57 Comments - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 9:52 am: how about my old favorite: slot machines beyond the passenger gates at Midway and O’Hare? - M - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 9:55 am: Interesting headline for this story considering the AG has no say in what laws are made. Last time I checked that was the State Legislature and the Gov. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 9:59 am: According to the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, increasing the individual income tax to 5% and the corporate income tax to 8% would only net $5.9 Billion. And that’s before any increase in the standard deduction is thrown in. I don’t know where Quinn and the other budget gurus are coming up with $7 Billion. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:00 am: WHERE’S STEVE SCHNORF WHEN YOU NEED HIM??? - Balance - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:01 am: With no tax increase, I guess at minimum LMadigan will be supporting Blago’s pared down constitutional officer budgets. I wonder if Rich will start asking her where she gets the billions in expenditure cuts? - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:01 am: Let’s see: – Quinn doesn’t want a gas tax hike. – Lisa M. doesn’t like an income tax hike. – Quinn says two of the biggest areas of the budget, health insurance and education, shouldn’t be cut. – Meeks doesn’t want an income tax hike unless there’s property tax relief, which presumably would mean more state aid for K-12, eating up the income tax hike. I can see the outline of the Dem plan coming together. Take the first $12 billion in GRF for the next fiscal year, fly to Vegas and place it all on black at the roulette wheel. Bold, and you’ve got a 50-50 chance of success. More realistic and better odds than Brady’s all-cuts solution. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:01 am: Dog, on the Board of CTBA - Cassandra - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:02 am: I find Madigan’s comments rather puzzling. On the one hand, I am grateful that she, unlike most of the greedy Dems who now run both Chicago and the state, is at least paying lip service to the idea that an income tax increase really would be a burden on a lot of folks in this economy. And let’s not forget…earned income credit or not, this is a middle class tax increase. Of course, Democratic leaders are well buffered from today’s economy–most are sure of their continuing jobs in their gerrymandered districts and hey, if things get tight, they can vote themselves another pay increase. Republicans have nothing of value to say on the issue because they are now irrelevant. That leaves nobody to speak for ordinary folks. As to claims that Madigan is just playing politics in prep for next year’s primaries..is she really that cynical. I hadn’t thought so although I am by no means a supporter. Will she go into the primary excoriating Quinn for doing what the Dems may well have designated him to do….fall on the income tax increase sword. I had thought her better than that. Meanwhile Quinn is sounding increasingly clueless. He is going to pay all the back bills, no cuts in education or health care, and yet he is going to cut back? Where? But, to be fair, I guess we need to see these two Dem frontrunner’s plans for the Illinois state budget. - Deep South - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:05 am: I would expect any pay hike I get through a cut in federal taxes will be taken by the state. Breaking even don’t sound too bad. - Chicago Dem - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:07 am: Someone should ask Lisa what plan she favors to balance the budget. - jerry 101 - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:09 am: Do Republican leaders realize that most casino operators are on Moody’s list of the most troubled (and likely to fail) companies in the country? Not as many people gambling - no money. Nobody’s gambling now, so why would a casino operator that is at high risk for default and bankruptcy go and borrow hundreds of millions to build another casino? And if Christine Radogno wants another Casino, she should build it in her neighborhood, not mine. That said, maybe they should legalize video poker in LaSalle County, then at least they could generate some tax revenues instead of harrassing bartenders. And, on the Olympics, not a single taxpayer dollar should be spent or guaranteed or whatever. No F’ing way. The Olympics are nothing but an economy ravaging machine of doom. They suck up so much in tens of billions in taxpayer dollars and lose billions. A $250 million state “guarantee”? Kiss that goodbye. Along with every other cent of guarantee. Even if Daley and his cronies could competently run an Olympics and the building projects, even if the process was run without a cent of graft or corruption, if everything was above board, we’d still lose billions of dollars. No way, no how. Chicago should withdraw. Once someone NOT named Daley is mayor, then it may be worth pushing an Olympic bid. - Angry Chicagoan - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:10 am: Well, Lisa Madigan just disqualified herself from office with that remark, at least in my eyes. We have a revenue system in Illinois that brutalizes the poor and molests the middle class while giving the wealthy the best tax haven this side of Tennessee or Monaco. And the only way of moving even towards a truly flat system of state revenue — flat, that is, when all taxes are added up — is to make the income tax more progressive, which under our state constitution means raising the one rate we’re allowed and drastically increasing the personal exemption. