McHenry County Blog

The unions decided to keep their benefits. That was more important than letting the commuters ride the CTA.

And the personal grief of Democratic Party Lieutenant Governor Scott Lee Cohen’s son was more important that the doomsday for CTA strap holders who read the Sun-Times.

There was a  CTA bailout in the spinrg of 2008.  It probably cost State Senator Kirk Dillard the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

You remember.

The tripling of our RTA sales tax the week before the Crystal Lake City Council decided to play pile on by hiking its city sales tax by 75%.

Dillard voted for it and Andy McKenna blasted away on radio, TV and in direct mail about Kirk Dillard having voted for a regional states tax as evidence that he was not rock solid on opposing an income tax hike.

That doomsday was on the front page of the Chicago Tribune right before the vote.

But, today, another so-called “doomsday,” the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times featured Democratic Party Lt. Gov. nominee Scott Lee Cohen announcing he will not accept the nomination. Cohen, by the way, carried the Democratic Party primary in McHenry County.

Take a look:

State Senator Terry Link, chairman of the turnaround Democratic Party in Lake County, came to Woodstock to ask for support of McHenry County Democrats, but that doesn’t seem to have done him much good, as he placed fourth behind State Representatives Art Turner (Chicago) and Mike Boland (East Moline).

Making a pitch to the Young Democrats of McHenry County was Thomas Castillo.
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Turned over the Tribune that was delivered to my driveway and discovered it did have something about the CTA cuts…below the fold. The snippet directing people to pages 6-8 had a photo of a family who had to wait 30 minutes for a bus while on the way to a party.

And, inside–wouldn’t you know it?–the word “Doomsday” turns up in a headline:

Yesterday I wrote more stories about Springfield than I ever have before in one day.

I covered Mike Tryon’s campaign sign bill, Jack Franks’ recall constitutional amendment and the John Cullerton/James Meeks’ 67% income tax hike/ services sales tax imposition and Terry Link/Dave Syverson four casino bill.

But before all the action, I picked up on State Rep. Art Turner’s comment on the incomplete “COURAGE” being displayed by House Democrats.

I entitled it

After an extended part caucus in which a reported 39 of the needed votes seemed to have identified themselves, according to the Chicago Tribune, Turner said,

“We’re looking for courage. We’re close. We’ve got it spelled C-O-U-R, but we’re looking for the rest of it.”

I observed that the last four letters of “COURAGE” are

Meanwhile in the Illinois Senate, the article says,

“…an even bigger tax plan emerged, courtesy of Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago).

“The proposal — which could raise upward of $6 billion — would increase the income tax by 67 percent and expand the sales tax on services such as dry cleaning, video rental, dating services and carpet cleaning. The theory is that a larger tax bite would mean fewer cuts.”

I ended the article with

And that admonishment was before the State Senate voted to raise income taxes by 67% and taxed every electronic signal coming into our home except radio.

So, Turner has half of his wish.

Senate Democrats provided all the letters to his word “COURAGE” and now House has two income tax choices:

But the RAGE may have to wait for readers of two of the four newspapers I read.

Look at the front pages of the Sunday editions of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Elgin Courier-News and McHenry County’s Northwest Herald.

Nothing about the pending tax hike above the fold on the front page of the Chicago Tribune. But there was room to hype a “summer fun” guide.

There’s a story about state politics on the Tribune’s front page, but it’s about politicians trying to get kids into the University of Illinois, not about politicians trying to pick our pockets.

Nothing about the tax hike below the fold either.

The Chicago Sun-Times did figure out that the tax hike story was important enough to mention on its front page, though. Kudos to the Sun-Times

In the Elgin Courier-News there is a large word that might be appropriate if applied to taxpayers:

But i’t about abandoned homes.

There is an ad for Elgin’s Grand Victoria Casino on the bottom of the page. Guess the paper has learned who is paying its bills.

But there is nothing in the paper about the 67% income tax hike passed in the Senate.

And, finally, the Northwest Herald’s front page:

Nothing above the fold, but the Associated Press story is found below.

So, the score card is 2 for 4.

Readers of the largest circulation newspaper in Illinois won’t know anything about the tax hike, if that is there only source of news today.

They will be in for a big surprise tomorrow, if either bill passes.

