Friday, October 23, 2009 6:10 PM CDT
Quinn launches campaign, stays away from tax talk
By KURT ERICKSON, JG/T-C Lee Springfield Bureau
SPRINGFIELD — Democrat Pat Quinn launched his bid for a full term as governor Thursday, but he steered clear of talking about his plan to raise state income taxes.
Instead, the 61-year-old chief executive focused on job growth and economic development as he stopped in Springfield during a day-long campaign swing from Chicago to southern Illinois.
He said the long-awaited passage of a $31-billion statewide construction program this spring was a good first step in getting people back to work.
“We have to use public works to prime the pump,” Quinn said. “Too many families are still sitting around the kitchen table, trying to figure out how to make ends meet.”
Quinn faces Comptroller Dan Hynes in the Feb. 2 primary election. The winner will face one of a handful of Republicans vying to end total Democratic control over state government.
Quinn’s priorities are not much different from what he talked about four years ago when he sought a second term as lieutenant governor.
He wants to improve Internet service in rural areas, boost the use of wind energy, increase spending on education and market more Illinois products overseas.
Left undiscussed was his plan to raise the state income tax rate from 3 percent to 4.5 percent, which ran aground in the General Assembly this summer.
That drew the attention of Hynes, who also has proposed an income tax hike as a way to help pull the state out of its budget deficit.
“I can understand why the governor would prefer to talk about things everyone supports rather than his unpopular plan to raise taxes by 50 percent on the middle class, but until you’re serious about addressing our budget mess, you’re not running for governor of Illinois, you’re running for governor of ‘Fantasy Island,’” Hynes said in a statement.
Quinn inherited former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s post in January when lawmakers removed the disgraced former governor from office after his arrest on federal corruption charges.
Quinn, a former state treasurer, said passage of the construction program and a series of government reform measures show he’s helped get the state back on track.
“I think we’re a heck of a lot better off than we were nine months ago,” Quinn said.
But one potential Republican challenger said Illinois has continued to shed jobs since Quinn took over.
“In fact, when Quinn was sworn in, Illinois’ unemployment rate was 8.5 percent. Now, 10.5 percent of the people in Illinois are out of work. That’s larger than the national average,” noted state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington.
Quinn said he’s spent his short time as governor attempting to restore trust in government.
On budget issues, he told reporters, “I didn’t create the deficit. I inherited it.”
Contact Kurt Erickson at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 217-789-0865.
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