• Unwilling to Raise Taxes on Business Again, General Assembly Heads Into Overtime
• PI FYI: Top Tier Races - 22nd Senate District
• Topinka Comments Raise Eyebrows
• Congress Closes Campaign Finance "Loophole"
• State Senator's Actions Raise Eyebrows
• Editorial of the Week: Belleville News Democrat: Where Are the Jobs?

Unwilling to Raise Taxes on Business Again, General Assembly Heads Into Overtime

Even with an extra billion dollars of would-be pension funding to spend, majority Democrats in the General Assembly and Governor Blagojevich were unable to meet their scheduled adjournment date of April 7.  Last session, Democrats engineered a two-year pension raid that was supposed to make this year's budget and easy task. 

Not so.  The Governor has proposed enough new spending that it swallows the pension raid funds, natural revenue growth and still requires more than $125 million in business taxes to balance his budget.   This year's proposals means the Governor has tried to raise business taxes each and every year of his administration.

For the time being, legislative Democrats have figured out something the Governor seems unable to grasp:  raising taxes on employers is bad policy and bad politics.  Both Democratic caucuses have stated in the press that the bulk of the Governor's tax business tax increases are off the negotiating table. 

To his credit, Speaker Madigan has effectively said "no" to the Governor for the third session in a row.  For the first time, Senate Democrats also are opposed.  Of course, the last time their caucus supported tax increases in an election year, the sponsor of those tax increases, former- Senator Pat Welch, was beaten by a Senator Gary Dahl, a business owner aggressively opposed to jobs killing taxes.

Top

PI FYI: Top Tier Races - 22nd Senate District

Background:  State Senator Steve Rauschenberger's run for Governor and then Lt. Governor forced him to give up a re-election bid for this northwest suburban district.  Rauschenberger, an Illinois Chamber Champion of Free Enterprise Award winner, has represented the area for twelve years.

The fight to replace him could be one of the most highly targeted races in the state this year.  Republicans have traditionally been strong in the district that includes parts of Cook and Kane County, but Democrats think that changing demographics makes this area ripe for an upset.  Furthermore, both House seats in this district have been targeted by House Democrats, and this "economy of scale" will be a factor in campaign activities.

District profile:

The 22^nd Senate District includes the communities of Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Carpentersville, Streamwood, Hanover Park, and a small portion of Schaumburg.  The voting age population of the district is 73% white, 5% black, 5% Asian, and nearly 8% Hispanic.  Median family income is $60,749. 

District voting patterns:

Rauschenberger won the 2002 general election with 56.6% of the vote. 

Al Gore narrowly defeated George W. Bush in 2000, scoring 50.4%.

Jim Ryan bested Rod Blagojevich in the 2002 governor's race by 397 votes.

Both House districts are represented by Republicans.

Candidate Profiles:

Billie Diane Roth (R-Streamwood)

Government Experience:

Streamwood Village President 1989- present

Streamwood Village Trustee 1987-1989

Streamwood Village Clerk 1981-1985

Professional Experience:

Red Carpet/Duval Caruso Realtors
Assistant Manager 1988 - 1989
Broker Manager, 1990 - 1991
Independent Broker
Licensed Real Estate Broker, 1986
First United Realtors
                                      Licensed Real Estate Agent, 1985

                                      Banking Industry
                                      In charge of mortgage loans, 1976 - 1981

Website:   www.billieroth.com

Billie Diane Roth is well known for her assertiveness and energy.  Voters in Streamwood know that she is no pushover, and is a fierce campaigner.  As the 17-year incumbent mayor of Streamwood, Roth points to her record of reduced local tax rates, economic development, and crime prevention programs as major accomplishments during her administration.

Roth emerged as the preferred Republican candidate after some consideration was given to Steve Rauschenberger's brother John.  Another potential candidate, Kane County Board member Lee Barrett was removed from the ballot for insufficient signatures. 

Mike Noland (D-Elgin)

Government Experience:

Noland has not held public office before

Professional Experience:

Attorney

Kane County Public Defender's office

Website:   www.noland.org

Although he's never held office before, Mike Noland is no stranger to political campaigns.  He has ran unsuccessfully for three offices since 2002.  He took on Rep. Doug Hoeft in 2002, but was soundly defeated by 3,000 votes.  In 2004, he took on appointed Rep. Ruth Munson and came much closer, only losing by 387 votes after receiving no help from House Democrats.  Most recently, in an off year Elgin city council election, Noland again came up short.

Senate Democrats think they've got a shot here, though, so resources shouldn't be scarce for Noland.  He also lives in Elgin, which is the population base of the district.  Political Insider understands that Noland has publicly embraced HB 750, the massive income tax increase proposal for education funding.  This will undoubtedly be a position he will have to defend in the upcoming campaign.

Top

Topinka Comments Raise Eyebrows

GOP gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka's "straight talk express" continued into the general election against her opponent Governor Blagojevich.  Fresh off a primary campaign where Topinka had to apologize for calling her GOP challengers "morons", Topinka blasted Blagojevich in an interview calling the Governor "slick" and having "little weasel eyes."   

Topinka had been interviewed by syndicated columnist George Will whose column was published last week.  To her defense, Topinka's spokesperson said that the Treasurer was commenting on how the Governor does not often make eye contact when speaking.

Top

Congress Closes Campaign Finance "Loophole"

Last week, the GOP controlled U.S. House changed directions and restricted contributions to "527" political committees.  Such committees, named for the portion of IRS code under which they fall, have been the recipients of unfettered contributions in an effort to circumvent campaign finance reform efforts.  Four years ago, Congressional Republicans opposed capping contributions to 527 organizations. 

During the 2004 Presidential election cycle, 527 organizations played a heavy hand in the national election.  Millionaire George Soros contributed over $23 million to Democratically aligned organizations while GOP organizations, such as the well-known Swift Boat Veterans for Truth received large donations to publicize information about various candidates.

Top

State Senator's Actions Raise Eyebrows

A shortened legislative session, late nights and tight campaign schedules certainly make for strange stories in Springfield as the General Assembly gets close to finishing its work.  State Senator Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago) has kept newspaper reports busy with two unusual incidents this spring.  At last week's annual Senate-House softball game, Hendon tackled State Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Matteson) after the game. "I was shocked; that was my take. It came out of nowhere. We were in a line, saying 'Good game. Good game. Good game.' Then, he just came behind me and threw me on the ground," Kelly said.

This is the second incident including Hendon and a female member of the General Assembly in so many weeks.  During debate, the week prior, Hendon made sexually suggestive remarks to a female senator.  Hendon claimed that this was part of traditional hazing that a freshman member goes through during debate of their first piece of legislation.

Top

Editorial of the Week: Belleville News Democrat: Where Are the Jobs?

"Job creation is a central theme of Rod Blagojevich's re- election campaign. A changing banner at the top of his website proclaims "60,000 new jobs this past year."  The site also boasts: "Under Rod Blagojevich's leadership, Illinois has created 90,000 jobs in the past two years, despite inheriting the state's worst budget deficit and a recession."

As with most statistics Blagojevich presents, he has carefully selected numbers to tell only the part of the story that paints him in the best light.  A more accurate measure is the jobs creation record for his entire term, not just snippets of it."  Read the whole thing...

Top