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Question of the day

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Illinois

* The setup…

State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) says Gov. Pat Quinn must start convincing those who disagree with an income tax increase that a tax hike is the only way to solve the state’s budget woes.

Lang referenced several whirlwind trips Quinn has made, stopping around the state to rally support for additional state revenue to save state-funded social programs.

“He’s still not doing it in the places where legislators voted no,” Lang said. “He’s not doing it in Du Page County which has a dozen or 15 or 20 legislators. Not a single one of them, not one, voted for the income tax increase. Did he go Downstate to rural Illinois where, obviously they are very conservative but don’t understand that if their daycare center closes they wont be able to go to work? The person who is against taxes but their husband, who is a substance abuser, won’t get his services? Did they talk to those legislators? No. What the governor has been doing lately is preaching to the choir.”

* The Question: Should the governor take Rep. Lang’s advice, or do you think Quinn is on the right track? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:34 am

Comments

Lou Lang makes an interesting point. Maybe Pat Quinn doesn’t feel his natural base is completely behind him on the state income tax increase?

Comment by Steve Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:37 am
Lang is right on target, but the governor is woefully late out of the starting blocks. He should have started doing this months ago. I would add that as a successful community and political organizer, he should have known this.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:37 am
The Governor is a fish out of water.

In his previous life he was a reformer who knew how to push conservative buttons — greed and inefficiency to keep himself afloat.

How, however, he finds himself part of the group that wants more money. He is further compromised by his need to raise money to run for governor in 2010.

So, poor fish, he finds himself on dry land between two streams.

Personally, I think he should use his bully pulpit to yell, scream and deride the GA for not bringing him a full year balanced budget. He should become Trumanesque as in 1947. Granted he had a Republican majority in Congress to yell against, but the tactics are the same. He should veto every bill which expands government funding — he failed the other day to do so. Cullerton and Madigan are bamboozling him.

His motto ought to be I wanr efficiency and only enough revenue to run the government effectively…”Not a Penny More.”

Instead he does not look like he is governing, only reacting.

Comment by Truthful James Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:48 am
I would agree this is way late in the process. By the way, since the rest of us have had to take Pay Cuts to stay employeed, are there any pay cuts for our State Law makers in this budget?

Comment by Kevhead09 Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:50 am
I am kind of insulted by Lou Lang’s comments. What he is a basically saying is that downstaters are ignorant and can’t survive without these government services. People survived long before these services, and they will do what they need to do in the face of budget cuts. Quinn knows that the democrats getting together in Peoria aren’t going to help him get the support of the Republicans that voted against the tax hike. I believe Quinn knows much more about the state than Lou Lang, and the support of the base for the tax hike is more important, even after June 1. Going to the people that would rather have their money and cut the budget isn’t smart. Those people that use (and abuse) services provided by the government are the ones he still needs to rally (i.e. unions, inner-city poor, state employees).

Comment by Heartless Libertarian Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:53 am
Maybe Lou should talk to his fellow legislators on both sides of the aisle and take out all the new programs this fiscal year that have no funding( a 7.5% budget increase), cut out all the pork in the capital bill, $5 million to some dance center in Chicago, plus all the others…Lou do you not understand that by having all the pork projects in a capital bill instead of just using it for roads, bridges, etc, that you are in reality cutting services. The tax dollars that go to these pork projects could be used for day care centers, foster care, etc….the legislators were elected to make tough decisions…all they seem to be worried about is the next election or getting their share of the pork

Comment by Get a Clue Lou Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:55 am
Quinn is spending time in communities that are rich with Dem primary voters. Not good for government, but good for him in politcal terms.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:55 am
I thought the budget was balanced. It just means that there is only half as much money in FY 10 as there was in FY 09 and the draconian cuts will begin as soon as July 1.

Comment by bourbonrich Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 11:59 am
Lang is pretty much on target. Quinn is about three months late and a few billion dollars short when it comes to persuading people to support his plan.

If he really wants to get GOP and reluctant Dem votes on board he needs to choose one or a combination of the following strategies.

1. Explain in different but easy to understand terms just how much of a tax increase he proposes. People hear “50 percent increase” or “$500 per year” and freak out because it sounds huge. If he put it in terms of “A single person making $20,000 per year would pay less than $5 more per week,” or “A family of 4 making $50,000 would pay $x dollars more per week,” then it might sound a bit less scary.

