-By Dan Proft
If the fiscal crisis in Springfield continues we’re going to have to childproof the State Capitol.
Watching Chicago Democrats generically embrace spending cuts is like watching a baby learn how to walk.
They are not clear where to start or where they intend to go and they are in desperate search for affirmation from anxious onlookers that they are doing good.
Gov. Quinn throws up a website asking Illinoisans to tell him where to cut spending. Quinn is the one who has been in state government for the past 30 years. But this is what infants do: they make the mess and expect someone else to clean it up.
When it comes to tax hikes, however, Quinn grows up very fast. He is quite specific as to how much more of your money he wants; 50% more to be precise.
There are states not named Illinois doing it differently.
In Indiana, a Democrat-controlled state legislature recently repealed an unemployment insurance tax increase to lower the cost of doing business there.
In Virginia, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed eliminating the state’s corporate income tax to spur business investment.
In Maine, Democrat Gov. John Baldacci cut their state income tax rate by one-third after discovering that employment is difficult without employers.
In New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie has proposed significant cuts to 375 different state programs to do the unthinkable and actually bring state expenditures in line with state revenues.
So there are Democrats and Republicans in red states and blue states all battling through the same macroeconomic challenges facing Illinois, but who are making very different tax-and-spend policy choices.
In those states the grown-ups are in charge.
Dan Proft is a Principal of Urquhart Media LLC, a Chicago-based public affairs firm and political commentator for the Don Wade & Roma Morning Show (5-9am) on Chicago’s number one news talk radio station, WLS-AM 890. He can be reached at dan@urqmedia.com.
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