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:10 am: Wordslinger-nice, quick analysis. Everybody is running from the pain, but as Joe Louis told us, “you can run, but…” This gets more complicated, though. All the income tax money that might be raised is already spent, so you can’t offer legislators things they want (more school funding, more mental health/DD funding, increased subsidies for child care, property tax relief, etc etc) in return for their support. So, the capital plan needs to go last because it has to be the Christmas tree, and it should be a doozy ( a technical budget term used to describe something of massive proportion). - Easy - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:13 am: The whole good cop/bad cop game the Madigan’s are playing is getting old quick. Mike supports a gas tax hike, income tax hike, etc while Lisa opposes them. If they can’t get on the same page while sitting around the same sunday dinner table, why on earth would we want them running the state. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:13 am: THIS letter from then-Lt. Governor Pat Quinn might give us some idea of where he’s headed with income tax relief for low- and working class income families. From Feb, 2008: “It’s time for Illinois to reform its ’soak the middle class’ income tax code. So when Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich unveils his budget proposal this Wednesday, I’m urging him to adopt my Illinois Tax Reform and Relief Initiative, which would expand the value of the personal exemption against the Illinois state income tax and improve the value of the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). In 1969, when the Illinois income tax was enacted, the personal exemption – the basic exemption granted to every taxpayer and each dependent – was set at $1,000, or $4,000 for a family of four. If the exemption had been indexed to inflation over the years, it would be worth $5,544 today! Instead, the personal exemption has risen only to $2,000. That failure to keep pace with inflation has inflicted a “stealth tax increase” of $424 on an Illinois family of four. To fix that, our state should improve the value of the personal exemption from $2,000 to at least $3,000 in the coming year. Further improvements should be phased in over the next few years, until the Illinois personal exemption for taxpayers catches up with the cost of living. The Illinois Tax Reform and Relief Initiative also would include a substantial expansion of Illinois EITC. Our state credit is based on the federal EITC, a refundable credit of up to $4,400 granted to working families with incomes of less than $37,263. Although most states offer an EITC of 15% to 30% of the federal amount, Illinois’ EITC is set at only 5% of the federal credit, for a maximum of $220 – the lowest in the nation. The Earned Income Tax Credit is the best pro-job, pro-family, anti-poverty tax relief plan ever devised. By phasing in a more generous EITC of 20% of the federal credit, up to $880, we could bring Illinois up to par with other states and help working parents lift themselves and their children out of poverty. There’s something fundamentally wrong when Illinois state government hands out more tax breaks to those raising thoroughbred horses than to hard-working families raising children.“ (emphasis added) - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:16 am: It seems our federal leaders, as well as state leaders, are trying to accomplish everything at once these days, without having a really good way to pay for it. But at least the feds can print money. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:18 am: Schnorf - Help us out here: was Quinn right in 2008, and if so, is it still relevant today? And since you’re on the board of CTBA, do you think you could get Ralph to stop using the phrase “tax burden” in press conferences? NOT helpful. Folks who’ve benefited so much from society that they find themselves in the upper tax bracket should be GLEEFUL to pay more taxes to keep the system going. In a Hobbesian hunter-gatherer society, most of them would have been eaten for lunch by now. By me and Rich. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:18 am: I support efforts by Quinn and others to make our state tax system less regressive, But I and people like me don’t need another thousand or two in personal exemptions. I already don’t pay state income tax on a big chunk of my income. Find a way to target the relief to those who do need it. - Angry Chicagoan - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:20 am: You know, I read to the end of the post now, and every option presented by our so-called ruling class is unacceptable. Every single one. Gambling? Justified because it’s “voluntary”? Talk about feeding addiction and spitting in the face of quality-of-life. Holding education and health care entirely harmless from spending cuts? Impossible under the circumstances. Holding the income tax hostage for property tax relief and school equalization? Now there’s an idea I can relate to, but it is irresponsible and impractical in this climate with this deficit. I guess this state is choosing bankruptcy. Come to think of it, it has been for about 15 years. