Written by John Biver
Pat Hughes from “Upstream Ideas” recently recorded a scathing short video slamming state Senate Republican Minority Leader Christine Radogno for her participation in the crafting of a budget “compromise” which includes a tax increase on Illinois families. That video can be seen here: ‘Republican’ Minority Leader Radogno Looking Out For Herself Not You.
It should be noted that Sen. Radogno has been the senate GOP leader since 2009, and was recently reelected to that position by her fellow Republicans.… Continue Reading
Tags: Bruce Rauner, Chris Kennedy, Christine Radogno, Dan Proft, Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois Republicans, Jeanne Ives, John Tillman, k-12 education, Michael Lucci, Pat Hughes, Steve Rauschenberger, Upstream Ideas
Illinois Politics | David E. Smith | 
February 11, 2017 11:00 AM | 
Comments Off on Will Illinois Republican Politicians Lead or Raise Taxes?
Written by Pat Hughes
It’s bad enough that, after decades of Mike Madigan’s leadership, the state can’t pay its bills. But now, his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, wants to take away the ability of state workers to pay their own bills.
Throughout the bitter dispute over the state budget, Madigan-Nemesis Governor Bruce Rauner has worked to keep the state government running so that core services are not completely shut down. The Governor has made clear that paying state workers for work that they do, while working to pass a balanced budget, is a top priority.… Continue Reading
Written by the Chicago City Wire
Several Illinois legislators have responded to the House’s latest capitulation to longtime Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), decrying the body’s utter lack of independence or apparent motivation to value representation of home jurisdictions over the speaker’s sway.
Following the state House’s vote, Madigan’s standard menu of mandates was approved yet again as he keeps a three-fifths majority in the House. The results incited strong reactions among officials and members of both political parties.
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Written by the Chicago City Wire
The Illinois Policy Institute is proposing a budget conservative group leaders contend would put an end to the state’s nearly two-year impasse, closing a $7.1 billion deficit without adding any new taxes.
The Budget Solutions 2018 plan calls for comprehensive property tax reform — which Illinois Policy Institute execs insist amounts to $3.4 billion in savings — by taking simple steps like freezing property taxes over the next five years and putting an end to state subsidies and mandates that, the group argues, needlessly drive up the cost of government.
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Written by Michael Lucci
Illinois lost 16,700 payroll jobs in December 2016, according to a Jan. 20 report from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or IDES.
In addition, the state’s November jobs count was revised down from a gain of 1,700 jobs to a loss of 4,500 jobs. Illinois’ unemployment rate went up to 5.7 percent in December, even though Illinoisans continued to drop out of the workforce.
The budget plan coming out of the Illinois Senate couldn’t come at a worse time, as it depends on tax hikes that would only hinder job creation.
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Written by State Representative Jeanne Ives
No one should be surprised that group think instead of rational choices surround the 13 interconnected bills of the “Grand Bargain.” It is wholly predictable given the longevity of the Illinois Senate leaders involved. They’ve been working together for nearly 2 decades. They put in place many of the policies that are now taking a toll on our state.
They are the beneficiaries of generous pensions when they retire, excessive pay for their part-time jobs, and the public attention and stature of the positions they hold. … Continue Reading
From the Chicago City Wire
The president of a company that moved from Illinois to Indiana said recently on a Chicago radio talk show that he looks back on Illinois and hopes one day the state will get its act together.
“It’s kind of a double-edge sword,” Hoist Lifttruck President Vincent Flaska said during a recent edition of “Illinois Rising.” “I still live in Illinois, and I want to see Illinois succeed. But the problem that they have is that they need to get rid of how their tax credits function.
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Written by Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Illinois Senate members have a drafted a new budget plan that relies on multibillion-dollar tax hikes, but little in structural spending reforms.
The plan punishes taxpayers with more than $5 billion in additional income and other taxes, borrows $7 billion from the bond market and adds casinos in Chicago – none of which provide relief to struggling Illinoisans. The plan also leaves pensions unreformed, does little to workers’ compensation costs and burdens job creators with a higher minimum wage cost.
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Written by Michael Bargo, Jr.
The 1964 Voting Rights Act and revisions addressed the right of the individual citizen in the U.S. to vote without obstruction or discrimination. The concept of one person one vote has been repeatedly upheld. While Illinois became infamous for having the dead vote and allowing multiple votes by one person, its legislature has adopted rules that seriously infringe upon the rights of all voters.
This more subtle, abstract, and far more dangerous practice implements a new method of vote theft: administratively denying voters any input into legislation; thereby violating the concept that government can only legislate with the “consent of the governed.”
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Written by Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
One of the most foolish things politicians can do to an economy suffering from a weak recovery and a shrinking tax base is to pass tax hikes. Hitting residents and businesses when they’re struggling risks sending a faltering economy into a tailspin.
And for an economy edging toward recession, tax hikes are even worse.
Unfortunately, a multibillion-dollar tax hike is exactly what Illinois politicians are proposing for a state economy that’s been remarkably weak and is now showing signs of recession-like shrinkage.… Continue Reading