2. Offer to place an immediate moratorium on ALL member initiative/pork projects for the coming fiscal year, regardless of whether or not a tax hike is approved, and use at least some of that money to support the threatened social services. Yes, that would probably take the wind out of his scare tactics but it might also convince voters he really is serious about not wasting money.

3. Call attention to how long it’s been since the income tax rate changed (20 years) and to the fact that our tax rate is the lowest among states that have flat rates. Point out that states like Indiana and Iowa that are doing better fiscally AND attracting more business than we are have higher income tax rates than we do.

4. If someone brings up states like Texas, Nevada and Florida that have no income tax, explain where they get their revenue from (e.g. tourists, oil, gambling) and why Illinois cannot or should not rely on those sources.

5. Offer to make it temporary, or be open to a compromise on the final percentage.

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:05 pm
I couldn’t have said it better. Lou is exactly right. It seems almost redundant, but Quinn needs focus his message to legislators that voted against his budget/tax proposals. As I have been saying for months, Quinn is behind the curve. The press conference that Stermer and Lavin held on Tuesday was a waste of time, but my sense is that Quinn’s senior staff still doesn’t see it that way. They love to listen to the sounds of their own voice and they hear the message that moves them, rather than speaking to the issues that will put 71 votes on the board in the house. Quinn needs to reach out beyond the Stermer/Lavin circle and his former LT. Gov staff. It’s that simple.

Comment by Louis Howe Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:14 pm
Lang is on target. There’s almost no additional votes to be had for the tax increase in Chicago. Going to the southwest, northwest, and northern Cook County Suburbs and then downstate communities who all are impacted severely by these cuts is the only way to painstakingly build support and pressure the leaders to get off their collective bottoms, end the political wrestling match and go home with something they actually don’t have to make excuses for or point fingers about. Of course, as soon as I wrote it - I knew it ain’t ever going to happen.

Comment by Preaching to the choir Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:20 pm
doesn’t make sense for quinn to stumping in areas that won’t be covered by the major media. will the chicago media go out for a quinn event in dupage? seems unlikely…

Comment by bored now Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:28 pm
As a “down stater” I have to admitI was just thrilled Lou Lang was so kind as to point out my dilema when my daycare center closes. I would never have thought of that myself.

Comment by Little Lucy from Hicksville, IL Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:28 pm
I agree that Rep. Lang makes a world of sense. Gov. Quinn needs votes from areas where they have been opposing his tax plan. He won’t convince them if he doesn’t go to them to present his case.

Comment by fedup dem Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:31 pm
He was in southern Illinois and the metro east yesterday. Phelps, Bost, Bradley, Holbrook, Hoffman, Stephens and Beiser.all no votes maybe he is listening to Lou!

Comment by Lou Doo Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:32 pm
Lang is right. Quinn needs to change votes-not keep the votes he already has. Every time Quinn says tax or new revenue it should be preceded the the word temporary.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:36 pm
Quinn should frame the argument as such:

Schools, Social Services & Infrastructure -or- bike paths? museums? cultural centers? pork? waste?

Comment by Anon Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:38 pm
Lou is correct. Instead of the populist protest meetings, Quinn should be sitting down with each member and hashing this out.

Comment by Gregor Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:41 pm
==Lou do you not understand that by having all the pork projects in a capital bill instead of just using it for roads, bridges, etc, that you are in reality cutting services. The tax dollars that go to these pork projects could be used for day care centers, foster care, etc==

Give me a break. “Pork” just means the project is for someone else. A capital bill is, by this kind of view 100% “pork.” I think the term is way overused. The state has plenty of necessary capital work waiting to be completed. The cap bill on the table spreads the work around the state fairly evenly.

Little Lucy - you may understand this, but if you look at the rhetoric coming from the legislators on both sides of the aisle who voted “No” and talk to the average taxpayer, many, maybe most, seem to think that the state’s budget woes won’t effect them. Rep. Lang was pointing out that the Gov. needs to get out there and let everyone know that this will not be painful for many people who do not expect it to be so. And the Gov. especially needs to do this in districts whose legislators are voting no on new revenue

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:43 pm
===The tax dollars that go to these pork projects could be used for day care centers, foster care, etc===

But would the GOP and more Democrats have voted for those tax and fee hikes if they were used for the state budget?

No.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:48 pm
Now, back to the question, please.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:49 pm
As a member in good standing of the Madigan cabal, Lang’s words are suspect — if Quinn made such a grand tour he’d just come up with other reasons.

Lucy = commenter of the day.

Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:52 pm
Lang is right, but according to his official schedule, the Governor was in Champaign, Belleville and Carbondale yesterday.