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:23 am: Dog, my entire adult life I have wished that I paid at least $10,000,000 a year in income taxes. I think Quinn’s instincts are right on with the EITC. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:28 am: Madigan can make that statement, while Quinn wishes he could. Quinn is already governor and has to make decisions now, while Madigan can wait and react to whatever Quinn and the GA does. Blagojevich would have stated without hesitation that he is opposed to an income tax hike, forcing the GA to either work around him, or finding new budget gimmicks, or better, real cuts in spending. The Illinois Democrats want to raise taxes. They have wanted to raise taxes for years. They have no interest in making any real budget reforms, and are only interested in spending money that is not theirs. They see government as a solution to almost everything, so believe that feeding a bloating government is good for everyone. Big government has become their golden calf to worship, so any sacrifices to it is justified. We will not gain any real budget reform or address our budget disaster until voters tell the Democrats, “NO! - The Doc - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:29 am: It’s relative pocket change, but could Chicago 2016 have chosen a worse possible time to beg for more cash? And let me echo jerry 101’s sentiments - not another dime for the Olympics. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:34 am: I really hope the Rs engage in this process. That check and balance is going to be sorely needed. IF this is all D all the way, its probably going to cost more than it needs to, and it will address spending cuts too superficially. I know it ain’t good politics, but I wish the Rs would say “we can support some of this, and here’s our bottom-line demands in return”. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:50 am: ===Take the first $12 billion in GRF for the next fiscal year, fly to Vegas and place it all on black at the roulette wheel. Bold, and you’ve got a 50-50 chance of success.=== Not exactly Word. With our luck, the roulette wheel would come up 0 or 00, depending on the table. I’d put it all on the pass line at the craps table. Better odds that way. - the Patriot - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:51 am: It must be nice to take pop shots at your opponent knowing your dad will never let him succeed. The problem with Madigan’s position is he/she will not allow Quinn to ax the politicos Blago placed on the payroll to cut back, and won’t let him cut projects. We cannot pay our bills and if you are not going to cut back or raise taxes you are going to bankrupt the state. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:57 am: Frankly, the reason we are in this mess is because the Democrats dug their own graves and now refuse to stop digging. If we had two viable political parties, there would have been other ideas presented to have prevented this mess. If the Republicans were alive, they would use this opportunity to force needed changes in our state governments. The Democrats have no other solutions to their own funerals except extorting more money from Illinoians to keep the doors to this crappy government open. The Democrats don’t care if they kill the golden geese, (the ones still residing in Illinois, that is), because they believe they can always find golden geese stupid enough to move here. If you earn over $100,000 - expect this governor to calling you “@#$% golden”, so that the Democrats can start stealing your nest eggs. - Cassandra - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:59 am: At least for now, remember to factor in the federal tax credits in determining how taxpayers will be affected by a state income tax increase. If tax credits already granted by the feds are reduced by income tax increases for taxpayers, the impact on families will, obviously be less positive, at least at a time when supposedly, increasing consumer purchasing power is critical. And if it isn’t critical, why did we just borrow those hundreds of billions from the Chinese? Or maybe Illinois is just, well, different. - Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:00 am: So what is Lisa’s plan to fix the budget? Oh wait, she is too busy serving the interest of the people as AG and has no time to solve this crisis, but rest assured, if she were Governor-she would wave her wand and all our troubles would go away. What a crock of political BS. I was wondering if the Madigan’s would have the audacity to go two track and it is looking like they might. - Amy - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:19 am: lisa, lisa, we thought you were a better lawyer than this. with your comment you have opened the door for people to ask you for an explanation of your statement. and for people to ask you what you would do instead of raise the tax. after all, you have a budget funded by the public. what would you cut and/or what would you tax in the entire budget if you were governor? after all, you opened the door, now have the guts to walk through it. - Secret Square - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:21 