Yesterday, we highlighted James Meeks' stated frustration with Gov. Pat Quinn's efforts (or lack thereof) to drum up support for the state senator's income tax plan before the session deadline Sunday evening.  We also noted that House Speaker Michael Madigan deserved a good share of the blame as well.  Today, the SouthtownStar's Phil Kadner devotes his column to Meeks, who not only takes aim at Madigan, but also Chicago Mayor Richard Daley:

"You have been campaigning for a tax hike for 20 years, and nothing has happened," Meeks said. "Why? What's the one thing that has remained constant in those 20 years? Michael Madigan as a leader in the House. Everybody else in leadership is gone. If Madigan wanted this bill passed, it would have been passed." [...]

"The governor acquiesced to the demands of Speaker Madigan every step of the way, and in the end what did he get? Nothing," Meeks said. "And Mayor Daley didn't do anything, either. The mayor continually says the Chicago schools need more money and the state should do something.

"But he didn't hold a single news conference during this legislative session calling on Chicago officials to support a tax increase. I didn't hear about a single state legislator from Chicago getting a call from the mayor. He did nothing."

Read the whole thing.