Posted on 01/12/2015 10:14:13 AM PST by Kaslin
It's par for the course for politicians to back away from campaign pledges. But one might have at least expected that Republicans would not consider tax hikes.
Unfortunately, even that modest assumption is suspect as Governor Rauner Set to Inherit Illinois' Sea of Red Ink.
Illinois faces a sea of red ink because shrinking income tax revenue will fail to keep pace with rising pension and health insurance costs, according to outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn's latest three-year budget forecast.Clueless Rauner Has Few Ideas
The projections from the Office of Management and Budget warn that the estimated $4.1 billion bill backlog expected at the close of fiscal 2015 could grow to $9.9 billion in fiscal 2016, $15.7 billion in fiscal 2017, and reach $21.3 billion at the close of fiscal 2018.
At the same time, a general funds deficit of $180 million this year will rise to more than $5 billion in the coming years.
Quinn, as he unsuccessfully pressed lawmakers last year to make permanent the 2011 tax hike, warned lawmakers that years of progress would be reversed if they expired.
Facing an election, lawmakers balked and adopted a fiscal 2015 budget that is now $750 million short of the actual funding needed to support costs.
The task of balancing the current budget that runs through June 30 and dealing with skyrocketing red ink falls to Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner, who has warned that state finances are in even more dire shape than he thought. He has, at least temporarily, backed away from his campaign pledge not to extend the higher rates.
Rauner, who defeated Quinn in November, takes office Monday and his budget is due Feb. 18 unless he asks for a delay. The Republican faces veto-proof Democratic majorities in the General Assembly.
Rauner has so far offered only general ideas for balancing the state's books. A 10-point fiscal blueprint released during the campaign called for trimming $1 billion in spending, cutting state purchasing and cracking down on Medicaid eligibility, among other ideas.
Seems like a wise plan. Good luck and God bless.
Chicago in particular never made sense to me. Looking at the cost of living, the bad weather, the terrible congestion of people, etc I ask myself why are 10 million people there?
Ill. state constitution says you can’t lower or not pay those pensions. Does it say you can’t tax them? Slap a 20%, or whatever other number makes the math work, tax on Ill. public pensions, to be taken out of their pension checks in advance. Then apply those collections to the next round of pension checks. Don’t hold it to any higher legal standard than that used to justify any of the other taxes in the state, just sell it politically. You could also make it progressive and brag of taxing the unions’ fat cats to help the little guys keep their meager pensions.
He saw the budget and was like, “Oh crap”. He may have to raise taxes. I mean I am sure he wouldn’t want too, but the Democrats left such a mess that he may not have a choice. Sad that he has to make touch choices like this.
Cut spending.
They tried with pensions but the judges stopped it. You can only do what the judges allow. Seriously that is where we are at now.
“Every Illinois republican should have known, for at least the past year, that Bruce Rauner is as liberal as many Democrats. He wants to increase the sales tax and minimum wage. He’s pro-choice, and he agrees with the law that allows illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses.”
In Illinois there is no distinction in principles between those politicians who call themselves republicans or democrats. People still believe the media propagated lies that republican somehow translates to conservative.
Bruce Rauner was endorsed by the Combine because Pat Quinn only went so far along with them.
Looks like they put the squeeze on Rauner and it worked. As long as he plays ball, he can face a weak Democratic opponent in 2018.
If not, he’ll be good as gone.
The Combine didn’t mind precisely because he would never stand up to them.
Every politician, judge and cop in Chicago is on their payroll.
Politics in the Land Of Lincoln are like politics in Haiti... scummy and corrupt up the wazoo.
/8^)
I got the him and them part.
/8^)
In 2018, will a conservative oppose Rauner, in the primary? If so, who will run? In the 2014 primary, he won with about 40% of the vote. He won the general election with about 50%.
That's been happening for more than 40 years.
Lower taxes you.....! Off to jail with you!!
Illinois Governors In Prison: 4 Of State’s Last 7 Governors Were Convicted, Imprisoned
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/illinois-governors-in-pri_n_2581182.html
Illinois also has one of the most generous welfare states in the nation. They could start there.
I went to a part of eastern Indiana (actually I was lost) northeast of Vincennes. . .can’t remember the name of the town for a conference. Actually found myself at one time in the hills. . .if truth be known I was traveling in circles through several downpours. I must have stopped at least 7 times for directions. . . . come to find out a main road was out and that detail was not included in my instructions.
They had Christian signs along the road, the crops looked fabulous, and the people were friendly, etc. etc. I felt like I had a “back in time” experience.
“Every” takes a singular as in “everyone is” rather than “everyone are.”
Grammar cops are need nowadays as the public schools don’t teach grammar anymore due to that being suggestively demeaning to Negro students. Language is the toolkit for thought. Sloppy use of tools leads to a sloppy result.
I WANT to think I use grammar properly (or at least as proper as possible) ...
'cept when I slip inta some jahgon or such, n' really think I kin type in th' v'NAcyulahhh.
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