am: Angry Chicagoan: if Illinois really does provide the “best tax haven this side of Tennessee or Monaco” to the wealthy, how come more of them aren’t flocking here to open up new businesses? For that matter, do Tennessee, Texas, Florida or Monaco (or other states/countries that have no income tax) have full employment, or at least lower unemployment? I thought that was the point of keeping tax rates for corporations and the wealthy down — so that they will be more willing to come to your state and create jobs. Has that strategy really worked, here or elsewhere? If it hasn’t, maybe it ought to be reconsidered. - downsized - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:41 am: Chicago Public Radio:Governor Pat Quinn’s spokesman says the governor supports that request. Quinn met with Mayor Richard Daley in early February and pledged to help the Olympic bid. If CPR is correct Quinn needs to go Of course he will change his story by this afternoon - Angry Republican - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:57 am: Thanks Vanilla Man. “If the Republicans were alive…”. The IL GOP are more inept than the Washington Generals; I hope the D’s are successful in their quest for a massive tax hike. I’ll finally have enough reasons to leave this state. - GA Watcher - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 11:59 am: Those of us who were around when the State voted to allow riverboat gambling near the end of the Thompson era may recall that very few Republicans supported it. Those that did included Governor Thompson and downstate legislators whose districts were prime locations for one of the boats. I find it fascinating that a party which was morally opposed to gambling expansion back then has embraced it as the way to fund a capital program. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 12:09 pm: Schnorf - Politically, here’s where I think you run into problems. 1. With an increase in the personal exemption, there’s a greater sense of “fairness” because everyone gets it. In the same way people love Medicare but deride Medicaid. 2. The personal exemption is easier to understand. 3. People see the benefits of the personal exemption AS they are paying their taxes, not after. Its a spoonful of sugar. Unless I’m mistaken, we’ve fixed #3 insofar as people are automatically enrolled for the EITC when they pay their taxes, instead of having to apply for it. But there’s no way around #1 and #2. - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 12:24 pm: I find it fascinating that a party which was morally opposed to gambling expansion back then has embraced it as the way to fund a capital program. That’s because most all the names and faces are changed from a generation ago, times are tough, “everyone” wants a capital plan, and “nobody” wants to wear the “raising taxes” collar, R or D. - Concerned Observer - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 12:25 pm: I just want to interject that I love the fact that Schnorf calls YDD “Dog”. Makes him sound like Randy Jackson. YDD, I think you’re also “pitchy” - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 12:25 pm: I also find it fascinating that Theodore G. Bilbo would not be welcome in the Democratic Party of 2009. - Ghost - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:01 pm: Statistically “volunary” taxes on vice or sin (smoking, drinking, gambling) way disproportinetly impact lower income. Increasing gambling is really just a way totry and siphon money to pay the state budget from those who are most desperate. instead of more sin taxes and building budgest on the back of the lower income populace we should consider higher taxes for families/individuals who earn over 250k a year; increase taxes on luxury purchases, such as vehicles priced over 35k; Luxury tax on boats over 20k; Sales tax on service providers; luxury tax on club memberships over 1k a year, TV’s that cost more then 3k etc. - Capitol View - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:11 pm: My religious congregation raises its dues every year by 2 or 3%. This is far better than waiting seven or ten years, and raising it 20 or 25% at once. This is exactly the same situation as state government finds itself in — too little raising or expanding sales taxes on services, and no adjustment of income taxes over the past seven or more years. Little raising of fees, too, because everyone knew that the governor / legislature was diverting all special funds to the GRF. Here’s a radical thought: pass the Meeks bill raising the individual and corporate income taxes and broadening the sales tax onto more services, and also this spring legislatively put the Graduated tax onto the ballot as a constitutional amendment. Use the income from the expanded tax sources over the next two years to pay off old bills, and shore up the pension fund. In two years, after the voters have accepted or rejected the graduated rather than flat income tax amendment, then: if the graduated tax is approved, set the tax rates based on what is needed for essential state services (with the debt backlog already resolved), or, if the graduated tax structure is rejected, keep the rate at that same level (no second vote on taxes for the legislature) and start funding education and health care and human service along with state operations at a functional level. Regarding