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* UnRodlike behavior…
The fact that Quinn arrived 10 minutes early to the Crowne Plaza for the 47th annual [prayer] breakfast was contrast enough. But Quinn did more, by taking time to introduce family members of nine fallen servicemen his office had invited to the event.
* Rodlike behavior…
Quinn said that passing a budget to keep social programs in place should come before a capital plan, but lawmakers plan to pass parts of the capital bill as early as today. This is the first time Quinn has publicly voiced opposition to passing a capital plan before passing an operating budget.
“I want to tell the members of the General Assembly I know they want a lot of [capital] projects and so on, and so do I. But that is not coming before the priority of taking care of real live human beings.”
If you want to be the Senate President, run for the Senate. Otherwise, stick to being governor.
* More Rodlike behavior - breaking his word to the leaders…
* Speaking of the budget, AFSCME has a new TV ad about the need for a tax hike…
Rate it.
* Sen. Meeks is moving SB 750 again…
Shortly before passing the capital plan, [a Senate committee] debated a proposal that would drastically change the tax structure for the state and possibly resolve a pending lawsuit. The bill, which has been considered in different versions for the last seven sessions, would raise the personal income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent and expand the sales tax to specific services.
Sen. James Meeks, a Chicago Democrat, classified some of the services as “luxury,” including limousine rentals, massages and pet grooming. But the bill also includes movies and movie rental, taxis and bowling. It would also double the earned income tax credit to protect low-income families and provide property tax relief for all.
Meeks said the intent of the measure is to create more revenue for Illinois schools and ensure schools receive equal funding because the state would take over most of the responsibility. Currently, school districts heavily rely on local property taxes, so funding can vary greatly among districts depending on how much revenue the local tax generates.
* Related…
* Chicago Urban League calls for equal school funding
* School Funding Reform Clears Another Hurdle
* Quinn, Stroger both fail to connect with us
* This isn’t the red tape we want to cut
* Both Blagojeviches to take part in TV show: While Patti Blagojevich roams the jungle in Costa Rica on a reality television show as a replacement for her indicted and travel-restricted husband, the former governor will still participate in a “surprise” manner, the couple’s publicist said today.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 10:46 am
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I also was surprised to see the Senate Education Committee advance a revenues bill. The fact that Cullerton’s Committee on Assignment let this proposal out and to the Education Committee may have been a concession to the governor that the chamber was looking at education and helath care & human services while it was also advancing the Capital bill…
Will any senator move to return that revenues bill to another committee for review and advancement, before it is voted upon for final Senate passage?
Comment by Capitol View Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 11:11 am
Regarding Sen. Meeks’ bill: Can the personal income tax rate be raised without also raising the corproate income tax rate? I thought the state constitution specified that the two remain at a fixed ratio.
Comment by GoldCoastConservative Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 11:13 am
The state constitution calls for the corporate income tax to be no more than 5/8, it doesn’t say that it has to be at the 5/8 ratio.
Also, why tax bowling and not golf? Bowling is a working man’s game.
Comment by ahoy Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 11:26 am
AFSCME
is using taxpayer dollars spent on paying state employees to lobby for more taxpayers money. That stinks! Using my money to get more of my money how much are they spending on this ad blitz? How about cutting union dues? Or better yet cutting the pay for the big shots? Didn’t think so! For the working man my behind!
Comment by votegetter Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 11:36 am
votegetter, they’re using dues money. Should you as a taxpayer control how state employees spend all their money?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 11:41 am
Actually, Rich, I think Quinn has a point about dealing with the mandatory things like education and healthcare first. Optics are worth plenty as you have pointed out in Quinn’s failed budget roll-out. In this case, to the average citizen who doesn’t get these things, it looks like we are spending $26 billion on a construction program at the same time we are talking about raising taxes just to cover the basic bills. Its like putting an addition on your house when you can’t afford to pay the mortgage. I understand the difference between the bond-financed capital bill and the base budget, but do you think the average voter does? To me, this is score one for Quinn.
Comment by Niles Township Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 12:30 pm
Rich
Where does the dues money come from? And joining is mandatory for most jobs. Without taxes and taxpayers there is no union! Is it fair for them to pretend that they care about “The Children” when it is about their negotiations? Not the children or the tax payer for that matter
Comment by votegetter Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 12:30 pm
===Without taxes and taxpayers there is no union===
There is also no government. Your argument is void of logic.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 12:34 pm
===To me, this is score one for Quinn. ===
Outside the dome, perhaps. Under it, not.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 12:34 pm
It is not void it proves my point!
Name a time when Government shrunk? One time when it did with less. I can name when my union gave back or was shaken down to make us give back not AFSCME) people aren’t working why is government growing? Don’t give me the when times are bad we need Gov more. Why when times are good Government grows even faster. Its time for zero based budgeting pay only what we can afford to pay for.
Comment by votegetter Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 1:12 pm
Votegetter - Name one time when state government did with less?
Are you kidding, or just not paying attention?
IL state government has 25% fewer employees today than 8 years ago. The fewest state employees per resident of any state in the nation. We’ve been doing LESS with LESS for years. Hasn’t worked too well.
Comment by Reality Check Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 1:35 pm
Ya know, votegetter, you really need to lighten up a bit. Sorry you have no use for AFSCME or unions period for that matter it seems, but I’ll point out a few facts for you to mull over.
First, when is the last time you sat in on negotiations to see any give and take on contracts? And I think you’ll find I gave up 4% of pay forwards pensions not too long along which had been picked up by the state in place of a raise in the early 90’s.
Second, doing with less. Since Ryan and Blagojevich my site alone is down seven due to retirement and layoffs, out of a starting of like 17, none have been replaced. Which means more work being done by fewer people and less work being done in allotted time. Our budget in the agency has been already butchered under our last governor.
So here we are, less people, more work, less money. And as far as dues, I volunteer extra contributions on top of regular dues for politcal activities. I get a voice as a employee, as a union member and as a tax paying citizen. Sorry that offends you.
Comment by Princess Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 1:42 pm
Quinn is so late to the game in selling his GRF revenue, that I don’t think the order of capital and budget bills matter.
What he should do is send letters to every school district and tell them how much they’ll get for FY10 under status quo. Maybe alert some police districts as to where the 6,000 released inmates will go.
Still, to sell, you have to repeat a message over a time. And there’s not a lot of that left.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 1:44 pm
So votegetter do you believe in any other urban legends? or just the ones about big oversized state government. BTW it is ok to stand in front of a mirror and say bloody mary three times.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 2:37 pm
Maybe Quinn et al should hold up on that income tax increase until they find out what happens with California’s request for federal bailout money.
The LAT is headling that effort today.
The WH and Geithner are waffling because of well founded fears that other states will request similar bailouts.But so what. The feds can always borrow more.
If the California bailout goes through, does Quinn have a team that is competent to put together a persuasive request that would take Illinois middle class taxpayers off the hook.
but I hope so. Or are the Dems so anxious to get more of our money that they wouldn’t even bother.
Quinn does seem obsessed with getting his regressive middle class tax increase…come heck or high water or even other options.
Comment by Cassandra Thursday, May 21, 09 @ 3:30 pm
I was recently forced to join the Union/AFSCME…’Fair share’ actually. The Union does nothing for me (it primarily protects ‘problem’ employees).. I can’t wait to retire…
Comment by tunes Friday, May 22, 09 @ 7:06 am