Partisan bickering closes first half of veto session

By ADRIANA COLINDRES (adriana.colindres@sj-r.com)
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

The Illinois House spent much of Friday bickering along partisan lines over separate proposals to delay the Democratic governor's yearly budget speech and change the way some top Republican officials are chosen.
In the end, both pieces of legislation stalled, failing to attract the 71 votes needed. They could resurface later.
House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, told House members she had no problem with granting Gov. Pat Quinn's request to delay his budget presentation until March 24, 2010, because he recently hired a new budget director, David Vaught.
"We want to give that guy as much time and as much information as he feels he needs," Currie said.
The governor is supposed to present his proposed budget by the third Wednesday in February.
Some Republicans complained the delay until late March appeared political because Quinn faces a tough February primary fight with Comptroller Dan Hynes for governor. They contended waiting that long for the governor's budget plan would hurt lawmakers' efforts to put together a budget by the end of next May.
Democrats said they simply were trying to give Quinn enough time to figure out this year's budget problems and make the best estimate possible for next year.
The vote on Currie's proposal, House Bill 1409, was 66-49.
The House also rebuffed a plan to change the selection process for members of the Republican state central committee.
Under Senate Bill 600, which the Senate already approved, voters from each congressional district would choose two members of the committee. At present, other GOP leaders select members of the state central committee.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross accused Democrats of interfering with the Republican party's inner workings.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang, disputed that assessment.
"This is not a Democratic plot to take over the world," said Lang, a Skokie Democrat
The House voted 59-47 for the bill.
HALFWAY DONE
Friday's political infighting capped the first half of the General Assembly's fall veto session.
The scheduled six-day session began Wednesday and picks up again on Oct. 28-30. After that, lawmakers aren't expected to return to the Capitol until January.
Members of the General Assembly made progress this week on some issues and left others unsettled.
Lawmakers gave Quinn an extra $205 million in spending authority for the Monetary Award Program, which provides assistance to needy college students. But it's not clear how those additional dollars will materialize.
The Illinois Senate approved a recall option for future Illinois governors. Because the proposal already passed in the House, voters will decide in the November 2010 election if they want the power to oust a sitting governor from office.
An Illinois House committee advanced an updated version of a campaign finance reform plan, crafted after Quinn vetoed a different proposal during the summer. Critics say the measure is flawed because it doesn't limit how much money political parties or legislative leaders can contribute to candidates.
Lawmakers also are still contending with Senate Bill 2090, which deals with how much they get paid. The Senate overrode Quinn's amendatory veto, sending the matter to the House.
The bill would require lawmakers to directly vote yes or no on a pay hike.

Quinn, Hynes voice different plans for income-tax hike

By Tom Kacich
Monday, October 12, 2009 8:12 AM
CHAMPAIGN – Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes avoided mentioning each other by name, but they didn't avoid comparing each other's position on an income tax increase in an appearance before Champaign County Democrats on Sunday night.
The two main candidates in the Feb. 2, 2010, gubernatorial primary were among a dozen candidates to speak before more than 250 Democrats at the local party's fall dinner at the I Hotel and Conference Center. Other speakers included U.S. Senate candidate David Hoffman of Chicago and 15th District congressional hopeful David Gill of Normal.

Tax increases are needed, both candidates said. But they differ on how to enact an income tax hike.

Hynes suggested closing corporate tax loopholes, raising the cigarette tax by a dollar a pack, broadening the sales tax to include services and amending the Illinois Constitution to allow for a progressive income tax.

"It requires the Legislature to put it on the ballot and let the people decide. Remember 'Let the people decide and let the will of the people be the law of the land?'" Hynes said, echoing a frequent Quinn line. "We're one of seven states with a flat income tax, and it's time to change that. We can do it in November 2010 if we have the courage to do it. Anybody who says that it's too difficult and it will take too long and it's too complicated, I have three words from someone we all know very well: Yes we can."

Quinn, who spoke before Hynes, devoted most of his time to recounting his record in state government, and said little about the comptroller, except to point out the difference on the income-tax increase.
"There are people in my own party who don't want to deal with reality, and they're going to campaign against raising the income tax by statute. We've got to do it. We've got to do it in this coming fiscal year," he said. "There is one (Democratic) candidate who supports raising the income tax in a fair way, with tax relief for people who need it the most.

Full Article...http://www.news-gazette.com/news/2009/10/12/quinn_hynes_voice_different_plans_for_income-tax_hike

Hynes Campaign Delivers Series of Calendars, Reminds Quinn It's 2009

Concerned that Governor Pat Quinn has lost track of time and is unaware that this is 2009, a year in which the only constant to his budget priorities has been to push for an income tax increase of 50 percent, the Dan Hynes for Governor campaign today sent the Governor a dozen 2009 wall calendars. The action was sparked by Quinn’s response to a Hynes campaign advertisement, in which he defended his unpopular move to raise taxes on middle class families by referencing his history of advocating a progressive tax prior to becoming Governor.
“We want to make sure Pat Quinn knows it’s the year 2009, and that he is in fact Governor,” Hynes communications director Matt McGrath said. “We appreciate his nostalgia for simpler times, before he actually had the position and authority to effect change, but the fact remains his only constant position as Governor has been to push for a 50 percent income tax increase.”

Quinn’s campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Austin responded by pointing out lawmakers have opposed Hynes’ plan in the past. She called Hynes’ calender bit a “stunt.”