Yes, Quinn needs to be in the districts of the NO votes.

But he also needs to talking about more than cuts to social services:

- $1.1 Billion axed in the K-12 school budget
- 100,000 kids lose pre-school
- 145,000 college students see their financial aid gutted
- Veteran’s programs so decimated, its difficult to justify maintaining the agency

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 12:58 pm
And let me add:

He needs to remind folks that he’s proposing CUTTING some $3-$4 BILLION in non-essential state spending.

And he’s willing to do his best to eliminate more non-essential spending, if Republicans would ever produce that phantom list of “cuts” they are demanding.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:02 pm
Lucy -

YOU are not the problem. Its your neighbors, who think the only people who benefit from state services live on the south side of Chicago.

Could you talk to them over the weekend?

YDD

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:04 pm
Lang is correct to advise Quinn to stop preaching to the choir, but preaching to the “troublemakers” in the last pews may be futile also. Those who are set against a tax hike in any case will not be convinced. Those who will not vote for a hike because they will likely commit political suicide will not be persuaded. I am assuming - perhaps to much - that Quinn has/will spend his time convincing those who CAN be convinced, those on the fence or bribable (is that a word? I know its a fact). He doesn’t need 90% to vote for a hike. He needs “X%” to get it done, and zero in on and direct all effors in those districts.

Comment by You Go Boy Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:15 pm
Representative Lang needs to take his own advice and be part of the solution. As do all legislators.

Comment by ahoy Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:16 pm
Us poor ignorant Southern Illinoisans sure appreciate finding out the consequences of reduced child care from some brilliant Northern legislator-by the way,the county he visited down here was Jackson County-THE most liberal in Southern Illinois

Comment by bugs Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:20 pm
Problem is Quinn said he would fumagate his new office and didn’t. Now he says he will gut all services. No one believes him. Drug addicts released from prison no job oportunies and closing treatment centers is not a recipe for success. Lou should have told him to follow thru on commitments to ethics reform, get rid of blagos hacks, get rid of free bus rides and blago gimmicks. Then Show dan hynes memo on IOC web site that il is more than 90 business days behind in payments. The budget crisis is real. Ask schnorf to speak at rallies to give credability.

Comment by Armageddon anyone? Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:26 pm
I would agree with Lang. By getting large support for the tax hikes in areas with no votes, Quinn would be helping to provide cover for those elected officials and would be gathering the electorate to show the no voters who will be standing up at the ballot against them.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:27 pm
Heartless Libertarian you say
“People survived long before these services, and they will do what they need to do in the face of budget cuts.”
It used to be people with disabilites were stuffed into state run institutions were they died young, never saw thier families, were abused and were left to rot. Fortunately the programs that are now in place (the ones being cut) helped keep families together and prevented the warehousing of people. And what may I ask should the single mom who has a 24 year old with autism that she was able to take to a day program so she could work do now? Send him off to the institution? Oh, that’s right they are closing several of them. Ask a neighbor to help out? Unrealistic. Leave him to his own devices? No can do.
How about the child of mine that would have died if he had been born 30 years ago? Technology and medicine have changed. Society’s view of people with disabilities have changed. These are the programs that keep our families together and no matter what, with these programs it is still cheaper to give the help to families than it is to place these individual in 24 hour settings which is where they would have to live.
What Quinn needs is myself and the other mom to drag our kids with (and a few others too) and let them hang out in these legislators offices for a few hours. Maybe then they will “get it”.

Comment by afamily Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:35 pm
While I am a downstater and do not think Rep. Lang worded his comment the best, he is right on target. There is no reason for Gov Quinn to be preaching to the choir. He has been wasting time this week meeting with groups that already are backing his tax increase instead of meeting with those who do not. Don’t try to tell me that he has done all he can - he had the option of calling the GA back this week and he chose to stump all over the state instead. So much of this is postering trying to get those affected (and yes, I am one) to inundate those that voted against the income tax increase, but does Gov Quinn realize that due to this scare tactic that some agencies are already laying people off, already advising people they need to find alternate housing, already cutting services to those in need?

One interesting side note: After many contacts with representatives who voted against or present on the income tax increase have stated they did so because Gov Quinn will not advise what will still be cut once the tax increase is put into place since there will still be a deficit. Anyone else been getting this information?

Comment by Tired_of_Postering Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:46 pm
Also, to those who want to bring back the “good old days” when people didn’t rely on big gubmint to care for the sick, elderly, and handicapped:

1. We don’t have county poor farms anymore.

2. Catholic hospitals, schools, and orphanages are no longer run by nuns living under vows of poverty who don’t need salaries or health insurance.

