Here’s the latest from the Illinois 2010 candidate and cow-pie trail ...
... Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' Democratic primary campaign for governor has a new income tax attack ad on Pat Quinn airborne.
Hynes contrasts his tax plan with Governor Quinn's by noting he'll raise taxes on Illinois incomes only over $200,000. Hynes claims that his plan will protect the middle class incomes--but that plan will also exempt the next governor and all Illinois lawmakers from a tax hike, too.
The governor's salary is $177,000 and lawmakers' base salary is $67,836.
In addition, the lt. governor, treasurer, comptroller, attorney general, secretary of state, speaker of the House and president of the Senate would all be shielded from an income tax increase, too.
If Hynes ultimately were to win the governor's office and enacts his plan, the entire Illinois governing class would be exempt from an Illinois income tax increase. Oops.
Meanwhile, Quinn's plan, however, boosts the tax on the governor's salary and on all constitutional officers. Quinn's campaign spokesperson, Elizabeth Austin, notes that incomes above $60,000 would witness a "modest" increase. That includes legislators. Phew.
Under Quinn's plan of "shared sacrifice", the people--lawmakers and the Governor--responsible for raising incomes taxes would feel the tax bite like everyone else. Under Hynes plan, no.
Seems a wee bit unfair, no?
You gotta imagine the quintessential populist Quinn will sooner or later point out this "contrast" between the two plans.
Here's the Hynes ad:
... The latest installment of a CTA-threatened "doomsday" has already wormed its way onto Quinn's campaign schedule.
Before arriving at a private fund-raiser on Tuesday night, Quinn met with anxious CTA bus drivers--many of whom whose routes have been targeted for reduction as part of CTA Chairman Terry Peterson's plan to close a $300 million budget deficit--and the Governor noted it was a l-o-n-g meeting.
Mayor Richard Daley is looking to Springfield for money, but folks should expect no legislative action during the Illinois General Assembly's fall veto session.
Anyway, Quinn said funding college grant assistance for 138,000 students during the Spring semester--the Illinois Monetary Award Program or MAP--is his veto session priority.
... Quinn was feted by a Gucci-heeled crowd at at the Lincoln Park mansion of Chicago attorney Jay Paul Deratany, who ran for a seat on the Cook County Board of Review in 2008--a seat once held by Quinn himself.
... Other candidates circulating among the progressive swells included Cook County Board Commissioner Bridget Gainer; U.S. Senate-hopeful David Hoffman, Chicago's former Inspector General; Jeff Smith who's angling for Julie Hamos' Evanston State House seat; and Todd Connor, 31, a former Navy officer and a former Illinois Inspector General, who's looking to grab a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
Hoffman worked the crowd and left no guest's hand unshaken and Connor left no guest unimpressed.
... Speaking of David Hoffman, he has a new poll out that says he's losing his U.S. Senate race--but that he will win if--and a big fat, tubby if--if enough Illinois voters hear that message he's crafted. Hope he lifted a few wallets at Quinn's event.
... Robin Kelly, current chief of staff to Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, added U.S. Representative Debbie Halvorson to her bulging list of endorsements to succeed Giannoulias.
... State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) is co-hosting a fund-raising brunch for U.S 10 CD candidate Julie Hamos with Charles Stanford and Bob Messerly at their sprawling home in East Lakeview on October 25. GPS devices are recommended to find the dining room.
... Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin will be headlining the United Republican Fund's 75th Anniversary dinner gala at the Chicago Hilton and Towers on October 22. Vegitarians beware. The menu will feature only uncooked, raw, red meat. Yum.
(Disclosure: The author is a PR consultant/flack; a M.A., Ph.D/ABD in public policy; a former Board Chair of IL Gay Rights PAC; blogger with free time; has never worked/volunteered/for either Quinn or Hynes in a campaign or government; currently earns no money from any political campaign or party. Professionally, helps groups to communicate more effectively with lawmakers, groups that represent the mentally ill, people with substance abuse disorders, abused and neglected children, HIV/AIDS-affected pre-school children, and grocery centers for AIDS-infected adults.).
Will this do? If not, tough.