If you want to call your legislator, the state switchboard in Springfield is open. The number is 217-782-2000.

State Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) came up with a perhaps too revealing summary of Democrat attempts to raise income taxes 50%.

After an extended part caucus in which a reported 39 of the needed votes seemed to have identified themselves, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Madigan assistant said,

“We’re looking for courage. We’re close. We’ve got it spelled C-O-U-R, but we’re looking for the rest of it.”

I would observe that the last four letters of “COURAGE” is

Meanwhile in the Illinois Senate, the article says,

“…an even bigger tax plan emerged, courtesy of Sen. James Meeks(D-Chicago).

“The proposal — which could raise upward of $6 billion — would increase the income tax by 67 percent and expand the sales tax on services such as dry cleaning, video rental, dating services and carpet cleaning. The theory is that a larger tax bite would mean fewer cuts.”

Have an anxious weekend, taxpayers.

The main switchboard in Springfield is 217-782-2000. It’s open on the weekend.

The Chicago Tribune has finally noticed the impact of last year’s minuscule CPI increase on schools.

Readers of McHenry County Blog could have figured out the angst school and other tax district officials are feeling well before the Thursday Tribune article.

See

12-18-8 McHenry County Supervisor of Assessments Donna Mayberry Thinks “Negative” Multipliers May Be in Offing Next Year

12-19-8 Tax District Officials Will Say, “Oh, Bleep!” When They Read This

12-21-8 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Calls for “Improving” the Tax Cap

12-22-8 Teachers’ Friends on School Board Make Costly Last Minute Change in Salary Hike Formula

1-16-9 New Paradigm for Illinois Tax Districts

Diana Rado, who used to be the Tribune’s best education writer until she met one of those downsizing problems, writes as a free lancer that

the one-tenth of one percent increase in the Consumer Price Index “means most taxpayers can expect only slight increases in their 2009 tax bills, which are paid in 2010.“

She points out that tax referendums “not a very viable possibility in the current recession.”

I Cary Grade School District 26 board didn’t get the memo.

Rado reports,

“One bill filed in the General Assembly in February would prevent the cap from falling below 2 percent. Another bill would allow the use of a different inflation measure in the formula—an employment cost index that tracks changes in labor costs—which could benefit school districts.”

I find 110 bills designed to gut the tax cap.

Two concerning allowing a minimum of a two percent increase in what schools can get each year, even if the CPI is less, are

• Rep. Art Turner’s House Bill 2502 and
• Sen. Lou Viverito’s Senate Bill 2126

Turner’s bill has joint sponsors—Frank Mautino, Linda Chapa LaVia, and William Davis—from each of the House Democratic Party caucuses in addition to long-time Republican tax cap buster advocate school superintendent Roger Eddy.

Viverito has no co-sponsors, but he is Chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee.

Both bills are posted for hearing next week. The House hearing is Nest Thursday at 9 AM. The Senate hearing is at 2 on Wednesday.

Members on the House Revenue Committee follow:

Chairperson John E. Bradley D

Vice-Chairperson: Frank J. Mautino D

Member: Bob Biggins R

Member: Suzanne Bassi R

Member: Mark H. Beaubien, Jr. R

Member: Linda Chapa LaVia D

Member: Barbara Flynn Currie D

Member: Roger L. Eddy R

Member: LaShawn K. Ford D

Member: Careen M Gordon D

Member: Ed Sullivan, Jr. R

Member: Arthur L. Turner D

Member: Michael J. Zalewski D

The Senate Revenue Committee members follow:

Chairperson Louis S. Viverito D

Vice-Chairperson: James T. Meeks D

Member: M. Maggie Crotty D

Member: Susan Garrett D

Member: Mike Jacobs D

Member: Jeffrey M. Schoenberg D

Minority Spokesperson : Chris Lauzen R

Member: Bill Brady R

Member: Randall M. Hultgren R

Member: Matt Murphy R

By clicking on their names, you can find their phone numbers, if you wish to call them.

Other bills to worry about are

• Aurora’s Rep. Chapa LaVia’s HB 2237, which would take pension payments out from under the tax cap.
• SB 1513, sponsored by Sen. James Clayborne of East St. Louis. Both are Democrats.