* Quote of the day goes to Sen. Bill Brady, who complained about Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget yesterday…
“It seems to me that what he’s simply doing here is ignoring the problem, kicking the can down the road, trying to make it past the election,” Brady said. “I frankly wonder if he’s planning on being here in January because he’s leaving a pretty big problem.”
Oof.
* Quinn began the day with a direct shot at Brady…
In a veiled reference to the financial solution proposed by state Sen. Bill Brady, his opponent in the Nov. 2 election for governor, Quinn said, “There are some people who say we should just cut across the board until we close our $13 billion deficit and our spending equals our revenues — even if that means draconian cuts in health, human services, education and public safety. But that approach is both heartless — and naïve.
“We must consider the financial impact — as well as the human cost — of every cut we make,” Quinn said.
Brady…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady on Wednesday called Gov. Pat Quinn’s fiscal year 2011 budget a “catastrophe,” insisting his own plan for a 10 percent across-the-board cut would balance the budget and dig the state out of its $13 billion hole. […]
“I wish [Quinn] would take more time to analyze what I’ve suggested Illinois needs,” Brady said. “I really don’t want to be governor and be saddled with the albatross he’s created in this fiscal mess.”
More Brady…
“Today was an embarrassing day. He (Quinn) asked for an extra 30 days and yet the best he could come up with was a budget that is $4 billion out of balance,” Brady said, referring to Quinn’s request to delay his budget address by a month.
Um, $4 billion out of balance? Try $11 billion.
After Brady’s press conference, the governor’s campaign issued a news release…
Response to Bill Brady’s Critiques of Governor Quinn’s “Fighting for Illinois” Budget Plan:
Bill Brady says he opposes Governor Quinn’s budget plan and won’t support any additional revenues for education or additional borrowing to close the state’s $12.7 billion gap. So what would Brady include in his all-cuts plan to balance the budget? So far, he ’s refused to say - because it simply can’t be done without causing devastating harm to education, healthcare and public safety. No wonder former Governor Jim Edgar called Brady’s chainsaw approach to the budget “naïve.”
In fact, Bill Brady ’s own voting record provides the best clue about what he’d do as governor. His solution to our economic problems would be to turn the clock back by eliminating the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, Family and Medical Leave, and to allow discrimination in the workplace. That’s an economic vision from 1910 — not for 2010.
You can expect that Edgar quote to be used ad infinitum by the Quinnsters.
* Brady did much better yesterday than I thought he would. His presser was on the third floor near the rail and the gun rights folks were in town so it was hard to hear anything in the Rotunda. But, it appears TV and radio got their audio and Brady got in a lot of decent shots, despite his consistent refusal to look at the complete budget picture.
Of course, Brady doesn’t have his own alternative legislation. As Senate President Cullerton pointed out yesterday, Brady is the first sitting Illinois legislator to be nominated for governor in over 100 years. He therefore has the ability to introduce his own plan.
…Adding… I forgot to mention that Gov. Quinn will appear at two schools today to tout his tax hike proposal. From a press release…
GOVERNOR’S PUBLIC SCHEDULE
**Thursday, March 11, 2010**
SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn will speak about his education priorities.
WHO: Governor Quinn
WHEN: 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Thomas Jefferson Middle School - Library
3001 South Allis Street
Springfield, 62703
CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn will speak about his education priorities.
WHO: Governor Quinn
WHEN: 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: James R. Lowell Elementary School
3320 West Hirsch Street
Chicago, 60651
* Related…
* Capitol Fax video: Brady presser.
* Capitol Fax videos: Cullerton availability, part one and part two.