Wednesday, April 21, 2010
 
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Lawmakers preview Wednesday's teachers rally

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[April 21, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD -- Thousands of advocates and teachers affected by proposed state budget cuts are expected to come to the state Capitol on Wednesday in support of an income tax increase.

A rumored 15,000 public education supporters and members of the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, and the Illinois Education Association will arrive early at the Capitol, where they are scheduled to stay all day to reach out to lawmakers and make their statement.

Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been pushing a one percentage point income tax increase, said lawmakers should vote for the 33 percent tax hike because it would help education, which is otherwise slated for $1.3 billion in cuts. His tax hike would bring in $2.8 billion annually that would help to whittle away at the state's $13 billion budget deficit.

He said education is the most important issue the Legislature will vote on.

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"They should vote," Quinn said. "I think it's important to have votes in a democracy. The representatives and senators are elected to come here and vote and on important subjects. Nothing is more important than education."

Quinn last year called for a stronger income tax increase, but the Illinois House soundly defeated it. Additionally, the Senate last year passed its own version of an income tax increase, but the House failed to act on the measure.

Thousands of Illinois teachers and other school employees have already received pink slips for the coming school year, but some may be rehired before the start of school -- after the new state budget has been inked and set in motion on July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said the rally could be a historic event in Illinois, and he's looking forward to seeing all the people who show up.

"I think it's good that people participate in their government, and this is clearly going to be a historical day in Illinois," Jacobs said. "You're going to see there's an awful pent-up demand for service. And you're talking about a crowd of 15,000 people. It could be the largest crowd ever assembled in the General Assembly."

Illinois residents are looking for answers from lawmakers, Jacobs said, and the rally will be a good opportunity for them to speak out.

But state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said he's not sure what the rally will accomplish. Illinois taxpayers are already strapped for cash in an economy with a statewide unemployment rate topping 11 percent, and an income tax increase is not the answer, he said.

"I don't know if they're really accomplishing anything, because most of us realize the state has financial problems," Syverson said. "But we also hear from thousands and thousands of constituents, the taxpayers, who say (they) can't pay any more."

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State Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland, agreed, noting he doesn't think the tax increase being pushed by the teachers' unions is what other Illinois residents want.

"Whether (the rally) changes public policy, I don't know," Winters said. "Our hands are tied with the number of dollars we have available. I think the people that are coming tomorrow are asking us to reach into the taxpayers' wallets and extract additional dollars so that we can pay their salaries. I'm not sure that it's going to go that way at the end of the day."

State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, agreed the rally may not change legislation, but it could serve as a wake-up call to lawmakers. He said Illinois residents want their elected officials to do their job and expect decisions to be made.

"What they're doing is coming up, showing the people that we do have a problem. … Legislators need to step up to the plate and do (their) job," Forby said.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Pontiac, Illinois GOP nominee for treasurer, said that while he hopes the rally is successful, he thinks any changes in policy will come from "logical discussions," and not through thousands of people rallying at the Capitol.

"I think the bottom line is to help influence public policy," Rutherford said. "It's going to come down to a logical discussion -- direct contact with their legislators, explaining through a methodology, a rational way as to why a certain bill or piece of legislation should go into effect or not into effect."

The rally is expected to start at 11:30 a.m. and last until 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.

[Illinois Statehouse News; By ASHLEY BADGLEY]

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