3. Organizations like the Y and Salvation Army cannot operate completely on volunteer labor anymore either.

4.There aren’t that many stay-at-home wives and moms available to cook meals or do sewing on short notice for the Ladies’ Aid Society, or for their neighbors.

5. Everything I said the other day about how it isn’t possible for everyone to get well paying jobs in their home communities these days, and live near family all their lives.

6. Elderly people live a lot longer than they used to, as do children with severe disabilities. Many of the children who get these allegedly intolerably expensive services would never have survived birth 50 or 60 years ago.

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:53 pm
The answer is yes, but we’re beyond the point where talking about the problem is going to accomplish anything. As long as the legislature is in session, people figure the magic bullet solution is right around the corner, and nobody worries. Drastic times call for drastic measures; when the layoff notices go out and facilities are closed and teachers laid off, legislators would take a heckuva lot more heat if they were at home amongst the people. Quinn must deliver up doomsday; it’s the only way.

Comment by The Unlicensed Hand Surgeon Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:54 pm
No, I think Quinn has everyone RIGHT where he WANTS THEM!!!……His current way of doing things are working so well.

Now for the real answer, Sure he should listen, otherwise nothing will get accomplished and the state will shut down.

Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 1:58 pm
Lang is right and Quinn is so, so late to the game. According to Crain’s, Quinn gave a speech to the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce yesterday and didn’t mention his tax proposal. Bizarre.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:01 pm
I am beginning to realize that the Pat Quinn administration are by and large rookies who fail to understand the big picture. In addition, I am beginning to realize that the Gov’s office is made up of primarily short termers who no ability to garner legislative support for their proposals.

Yes, Quinn should be lobbying the members who can vote on his tax increase…but he carries no weight. I recall previous governors lobbying members to pick up votes…it seemed to matter to the members. I recall previous governors waking the house floor to pick the needed votes to pass a bill. But Quinn has no real ability to do that. He appears to be a lightweight who is simply passing them until the next governor. I wish that were not the case. Sad

Comment by Larry Mullholland Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:01 pm
“I am kind of insulted by Lou Lang’s comments. What he is a basically saying is that downstaters are ignorant and can’t survive without these government services. People survived long before these services, and they will do what they need to do in the face of budget cuts.” We would survice better than many of those “city slickers”! I echo that waste should be cut, however, that would not nearly recover enough to me the shortfall. A tax increase is inevitable. Cuts should start first with the GA and ALL their perks- memeber initiatives, scholarships, excess per diem, overtime, etc.

Comment by whitecollarjob/bluecollarmind Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:12 pm
Secret Square,

That was a nice way to describe the changes our society has gone thru in the last several generations. Others may have said that it is just a liberal society coming to depend on gov’t largesse more and more.

I do believe that there are those who believe that the gov’t should take on more of those roles - I don’t. Donations to non-profits are greater in this country than others and that goes a long way to filling the gaps.

Having said that we should all recognize the complex role the state has in providing services to the vulnerable people in our society. By that I mean the eldery, disabled and abused (not the clueless) - leaving some room for persons displaced by circumstances beyond their control who would benefit from temporary assistance.

That is a tall order, however. If it is agreed that the state should be involved in that there is a cost. It should involve only those is significant need rahter than a convenient consituency. It also requires a person who can communicate this complex picture those skeptical people and their elected representatives. Quinn must go to the no vote regions and get their attention. Wasn’t it Reagan who bypassed congress and appealed directly to the public to succeed with some of his agenda? Friday afternoon press conferences just won’t do it. I am not following his travels closely enough to know if he is taking his plea into hostile territory but he oughta!

Comment by dupage dan Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:19 pm
Lang is wrong.

“What the governor has been doing lately is preaching to the choir.”

That is crazy talk! The Democrats are not united on this issue, so there is no choir, Lou!

Not only does Lang fail to understand the impact this issue has on his fellow Democrats, (since he is assuming that they are already in some kind of choir), he fails to understand the impact this issue has with people who are either conservative or live “downstate”. Mr. Lang’s suggestion exposes Mr. Lang’s inability to recognize the political danger facing his own Party.

I don’t know how long Lang has been around, but he is out of touch. I guess that is what having a gerrymandered district does to public officials. They serve so long they lose their minds and lose touch with reality.

