 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.
"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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