After releasing a preliminary -- and ugly -- budget proposal yesterday intended to show lawmakers and voters what the state's spending plan would look like without an income tax hike, Gov. Pat Quinn emphasized the importance of tax reform on the eve of meeting with Democratic legislative leaders. "We'll have grievous problems if we don't have revenue," Quinn told the Chicago Current last night. "It's very important for our economy that we invest in things like education."

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) continued to blame Republicans for "not participating in the legislative process," hinting that he was not willing to pass an income tax hike with only Democratic support.