Progress Illinois

Senate President John Cullerton appeared on WTTW's Chicago Tonight yesterday to discuss the ongoing budget standoff in Springfield.  While repeatedly declining to criticize House Speaker Michael Madigan throughout the segment, Cullerton directed most of his angst at Gov. Quinn, whom he described as "new to this" and suffering from a "credibility gap." 

Here's how Cullerton is framing his disagreement with Quinn:

- A tax increase is inevitable, Cullerton says, and will probably have to generate "somewhere around $3-$4 billion" in revenue.

- Because the General Assembly failed to pass a budget before the regular session deadline, they now need Republican votes on any tax increase.  He described the Democratic leadership as "courting" the GOP and "working with them," but also noted that the Republicans have "asked for a little more time."

- He disagrees with Quinn's veto of the bare bones budget yesterday, arguing that the package was crafted in a way that would allow Quinn to "keep the government going for a few weeks, maybe a month, at the request of the Republicans.  That's what they asked for so that they could then come around and support a tax increase."  He added: "We're asking him for one month, let the Republicans come in.  When they vote for a tax increase there doesn't have to be any of these cuts."

Cullerton's contention that there won't "have to be any of these cuts" once the GOP signs on to an income tax increase seems a bit unrealistic.  We don't know what the Republicans are going to demand in return for their support, but it probably won't be pretty. 

That's what's so frustrating about this whole scenario.  The House Democrats declined to pass an income tax increase during the regular session out of fear that it would be branded a "Democratic tax" and hurt them at the ballot box.  But the underlying fiscal realities aren't changing and the failure to act is already having dire consequences.  Before this over, those same cowardly House Dems may very well vote for a budget that both raises taxes and incorporates unpopular cuts or policies pushed by the Republicans.  As a result, they'll be on the record supporting a tax hike, but they'll also draw the ire of certain constituencies on the left once primary season rolls around.  Well played ...  

Below is the full video of the segment:

Here's a partial transcript of Cullerton's remarks:

We have a budget gap, and the governor has a credibility gap. [...]

We in the Senate have voted for and passed an income tax increase.  It's over in the House. ... We urge them to vote for the bill we passed. If they don't like that one, they've gotta vote for another one. [...]

We're going to need to have a tax increase.  There's no question about it.  It's probably going to have to be somewhere around $3-$4 billion.  The question is how we get Republicans to come along and agree to vote for it. [...]

We are courting them [the Republicans]. We are working with them. They have asked for a little more time. [...]

I disagree with the governor.  If he wants to veto these budget bills -- we have crafted them so that he could keep the government going for a few weeks, maybe a month, at the request of the Republicans.  That's what they asked for so that they could then come around and support a tax increase. [...]

There's a problem in Cook County as well with Democrats.  They're worried about the Todd Stroger syndrome. They're worried about people running against them in a primary, because people feel like they've been taxed too much. And it's really tough to raise taxes when people are hurting.  And yet that's what we have to do.  Unless we go out of business.  And we can't go out of business.

There's no way to avoid these taxes. It's gonna happen.  But it's now gonna have to happen with Republican votes. [...]

The governor is new at this, in terms of dealing with the legislature.  He's never been in the legislature.  In fact, in the past, he's fought the legislature. I've been here 30 years plus.  Madigan -- a hundred.  We think we know how to vote for bills. We're working on it.  The Republicans are asking us for some time. We urge the governor to give them some time and not have a shutdown of government, which is totally unnecessary. [...]

This is fundamentally important to understand. He doesn't have to cut anything the first month that the Republicans have asked to take before they can vote for a tax increase. He doesn't have to cut anything.  It would be a mistake to cut anything. He can spend at whatever rate he wants. He can't do it for 12 months, obviously.  And we're not asking him to.  We're asking him for one month, let the Republicans come in.  When they vote for a tax increase there doesn't have to be any of these cuts.