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* Cullerton’s spin via Whet Moser…
It’s simultaneously a reconciliation, tangling up the layers of policies that have emerged over the past couple years, and an ultimatum, tying it off—whether it works as politics inside the statehouse or outside it.
“We passed Bruce Rauner’s budget today and the income tax that he asked for,” Cullerton said. “How’s that for an answer? Is that a good answer?”
* WBEZ…
While Illinois’ historic 22-month budget impasse has again dominated the legislative session in Springfield, state lawmakers have also grappled with how to respond to Chicago’s gun violence.
One high-profile bill aimed at stemming the violence would impose longer prison sentences for repeat gun offenders. Under the proposal, people caught with an illegal gun a second time would face a maximum 14-year sentence. Judges could issue shorter punishments if they explain their reasons. Currently, the maximum sentence is seven years.
The bill has already passed the Senate, and needs approval in the House and from Gov. Bruce Rauner, who said he’ll sign it in its current form. The idea is nothing new in Springfield, but this time the opposition is coming from Chicago Democrats, not downstate Republicans or the National Rifle Association.
Here’s how politics are playing into the debate
* Press release…
[Yesterday] the Illinois Senate voted 34-24-1 in favor of passing SB 1719. The legislation places a privilege tax on Hedge Fund and Private Equity Managers like Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin who exploit a federal tax loophole to get a lower tax rate than that paid by many working Americans.
Amisha Patel, Executive Director of Grassroots Collaborative, explained, “This is great news for Illinois residents that have been languishing under an extended budget impasse. Illinois needs new revenue. SB 1719 generates significant revenue – raising it from those who have profited for years off of a rigged tax system, instead of asking for more sacrifices from our most vulnerable residents.”
“This is an important step in creating the kind of state we want to live in,” stated Senator Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), lead sponsor of SB 1719. “We have a small group of very wealthy individuals using an archaic loophole to avoid paying their share, at the expense of other taxpayers and vital social services. Illinois now has an opportunity to right this wrong, to move towards greater fairness, and raise $1.7 billion in new annual revenue that our state desperately needs.”
* From one of Dan Proft’s papers…
Despite his loudly voiced objections, Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) must now count on colleagues in the House to stop a bill that will set up a “Small Donor” matching program for candidates running for some offices in Illinois.
Senate Bill 1424, reintroduced to the Senate by Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), would allow candidates for governor, attorney general, comptroller, treasurer, secretary of state, state senator and state representative to opt into the program.
Only donations of $500 or less would be allowed under the program, with contributions of $25 to $150 being matched at a 6 to 1 ratio.
Biss has argued that the program levels the playing field by giving small donors more power in elections, but Righter called it another money grab that will hurt taxpayers already financially strapped.
“Despite the amendment that has been filed, the message back home and the question that you all will be answering if you vote for this would be, ‘Wait a minute, senator, you voted to spend my hard-earned tax dollars, including the tax increase, on the campaigns that we’ve been seeing for the last few years?’” Righter said.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 2:10 pm
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Are there actually print editions of the Proft papers? I remember they were mailed out to support Chris Welch’s primary opponent, but I haven’t seen them anywhere else. Is it a blog that only prints & mails around election time?
Comment by Grand Avenue Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 2:14 pm
SB 1719 put a smile on my face.
Comment by illinoised Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 2:18 pm
Grand, the print editions in my area (Lake County) started coming during last fall’s campaign and stopped shortly after the election. The web versions are still out there, of course.
Comment by stateandlake Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 4:58 pm
Chicago Democrats. You now have the ability to put potential killers away and you take a walk. Every child in the streets of Chicago that dies this summer is blood on your hands. I don’t care if you put $100M in Englewood the gangsters are not going to fill out a job app. Get it? They aren’t going to work for $15 an hour or $25 an hour. We have lost generations to the gang mentality. Can they be rehabilitated in da joint..I doubt it very much and I don’t even care anymore. But at least they are not roaming the streets of Chicago looking for their next victim, which is happening thx very moment, in the next hour, the next day and on and on. This is so numbing on the brain.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 5:05 pm
That was my post @ 5:05. Didn’t mean for it to be anon
Comment by proudstatetrooper Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 5:07 pm
And you have to be caught TWICE with a firearm before you go away for UP to 14 years? What a joke .
Comment by proudstatetrooper Wednesday, May 24, 17 @ 5:11 pm
The press doesn’t refer to a car thief or someone without a license to drive as “being in possession of an illegal car”.
So why do they use:
“…people caught with an illegal gun…”
I know it is semantics but guns are legal, possession of a gun by some people is illegal. The phrase would be more true if written as:
“…people caught illegally possessing a gun…”
We need to demonize the criminal not the tool of choice.
Comment by Kevin Highland Thursday, May 25, 17 @ 6:53 am