Lou needs to ask his the guys and gals that share that little (D) next to their last names why they are not in the Governor’s choir.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:27 pm
Whoever the Governor is preaching to, he’s going to have to hurry. Crain’s reports this afternoon that the Governor wants the General Assembly to vote on the income tax increase next Wednesday.

Comment by GA Watcher Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:45 pm
Actually, it’s an AP story. The special starts Tuesday, so nobody ever figured they’d do a tax hike that day.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:47 pm
Hey Lou - how about you come on down to DuPage County?? Quinn could use some help! Oh, but of course you could help close to home - since so many of your fellow pals up north failed to do what is right - Garrett, May, Coulson - ya, how about your working on Coulson and getting the first R on this tax increase - help out the Gov here fellow Dem!

Comment by collar observer Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 2:47 pm
Quinn is concerned with convincing the GOP his tax hike is neccasary he is concerned with convincing the DEM base he tried. He has a primary coming up so he needs to talk to his base not the base of those voting no.

Comment by Fed Up Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:06 pm
Actually, DuPage Dan, I WOULD rather see families, non-profits, etc. taking up more of the slack when it comes to helping those in need. But, that is going to have to be a LONG-term goal for those who believe in smaller government, not something that will be accomplished overnight by simply saying no to the tax hike. What worked 50 years ago isn’t necessarily going to work today.

I believe that tax hikes, like war, should be a last resort to be used only when all other measures (including, of course, budget cuts) have been exhausted or are clearly not going to be sufficient. Like war, all means should be taken to avoid tax hikes. There also must be a consideration of proportionality — does the benefit to those who use public programs, facilities, etc. funded by a tax hike outweigh the burden placed on the taxpayers?

However, to blindly insist that ALL tax hikes, no matter how small or short-term, are inherently evil, drive away business, promote waste, etc., and are never justified is, in my opinion, foolish and dangerous and ignores reality.

Comment by Secret Square Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:15 pm
Somebody brought up Reagan, this brings to mind when Reagan’s policies took many people with mental health problems out of institutions they had been in, causing the homeless problems that we still see today. What’s going to happen without the income tax increase? Same type of problems that we’ll have to throw more money at to resolve in the future. And, granted, people in downstate more rural areas don’t see people in the streets but they need to get the message. And not everyone realizes how others receiving benefits affect service industries and businesses they rely on too. So yes, I think the Governor needs to hit these areas as well. He should have hit it hard a few weeks ago, instead of just relying on rallies, or a link on the Illinois website with the votes. Not enough, this should have been a bigger campaign coulda woulda, we’ll see what happens.

Comment by anonymous Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:16 pm
===What worked 50 years ago isn’t necessarily going to work today.===

I think the top federal income tax rate 50 years ago was about 90 percent.

Just sayin…

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:17 pm
Lang would be right if almost all democrats were on board. They’re not. Lang is in leadership and should be working those who would normally be in his “choir” instead of insulting their constituents. Quinn should be focused on trying to convince the voters in this state why this is necessary.

Lang will come to regret the comments about downstate if and when he finally decides to make the jump for a statewide office.

Comment by Bluefish Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:18 pm
I hope our Pat isn’t planning to go on vacation and dream of a smooth run to re-election if his tax hike actually happens next week. If he’s telling the truth (it’s not always clear) he is still going to have to make some cuts and, as we know, decisions are, well, hard for him. Also he should take a look at California, which passed a monster tax hike earlier this year and almost immediately had to start dealing with another huge deficit. Neogtiations are ongoing.

And of course middle class folks here in Illinois
who haven’t been paying much attention–that’s most of them…may be unpleasantly surprised when
more money starts evaporating from their paychecks. They’ll think of our Pat when that happens.

Of course, if he suddenly finds the money so he doesn’t have to make any cuts, that could come back to haunt him too. Misery loves company. If we have to watch a plump state government cavorting merrily about on fisfuls of extra cash, that could lead to some pot-banging too, plus a lot less malleable electorate when and if he has to come back for Tax Increase II, III and IV…..

Maybe the Republicans are secretly hoping he and our ever-greedy Dem pols get what they are asking for. Our pocketbooks are unlikely to be in much better shape in November and we’ll be looking for somebody to share the pain.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 3:43 pm
The legislators who would not vote for a state income tax increase are divided into two camps: the Republican “Tin Man” searching for a heart, and the Democratic “Cowardly Lion” searching for political courage.

Together, in the Land of Oz, they share the fairytale – that not raising the state income tax and pandering to the cut-waste-reform-first mantra — will ensure long political careers. Nothing is farther from the truth.

