Political Rewind: GOP Opposes Quinn's Borrowing Plan

Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters.

Republicans talk unity, while divides still plague candidates

While Illinois Republican leaders talked of party unity, candidates and county chairmen addressed the impact of the state's new redistricting map and the growing allegiance with the tea party.

Nearly 200 Republicans gathered at a hotel here, ahead of their party’s annual rally at the 158th Illinois State Fair on the Director’s Lawn in the fairgrounds. 

The message from Republican County Chairmen Association President Randy Pollard was that the unity and hard work will translate into success in 2012. Pollard coordinates efforts, on a county-by-county basis, to get Republicans elected. 

“We are coming together as a party, to build the Republican Party,” said Pollard on Thursday morning. 

But as Pollard rallied his county chairmen, some of next year’s likely candidates were trying to rally support for possible battles against each other. Because they controlled both chambers and the governor's office, Democrats crafted the new redistricting map that lumped together several GOP incumbents into districts, which could lead to competitive primary elections.

GOP leaders renew opposition to borrowing

Republican leaders Thursday renewed their opposition to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to borrow billions of dollars to pay off the state’s debt and overdue bills.

Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, state House Minority Leader Tom Cross and state Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno held a joint news conference here to address comments Quinn made late last week. 

“The very thought that anyone would consider borrowing as a solution to our problem is breathtaking. We cannot use borrowing as a crutch for a tax system and budgetary system that is just broken,” said Topinka, who is in charge of the state’s checkbook. 

Quinn told a gaggle of reporters Aug. 11 that he would continue to push his plan for borrowing in the upcoming veto session in October, despite the Legislature refusing to support his original idea this spring  to borrow $8.75 billion. 

“The notion that you put your head in the sand and pretend these burdens don’t exist isn’t a good way to go,” Quinn said.

Officials say Illlinois State Fair is about more than just the money

Anyone 60 years or older walked through the gates of the Illinois State Fair for free Monday as part of senior day, but freebies like this one are costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year as the fair continues to lose money.

The latest figures available show that the 10-day event in Springfield lost $2.8 million in 2009, and an even larger $3.7 million in 2008, or about 47 percent and 40 percent, respectively, according to Illinois auditor general reports.

All of the money the fair makes goes into the Illinois State Fair Fund, most of which goes back into the operation of the fair. This year the fair used an additional $800,000 from the state’s general revenue fund, which includes tax dollars.

Even state fair tradition touched by economic woes

Of all of the traditions at the Illinois State Fair — the fried food, the politics, the heat and dust — few are prized as much as Tuesday night's Blue Ribbon Sale of Champions. 

The annual sale allows young people to show their champion livestock, after competitions earlier in the week in Springfield, and sell them for big bucks on a bigger stage.

But even the auction of top livestock by youngsters has been touched by Illinois dismal finances.

The state still pays the youngsters, mostly middle- and high-schoolers from small towns statewide, state fair premiums for winning their respective shows. Prizes range from $25 to about $1,000. Winners of those competitions make it to the Sale of Champions.

The youngsters are paid thousands more from the Sale of Champions. They money is donated by people and companies in the spirit of charity and in support of agriculture.

That support from private donors is, in part, making up for dwindling support from the state.

Democratic county chairmen confident in 2012 prospects

Partisan turmoil in Washington, D.C., and here isn't discouraging Illinois Democratic faithful’s confidence in their ability to win big in the 2012 elections. 

Hundreds of frontline Democrats gathered at the annual Democratic County Chairmen’s breakfast at the Crown Plaza Hotel before heading to the 158th Illinois State Fair. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, made public appearances in the northwestern part of his home state Wednesday as part of his three-day tour of the Midwest.

Party chairmen statewide said the 2012 general election, in which all state legislators and U.S. representatives must run for re-election in modified districts because of redistricting, would skew in their party’s favor. 

“I fully expect that with the energy from the top of the ticket — the congressional races — it’s just going to come all the way down, and I think it will not only come down-ticket, but it will also come downstate, starting in Chicago and come all the way down to southern Illinois,” said Monroe County Democratic Chairman Alan Pirtle.

Obama pulls vigor from Democrats at fair

With most of Illinois’ big-name Democrats in Alpha to see President Barack Obama, the candidates who want to be on the 2012 Democratic ballot for the general election were left to fend for themselves at the Illinois State Fair.

Democrats descended on the fairgrounds here for their annual political day at the fair. Democrats have enjoyed the main stage on Governor’s Day since Rod Blagojevich was elected in 2002.

Republicans will have their day at the fair Thursday. About 1,200 people, including union workers, state staffers and local party volunteers, gathered to hear a half dozen Democrats rally the party faithful. 

Wednesday saw a mix of politicking and rah-rahing, as the crowd gathered on the Director's Lawn at the fairgrounds. Illinois' so-called political fair is sectioned off from the hustle and bustle of the fair itself a few blocks.