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My self-promotion instict has failed once again because I forgot for the umpteenth time to post my weekly syndicated column.
So, why did Judy Baar Topinka go with a Chicago casino idea to help fund her education, property tax and infrastructure proposals? Well, a general tax increase had been all but ruled out months ago. Polling and focus grouping showed high levels of opposition to a tax hike. Plus, Topinka already has enough troubles with her Republican base without doing something like that.The campaign had already proposed about $3 billion in Medicaid and other state spending cuts over four years, but she can only back so many cuts. Topinka wants AFSCME’s endorsement and is on track to get the Illinois Education Association’s nod. Her pursuit of those tax-eating groups and others like them makes it highly unlikely that we’ll see many more budget-cutting ideas before November.
Topinka has strongly opposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s asset sale ideas, so that angle was out of the question. Temporary solutions like the four-year infusion of cash from the lottery sale would make her look too much like Blagojevich, so forget that.
Pretty much all that was left was gaming. Voters don’t like gaming all that much, but when given the choice of a tax increase for schools or a limited version of gaming expansion like Topinka has proposed, they’ll go with gaming more often than not, particularly Republican and independent voters.
Promising something big to Chicago’s mayor never hurts, either. Now that Mayor Daley knows his schools will get more money and his city will get more jobs and tourism, he might not be so eager to campaign extra hard for Gov. Blagojevich.
Read the rest to see why she proposed any details at all.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 28, 06 @ 1:32 pm
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Never a good idea to paint yourself into a corner when it comes to finding funding for projects or proposals.
Comment by 105th Blues Monday, Aug 28, 06 @ 3:06 pm
AFSCME needs to make peace with Hot Rod.
Comment by Gompers Monday, Aug 28, 06 @ 4:11 pm
I guess this makes Daley something of a free agent.
Comment by Levois Monday, Aug 28, 06 @ 6:50 pm
judy needs to look down and see what feet her shoes are on. JUDY YOU LOST MY VOTE
Comment by taxs man Monday, Aug 28, 06 @ 8:12 pm
Funny how Topinka claims to be so concerned about the investigations in Blago’s Administration, and then she proposes going into the gambling business with Mayor Daley, someone whose Administration not only has Fed investigations, it’s seeing top level officials going to prison.
How ridiculous can it get?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 8:02 am
I believe Daley wants Topinka to win, though he can’t say it publicly of course. He’d like a compliant Republican in the George Ryan mode to wheel and deal with, and Topinka may be signalling her willingness to be such with the casino proposal. Plus with a Republican at the helm Daley gets to be Illinois’ alpha Democratic dog, though Mike Madigan may disagree.
Comment by Tom Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 11:25 am