They had no trouble increasing millions in revenues on user fees, and sales taxes—dollar and dime the taxpayers to death, while avoiding tougher challenges to overhaul the property tax and income tax system.

Illinois was in a fiscal mess years ago, under the last 3 administrations. Those budgets were “balanced” by under funding pensions and creative accounting even when the economic times were better — when real estate values were exploding and Illinois was raking in property tax dollars.

California and Illinois tops all states with the highest budget deficits.

California has 36.7 million residents and a $16 billion deficit. Every man woman and child in that state would have to pay $435 to cover their budgetary black hole. But in Illinois , with 12.9 million residents and a $11 billion deficit every resident would have to pay $852 to dig themselves out of our deficit pit created by the state’s CEO’s— the legislators.

Both parties spent our money like drunken sailors, and part of the problem was the pay to play and no regulations on state contracts with the private sector, which was only addressed in this legislative session!

Thank God we have a fiscal conservative and reform minded Governor with courage to say yes to a modest 1.5% tax increase and reforms to the public pension system that’s drowning generations in debt.

Comment by Andrea Raia Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:14 pm
Lang is absolutely right. It’s easy to talk to those who already showed their support. From where I sit, there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done in the opposition. Quinn also needs to communicate what reform efforts he is willing to support and how.

Comment by Erickson Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:23 pm
Rep. Lang is absolutely right. What the Governor is doing now is not only useless, but is actually counterproductive. The manner in which he is going about the state makes it look as though he is rallying a collection of interest groups, as opposed to seeking to ensure state services for a broad cross-section of Illinois residents.

For those of us who, like Rep. Lang, feel the Governor is on the right side of the big issues facing Illinois, it is unbelievably frustrating to see him being so inept in making the case.

Comment by jake Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:32 pm
What pension reforms? Didn’t he already back off on
that issue.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:35 pm
Quinn was here in Champaign drumming up support for his tax increase. Our local senator and representative, I believe, already voted to support the hike, so I don’t know where that leaves us on Lang’s list of ignorant downstaters.

Comment by ChampaignDweller Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:45 pm
Lou, I understand what you’re saying, but you need to rephrase some of your comments as they relate to southern Illinois; you come across a tad superior. You have a pretty good reputation down there, from having campaigned there for governor, so please don’t ruin it. You’ll need southern Illinois should you ever decide (again) to run for statewide public office.

Comment by CountryLife Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 4:58 pm
In order for Quinn to make the case for his huge tax increase package to anyone with more than third grade literacy, he’s going to have to show that:

1) He has a plan to re-invigorate private sector job growth in Illinois and do what’s necessary to make Illinois far more attractive to business expansion when rebuilding after the Obama depression starts.

2) That he’s sold the public sector unions, including the teacher unions, that the new revenue will go to keeping essential services and he will not allow it to be sucked up in raises and ridiculously generous pension benefits. If schools and state employees don’t believe this situation is serious enough to freeze pay and benefits like most of our private sector employers are forced to do, Quinn can’t convince taxpayers that the “crisis” is serious enough to take food off of our families’ tables with this tax increase.

3) Quinn has to show us that he’s committed to meeting the highest standards of state service delivery efficiency, and has a plan to get there. At this point, he’s shown no interest in setting that even as a goal. That’s why few make taking family funds from our kids to give more money to his campaign contributors a “goal”.

4) He’s shown no interest in freezing state spending until the pension issue is resolved and the budget balanced. This doesn’t mean that some areas can’t have increased funding. It just means that a dollar must be cut for each dollar added.

5) If the GA did their job, this “crisis” should only be temporary until the GA and guv can get their act together and get spending under control. The problem is that he’s exploiting this temporary revenue shortfall into a permanent ripoff of families. If he wants credibility for making this tax increase “temporary”, he should set it up to end unless 3/4s of the GA vote to continue it after two years.

In short, he’s shown no interest in reforming Illinois’ out of control spending, no interest in minimizing overly generous pensions, no interest in minimizing property taxes by limiting teacher, County and Municipal increases in salaries and benefits to available revenues, and no interest in reforming things like the Pevailing wage act so that Illinois taxpayers pay competitive market rates for billions in state construction every year.

The people don’t support Quinn’s Tax Plan because he’s only supporting his narrow campaign base, not the productive people in Illinois that pay the state’s bills.

He’s got to prove he’s on our side before we let him put his hands in our families’ pockets. He hasn’t even taken the first step on that journey.

Comment by PalosParkBob Friday, Jun 19, 09 @ 10:47 pm