community based human services, admittedly close to my heart, address this issue in three steps: (1) pay the outstanding bills, (2)set the rate at a functional level - probably needing roughly an additional $2.5 billion a year in spending, and (3) establish a mandated COLA to keep the functional rate current in future years. But no COLA until the rate is functionally set. What difference does it make if providers are given 60% of costs, for next year 62%? They still will continue to close their doors, as one out of eight may close down over the next 18 months as stated in the Senate hearing on the Comptroller’s bills seeking fair and timely processing of health and human services reimbursements. - George - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:15 pm: Doing a flat rate tax with a high exemption is actually more progressive than a “progressive” tax. Here is where I think Quinn can get his cake and eat it too: - Have the income tax increase start July 1, 2009. - Have all your great new promises start phasing in July 1, 2010 (property tax relief, education funding, etc.) That gives you your $7 billion in FY10. And then commits the tax increases to specific spending ideas once the economy perks up and the current budget deficit is gone. You pay your property taxes after the fact anyway, and those bills won’t be do for a while. It also prevents the bait and switch game the Madigans are trying to play - raise taxes now under Quinn, and be against them so you can get elected Governor, and then enjoy a 5% income tax-funded Illinois with no commitments on where that new money is going. Evil game, that it. - Amuzing Myself - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:35 pm: This State Spends Too Much! Until REAL cuts happen, this problem is going to fester, regardless what the national economy does. When you raise taxes on those that run and expand businesses, hiring people and creating jobs, you HURT more than you help. They cut back. They don’t expand. They offer fewer benefits. Or, they go out of business. If this state chooses to raise taxes to “fix” our problems, we will be in this mess for a long, long time. In the projections, they won’t take into account less growth for a longer period of time, little incentive for businesses to come back to Illinois or come here in the first place, and they won’t project their own out-of-control spending. It would be nothing new. In fact, it would be business as usual at the Statehouse. The problem this state faces is not complicated. Painful? Yes. Complicated? No. This state has been on a spending spree for the last ten years, and no governor or majority party that realistically could has stood up to stop it. Period. In real life, an individual would have filed for bankruptcy long ago. The state can’t. For TEN YEARS, no one in a position of real leadership (someone that could make things happen) has stepped up. Republicans have an opportunity they have not had in a long time, but the only way they win is fighting tax increases tooth and nail. Low taxes is the broad foundation of the Republican Party. If they give on that, the party truly is dead in Illinois. These cuts need to happen so when the economy someday recovers, we’re not left on the outside looking in. If we just throw more money at the problem, the problem is not really going to be solved. Cuts are going to be extremely painful politically. You HAVE to cut education. You HAVE to restructure pensions. You have to fix Medicare/Medicaid. Rich has done a pretty good jo - Amuzing Myself - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:40 pm: Not sure why the double-post. Sorry, Rich. - George - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:49 pm: “Amuzing Myself” is right. That State can easily cut its way out of this mess if it just tackled Medicare. - George - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 1:51 pm: :) - Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 2:09 pm: Um, huh? Medicare? - Swings - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 3:03 pm: The blade of being a sitting Governor swings both ways. Great headlines: saving prisons, Seniors ride free, soon capital money to spend, ect.. Tough decissions: Balance a 9 billion deficit, raise income taxes (even with exemption your still gonna pay more), raise gas taxes. Careful what you ask for in life cause ya just might get it. - Anonymous45 - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 3:42 pm: Note to Lisa Madigan: Just an FYI but your political ambitions are showing… - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 4:07 pm: === This State Spends Too Much! === Time for a Reality Check. According to the Tax Foundation — founders of ‘Tax Freedom Day - Illinois ranks 39th in per capita state spending, at only $4628 per person. Number One on the list? Alaska, at $13,508 per person. U.S. Average: $5446. And our neighbors? Missouri - $4322 - 46th Indiana - $4556 - 40th Iowa - $5188 - 30th Michigan - $5427 - 27th Wisconsin - $5530 - 25th Kentucky - $5608 - 23rd So, we’re below-average in state spending for the U.S. and the Midwest. BTW, the bottom of the barrel is Texas, at $3831. Here’s what else the Tax Foundation has to say about Illinois: Illinois’ State/Local Tax Burden Below National Average Estimated at 9.3% of income, Illinois’ state/local tax burden ranks 30th highest