State Senator Kirk Dillard

State Senator Kirk Dillard has been endorsed by the Illinois Education Association.

That’s a good thing for him.

The IEA can put people on the street when it wants to and certainly can get the word out to its members.

It could also cough up good money, if it desired.

Here’s what the Chicago Tribune’s Clout Street Blog attributed to IEA President Ken Swanson in its story about the announcement:

“We believe at the end of the day, (Dillard) is interested in finding reductions and efficiencies that make sense.

“But if and when that’s not enough, he can pragmatically reach out to the other leaders and work out a (revenue) solution that’s good for the state.”

That sounds as if this teachers’ union leader thinks Dillard will support an income tax increase.

That would mesh with Dillard’s refusing to promise not to increase taxes.

Before he got the IRA endorsement, he called such pledges “gimmicks” on TV and in this interview. (I never signed such a pledge.)

As he said in the WTTW debate, he might want to rearrange the tax mix and he does favor increasing some source of revenue to pay for a road, school, etc., building program.

Thursday, the mailing below came from opponent Andy McKenna, who has taken the “no tax hike pledge.”

"WILL THESE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR RAISE TAXES?" the headline asks. (Don't you find all capital letters difficult to read?)

"WE CAN'T TRUST RYAN AND DILLARD'S RECORDS ON TAXES," this headline reads and gives details of Jim Ryan's support of a $5,5 billion (income) tax hike and how Kirk Dillard raised sales taxes $500 million. Left unsaid were that the sales tax hike was for the Regional Transporation Authority to bail out the CTA. (Click to enlarge any image.)