2009.

Why even go there? If I were on the Gov’s press team I would be going after that one, not leaking a 20-day old memo to the press where Madigan uses an *gasp* expletive.

posted by Kevin Fanning
Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 10:12 am

Comments

Ltes not forget Kevin that Jones also was voicing support for a tax increase. The Gov keeps trying to get the press to report a possible income tax hike as a madigan issue, but Jones has also voiced support for it as well. Oddly the Gov has not asked Jones to sign a pledge opposing an income tax hike. In any event, it should be included that while the Gov is critical of an income tax hike, he stands alone in that his biggest ally Jones does support it. Also a reason they may not want to open the whole income tax hike debate since Jones favors it.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 10:34 am
That’s right. Sen. E. Jones gets a free pass for his endorsemnt of an income tax hike, and the press never questions the Governor about Jones’s intentions. The press still gives the Governor the headline in the Governor’s terms, espcially the TV press.

Comment by Captain Flume Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 10:44 am
If I were Tom Cross, I would add this to the Rod & Todd show in the Cook County races. Taxes, Todd & Rod should be big trouble for Froelich & Crespo and should help Mulligan, Coulson and Munson.

Comment by GOP Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 10:47 am
This, to me, is just one more example that the governor is a sociopath. He won’t seriosly try to get Madigan to go to a leaders’ meeting, he will just attempt to belittle him with that stupid letter. I mean, what a worm. Not to say that Madigan is not partly at fault, but the governor has a way of taking my eyes off of Madigan, and going straight to him thinking, “You voted for him, Illinois. Now your stuck with it.”

Oh, and if anyone actually sees our governor, I would just like to point out that when you “raise fees” instead of “raising taxes”, it is regressive taxation. So when you rant and rave about no higher income taxes, just remember all the crap you have done… and have tried to do.

Comment by Heartless Libertarian Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 10:51 am
A progressive income tax hike (raising taxes on incomes above $100K or so while cutting the income tax on lower incomes by making the first $10K of income earned tax free instead of current law where the first $2300 of income earned is tax free) is the best way to fund capital or the operating deficit. That would also be the best way to avoid “taxing people” and I’m glad that Majority Leader Currie reiterated the growing consensus that a progressive income tax hike is the best step the state can take. And cut some taxes on people making $20K or $30k! They pay enough in state and local taxes. Hopefully the Governor will consider a progressive income tax entirely consistent with his pledge not to raise the income tax on working people (because it is).

Comment by Dan Johnson-Weinberger Friday, Aug 1, 08 @ 4:55 pm
The governor is simply trying to introduce a tax increase and put the original idea on Madigan. Then the Gov can simply say he was pushed into it by Madigan. The best move for Madigan is to say that he will not allow a bill to be introduced in the House that would raise the income tax. Then the Gov and Jones are stuck introducing the bill.

Comment by With Liberty For All...... Saturday, Aug 2, 08 @ 5:02 pm