nationally, below the national average of 9.7%. Illinois taxpayers pay $4,346 per capita in state and local taxes. Illinois’ Individual Income Tax System Illinois’ personal income tax system consists of a flat 3% rate on federal adjusted gross income. That rate is the lowest among states that levy individual income taxes. Illinois’ 2005 individual income tax collections were $622 per person, which ranked 35th highest nationally. - Bosco Mom - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 4:31 pm: Yellow Dog, So are you saying that because we are ranked 39th in per capita state spending that you would be for tax increases? Or are you saying that the state needs to spend more per person? - Just a Citizen - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 4:49 pm: What always gets to me is the crying for tax hikes in times of economic crisis, but when the economy picks up again, I don’t see anyone campaigning to eliminate those tax hikes. Any tax hikes that are imposed must have a sunset clause that eliminates them when the economy improves or within a certan amount of time. Otherwise, as the economy picks up, spending will just increase to keep pace with the money coming in. - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 5:02 pm: YDD- There’s a whole lot of other stuff on that site that makes me scratch my head. Such as: IL is 16th on the list for “Tax Freedom Day” (the day when residents pay off their total tax bill for the year with their earnings) but Kentucky is ranked 45th on the list (meaning they work less days to pay off their tax bill than IL) even though their per capita tax bill is almost $1000 higher. Riddle me that, Batman (or Shnorf-man). - Ann O'Namus - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 5:09 pm: “I think this economy makes it almost impossible to place an income tax on people.” A statement of ambition? Or an acknowledgement of the political realities facing the governor and the legislature? It was during a talk on mortgage foreclosure, so I’m inclined to believe the latter. Sorry to spoil a good conspiracy theory. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 6:11 pm: I think that the price of a substantial tax increase should generally include such things as: >a substantial reduction in our current GRF base spending obligations-perhaps $1B, and that will be painful >no new programs, no expansion of existing programs for at least two fiscal years >Medicaid payment cycle down to a true 30 day max >Reducing items eligible for Section 25 exceptions back to medical programs only >property tax relief >increase balance in Comptroller’s Rainy Day Fund to smooth out future cash flow problems >a focused capital program with a dedicated revenue source >scaling back road fund transfers to where only truly highway and mass transit related expenditures are allowed >capping transfers (except in emergencies) out of special funds at a number reasonably related to the cost of administration of the funded programs >increased emergency powers for the executive branch to deal with fiscal crunches like this one >a realistic, achievable change in state government health plans (in my personal opinion, all retirees should pay a minimum of 20% of the true cost of insurance, and qualifying for any state subsidy require a minimum of 10 years of service, not eight) >an increase in state employees contributions to pensions (say 1% phased in over 2 years), the new percent captured in a special fund to be used only to speed of the Edgar 45 year ramp to 90% funding In effect, I’m saying use the new money only to get us out of the mess we’re in, and let the 2010 election be a referendum on what we should do next: scale the taxes back, or increase spending in a measured way on priority items, or some parts of both You can quickly see why no one lets me be King. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 6:33 pm: I don’t know Steve, you might get my vote. - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 7:37 pm: Schnorf makes a lot of sense. I’m willing to hear alternatives from those who think we can just cut or we don’t have to pay our bills on time. The 2010 campaign should be an honest debate on obligations and revenues. - Bobs yer - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 9:33 pm: Pat gets one more chance…his budget address. He’s had time enough to learn, now whad’ya got? If there’s no major cuts, no major policy change on spending, you’ve got the same tenure as Mr. Burris. I’d love to see you succeed, but you already partially screwed up by maintaining the Blago senior free rides program. If it gets to a ‘pay more to keep all the spending’, then LM’s got the nod, and you might as well just serve out your term and disappear. Sorry, that’s just the way it is. - Quinn T. Sential - Thursday, Mar 12, 09 @ 10:08 pm: {Take the first $12 billion in GRF for the next fiscal year, fly to Vegas and place it all on black at the roulette wheel. Bold, and you’ve got a 50-50 chance of success.} Word, Vegas was built on a foundation of people that over-simplify the game and do not fully understand the risk. A wager on Black has a probability of winning of just 47.37% and the House Edge is 5.26%. “No one can possibly win at rolette unless he steals money from the table while the croupier isn’t looking.” — Albert Einstein Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.