2014: QUINN'S BAD DAY Gov. Pat Quinn had one of the worst days of his governorship Tuesday in Springfield. First the General Assembly resoundingly rejected his changes to a concealed carry firearms bill that now becomes law over Quinn's wishes. Then a special pension committee blew off his midnight deadline to deliver him a pension bill to sign -- despite Quinn's threat of "consequences" if the committee failed. Quinn's Democratic challenger, Bill Daley, was on hand in the Capitol to comment, again, on these developments being proof that Quinn can't work with the General Assembly. Quinn followed up Tuesday's events by announcing Wednesday morning that has suspended pay for lawmakers until they deliver a pension reform bill to him. Daley blasted this announcement as well. Find out more here.
FEELING RUN DOWN Scott Stantis imagines how Quinn must have felt Tuesday as lawmakers ignored his concealed carry directives.
NO JOKE We get a kick out of Scott Stantis' take on Illinois' financial/government dysfunction. But the pension crisis that has sandbagged our state economy is no joke. We urge you to be informed and get active pushing for a solution. We've combined a petition with an infographic that shows the timeline of the Illinois pension debacle so you can do both in one click. It's all right here.
JUST SAY YES The roots of corruption in Illinois government are in a system that lets politicians choose their voters by tailoring legislative maps to their party's liking. We call it the Incumbent Protection Program, and it's effective 97 percent of the time. A major new effort kicks off today to change this system -- Yes for Independent Maps. If you believe voters should choose their office-holders instead of the other way around, we urge you to get involved with this campaign. There's no bigger reform in Illinois government. Seriously. Find out more here.
JUST SAY NO To a progressive income tax system, says State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo. Franks parts ways with many of his Democratic colleagues in the General Assembly by voicing opposition to an effort to allow Illinois to change its flat-rate income tax system to one in which tax rates increase by a taxpayer's income. "I think the first thing you need to look at is not the tax rate but how we spend our money," Franks tells Reboot Illinois' Madeleine Doubek. It's a great interview on a topic that grows hotter by the day. Read it here.
PROGRESSIVE VS. FLAT TAX Which states have one-rate-for-all flat tax systems? Which have progressive taxes and what are the brackets? Which states have no state income tax? Find out in our handy infographic.
TWEET OF THE DAY Yesterday, Reboot's Madeleine Doubek suggested that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel resist the push to install retiring Ald. Richard Mell's daughter to his vacated City Council seat. (Crain's Chicago Business liked the column enough to post it on its website today. Thanks, Crain's!) But Chicago Sun-Times political reporter Natasha Korecki tweets that the mayor appears unlikely to take Doubek's advice:
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TODAY You can always find links to the day's news from around Illinois in the Daily Tip-Off section of our website. Here are today's top picks:
5. The pension conference committee, as expected, missed Gov. Pat Quinn's deadline for having a reform plan in place. (State Journal-Register)
4. In an effort to start fixing the state's Medicaid problems, the Quinn Administration has hit a snag. (Southtown Star)
3. Mayor Emanuel appears ready to keep retiring Ald. Richard Mell's seat in the family and choose State Rep. Deb Mell to replace her father on the City Council. (Chicago Sun-Times)
2. Illinois became the last state to allow law-abiding citizens to carry weapons in public. The Tribune Editorial Board analyzes the bill. (Chicago Tribune)
1. Tuesday was a rough day in office for Gov. Quinn with the overriding of his veto on concealed carry and his deadline ignored for pension reform. (Chicago Sun-Times)