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Candidate reaction begins to roll in to budget votes

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* Press release…

JB Pritzker released the following statement following the passage of a bipartisan state budget by the Illinois General Assembly:

“For nearly three years, Bruce Rauner has driven our state into crisis and inflicted pain on tens of thousands of Illinoisans,” said JB Pritzker. “Now, as Republicans and Democrats come together to declare enough is enough and finally pass a budget, for Bruce Rauner, not even the threat of a complete meltdown can get him to do his job.

“Bruce Rauner has no intention of letting this crisis end. As he has for 734 days, Rauner will continue using school children, college students, seniors and people with disabilities as pawns in his game to drive this state to bankruptcy and junk status. Rauner is a one track mind with a single goal of ramming through a special interest agenda that leaves most Illinoisans behind.

“Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly did their job. And while the damage caused by Bruce Rauner can never be undone, for the sake of our children and families, I hope Governor Rauner will step up and sign the bipartisan budget plan that’s being delivered to his desk.”

So, Pritzker is openly willing to own support for a tax hike. Interesting.

* Biss campaign…

Daniel Biss released the following statement as the House and Senate reached agreement on a budget.

“The House and Senate have agreed on a budget, and sent it to Governor Rauner’s desk. This budget has support from Democrats and Republicans—it’s far from perfect, but it will open schools in the fall, fund vital social services, pay public sector employees, and put our state within the realm of financial solvency. Governor Rauner has committed to veto it.

“Rauner’s obstructionism is nothing new to Senate Democrats, or to the people of Illinois. What is new, however, is that he is losing control of his own party. In response pressure from their constituents, many of my Republican colleagues, including members of both houses, voted in favor of the budget and in defiance of Rauner. This isn’t about political parties or ideological commitments, it’s about doing what is necessary to save our state — and we will be prepared when it becomes necessary to override the Governor’s veto.”

…Adding… Press release…

Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward alderman and Democratic candidate for Illinois governor today issued the following statement in response to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s decision to veto a bipartisan and balanced budget bill that passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly:

“Republicans and Democrats in both houses came together this week to pass a responsible budget that protects middle class families and finally puts our state on a steady fiscal path. With his veto, the governor made very clear that he doesn’t care about the future of our state and the hard-working families that make it great.”

“Instead, he is holding our future hostage to achieve two selfish and dangerous goals: to destroy organized labor and the fundamental protections they have won for workers, and to use Chicago schools as a scapegoat now that he’s done paying to clout his own child into the public school of his choice. Today’s actions make it clear that only one person stands between a bankrupt state and a bright future. It’s time for Bruce Rauner to go.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 11:23 am

Comments

Has any candidate come out in favor of a progressive income tax? (I thought I remembered that Biss had, but all I could find on his web-site was that he’s in favor of the controversial idea of ‘Creating a fair tax structure’.) I would have thought it was an obvious idea for a Dem candidate to push, emphasizing that the tax will go *down* for the median household, which is not hard to arrange (with total revenue going up).

Comment by UIC Guy Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 11:33 am
“Has any candidate come out in favor of a progressive income tax?”

You’re kidding, right?

Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 11:35 am
IL’s debt was 4B before Rauner took office. IL’s debt is now 15B. That increase in IL’s debt happened while Rauner was the governor. Rauner owns the crisis in IL.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 11:59 am
No response from Kennedy?

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 12:00 pm
== You’re kidding, right? ==

Mix a progressive income tax with additional school funding, forced school portion of the property tax reduction, and mandated consolidation of single school and overlapping school districts, and you might have a winner. Especially if you can get the public to that is the ONLY viable path to reducing their property taxes.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 12:06 pm
A progressive income tax is half of the ONLY way Illinois can avoid a slow slouch to doomsville. If we struggle this much just to pay the current bills (with more pain to come with the local governments/authorities), forget the kind of infrastructure and education investments necessary to combat tech disruption and the trend of educated/wealthier citizens and businesses leaving.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 12:29 pm
Pritzger has supported a progressive tax. When a quarter of all income in this state is made by those over 200k a year it makes sense. When implemented though there should be a big ptax cut and a sales tax cut.

Comment by David Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 12:46 pm
It is my understanding that they have to pass a Constitutional amendment in order to switch from the current flat income tax to a progressive income tax. There is not enough time to do that now, or is there?

Comment by WeNeedaBudgetNow Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 12:46 pm
UIC Guy: Biss supports a progressive / graduated income tax.

Comment by Leon Despres Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 1:08 pm
== There is not enough time to do that now, or is there? ==

No. If they passed a proposed amendment, it could be voted on in the 2018 election.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 4, 17 @ 6:15 pm