GRT/Governor's Self Interest

[Terri]

Blago puts self-interest over the public
(http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/kadner/372038,061PKD1.article)

May 6, 2007

One man stands in the way of property tax relief and school funding reform in Illinois: Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The governor wants to be viewed as the champion of children and working stiffs.

In fact, he is neither.

Democratic majorities in the Illinois Senate and House would have passed a state income tax increase to adequately finance the state's public schools if it weren't for the governor, a member of their own party.

Blagojevich promised not to raise taxes when running for office in 2002 and repeated that pledge during his re-election campaign last year.

He made that vow knowing Springfield had spent the last 20 years undermining the education funding system in Illinois, shifting the burden to local property taxes that unfairly hit senior citizens and middle-income wage earners.

For four years he sat in office and did nothing while thousands of children went through a public school system that rewards the wealthy and punishes the poor.

Blagojevich still planned to ignore the schools as he ran for re-election.

But when state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) announced that he would run a third-party campaign as an independent because of the school funding crisis, the governor unveiled a deliberately deceptive and ill-conceived scheme to finance public education in Illinois by leasing the state lottery.

The proposal convinced Meeks to get out of the race. But when critics realized it would only provide increased school funding for four years, Blagojevich's plan was revealed for what it was -- a public relations gimmick.

A real plan to help the schools, SB 750, sponsored by Meeks, was stalled in the Senate because of the governor's promise to veto any income or sales tax hike.

The governor said he would not support a bill that would place another tax burden on the working families.

And then Blagojevich announced his gross receipts tax on businesses.

The tax easily could be transferred to working people by increasing the prices of products, but the governor said businesses wouldn't do that.

He also said it was not a tax in his view and therefore did not violate his promise not to raise taxes.

His administration capped these outrageous acts of mendacity by telling people who had spent decades lobbying for school funding reform that the gross receipts tax was their only hope.

No other education initiative had support in the House or the Senate, the governor's people said.

It turns out that too was a lie.

A House committee already has passed 750. A majority of House members have now signed a pledge not to support the gross receipts tax.

Although the governor managed to buy the support of Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) -- with a $70,000 pay raise for his wife -- few senators have been willing to sign on to the gross receipts tax solution.

In part, that's because the governor's plan is really not school funding reform.

It is a health insurance plan with school funding tacked on to broaden public support for the measure.

It is the cruelest sort of political gimmick, using school children as pawns to advance the governor's pet project.

But people are now asking why, since the state has failed to adequately fund education or its pension system, it should be entrusted with the responsibility of providing health care for the masses.

As his tax program continues to highball its way off a cliff, the governor maintains his opposition to real school funding reform and property tax relief.

He insists he will veto any income or sales tax increase.

Having acknowledged that schools need money, that children are not getting a first class education and that the property tax system is outdated and obsolete, the governor plants his flag in a bed of quicksand.

He will allow the schools to fail, if necessary, to prove his point.

The point being, I guess, that he really doesn't care about children or homeowners.

He will lock himself in a room and pout if he doesn't get his way.

It's his ball, and if you don't let him play quarterback, well, there won't be any game at all.

Yet, Blagojevich sees himself coming out of this as a hero.

He will either be the guy who provided health care for all and money for the schools or the politician who opposed an income tax hike.

I just want people to see this grandstanding ploy for what it is, without the governor's spin.

Blagojevich is the man standing in the way of school funding reform.

There is no higher principle involved here.

He is not an anti-union Republican, opposed to government spending.

The governor knows there's a problem and that it ought to be fixed.

Instead of behaving like a petulant child, he should take the lead in this crusade.

Blagojevich may not get what he wants, but the children of this state will get what they need.