Suburban lawmakers talk taxes, sacred cows

SPRINGFIELD - In recent weeks, the Daily Herald tracked down the nearly four dozen state lawmakers representing the paper's circulation area to ask two questions:

1. Do you have a financial sacred cow in the state budget that you think should be spared when the budget ax falls?

2. Could you see yourself voting for a sales or income tax increase?

Here is how local lawmakers responded. (To find out who your lawmakers are go to: www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1.)

Illinois House:

Rep. Suzanne Bassi, Palatine Republican

1. "No, I really don't. My concern at the moment is that we've got so many sacred cows that as far as I am concerned everything is on the table, and that's true for any means of balancing the budget."

2. "I think everything has to be on the table, but I will not vote for any tax hikes unless I see some reductions in some of what we are doing, particularly some of the things Governor Blagojevich did that we couldn't afford in the first place."

Rep. Mark Beaubien, a Barrington Hills Republican

1. No

2. No

Rep. Robert Biggins, an Elmhurst Republican

1. Education

2. No. "I think we can avoid tax hikes without cutting too deep into education."

Rep. Linda Chapa-LaVia, an Aurora Democrat

1. "No, absolutely not. It's hard times, we really need to tighten our belts."

2. "I don't know at this point. It really depends on my constituency. When I knock on doors people are OK with the idea of an income tax increase, but I'd have to do a thorough finding on that. I think it'd be important to get that feedback."

Rep. Franco Coladipietro, a Bloomingdale Republican

1. No.

2. "Given the current environment, no. Until we have an open and honest dialogue about how we're spending money, no."

Rep. Sandy Cole, Grayslake Republican

1. "Well, we have a problem with the amount of revenue coming into the state and we need to cut back. No new programs until we can pay for the ones we have."

2. No

Rep. Michael Connelly, Lisle Republican

1. "We are just starting now to go through the budget process."

2. "No. I reject the premise of the question."

Rep. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat

1. "I feel very strongly about disability services. They're grossly under funded right now as it is. We can't touch that. There's just no way. If anything we need to find a way to fund those programs. These folks don't have any options. They have nowhere to go."

2. Wants to see state agencies fix chronic audit findings first. "Taxes for me, it's tough because of the Cook County sales tax. I'm all Cook County but I border DuPage and I border Kane, so we're taking a big hit. In my district that's not a very popular thing. It should be considered in the light of everything should be on the table, but it'll be a last resort kind of thing."

House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego

1. No. "I haven't even looked at the budget yet."

2. "I'm not pro-tax increase whatsoever."

Rep. Keith Farnham, an Elgin Democrat

1. "Mostly just trying to get our agencies caught up. So that we can ... try to get these social service agencies to be paid on time."

2. No.

Rep. Mike Fortner, a West Chicago Republican

1. No. "There are some things that will be more critical in terms of public safety than others. But you have to look at everything."

2. "I'd have to see a pretty convincing case. I haven't seen that yet."

Rep. Jack Franks, a Marengo Democrat

1. "I think the entire budget process ought to be blown up. It's designed for failure. There should be nothing sacred."

2. "I've never voted for a tax or fee increase since I've been here. I would consider it if we first did what we needed to do with the budget. I'm not going to throw good money after bad. Until we do all our reforms, no."

Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat

1. "I'm open to trying to save money wherever we can. On the other hand I don't think we should be throwing seniors out of nursing homes or denying funding for some of our education needs either."

"I don't want to throw people off health care who are indigent and have no alternative."

2. "At this stage I wouldn't commit. I'm not one of those who has ever taken the (no tax) pledge. I don't think it's responsible, especially given the environment. I want to wait and see."

Rep. Kay Hatcher, a Yorkville Republican

1. "Every single effort for our budget is important. The entire year is going to be set on how we allocate resources and this is a decision all of us will make together."

2. "I am in favor of looking at many alternatives."

Rep. Emily Klunk-McAsey, a Lockport Democrat

1. "I think that we really do face a lot of challenges as a state, that we have a huge deficit and at the very same time in my district we have families that are struggling in these very uncertain economic times and with regard to the budget I'm eager to see and hear the governor's budget address on March the 18th. And I do hope he takes a very realistic approach as he prepares that budget and I think right now I'm interested to see what it is that he proposes."

2. "I think that right now we have so many challenges and again I am waiting to see what the governor proposes on March the 18th. And I look forward to moving together and addressing those challenges and working to do what's right for families in Illinois and for families in my district."

Rep. Sidney Mathias, a Buffalo Grove Republican

1. No. "I am open to review the whole budget"

2. "I am not in favor of tax hikes and I certainly don't want to look at them until we have reviewed the budget from top to bottom."

Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, a Des Plaines Republican

1. Programs for developmentally disabled, mental health care and addiction services. "Even if the budget stays status quo, you're going to have a lot more people using services."

2. "Not particularly. I don't see any desire to solve problems, I only see a desire to spend money."

Rep. Elaine Nekritz, a Northbrook Democrat

1. "Over my time in the legislature, human services has taken huge cuts and I don't think our human service system can withstand more."

2. "All options have to be on the table, from cuts to tax increases."

Rep. JoAnn Osmond, an Antioch Republican

1. "I have two (state) parks in my district, I really, really am concerned about keeping them viable and keeping them in the budget and making sure we don't cut anymore from the parks."

2. "I don't like tax hikes whatsoever. I know everybody says we are looking at some major ones but I really feel we need to streamline. We need to cut our spending and try to stay in control."

Rep. Sandra Pihos, a Glen Ellyn Republican

1. No. "Always want to safeguard education."

2. "I am not in favor of tax hikes at this time. We have to look at our pensions and our Medicaid spending."

Rep. Randy Ramey, a Carol Stream Republican

1. "No, I think if we're going to make cuts it should be across the board. Everything should be on the board."

2. "No. None whatsoever. They've been spending and spending and spending over the last six years always saying, 'Oh we'll worry about paying for it later.' Well apparently later is now. When I started here three-and-a-half years ago, I came here as a conservative. I'm not going to vote for any tax increases to pay for their extravagant spending."

Rep. Dennis Reboletti, an Elmhurst Republican

1. No. "You have to take a very balanced approached and take a line-by-line look."

2. "I don't see it at this time and the fact that nobody's talking about reforming anything. We're talking about how we can spend more money, how we can raise more revenue. I haven't heard any conversation about cutting."

Rep. Kathy Ryg, a Vernon Hills Democrat

1. "I'm really concerned about the status of our human service providers. Their budgets were cut by the governor last year, reserves were required by the agencies, we haven't kept up with our payment commitments."

2. "I'm keeping an open mind on the revenue. What I'm going to be looking for is a long-term investment that isn't a crisis reaction but really sets us up so we have the revenues we need for important state services. We can't ask the taxpayers to ante up more if, as you guys report, the money is going for purposes other than which it was intended."

Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano, an Elmwood Park Republican

*Could not be reached for comment

Rep. Timothy Schmitz, a Batavia Republican

1. "I think everything's got to get looked at."

2. "I could not."

Rep. Darlene Senger, a Naperville Republican

1. "I guess you would say if I had a budgetary sacred cow it would be to try and protect our tax dollars. I wouldn't want to see any more programs added in any way shape or form because we can't take care of what we've got now."

2. No

Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr., a Mundelein Republican

1. No. "I don't think there are any sacred cows in an economy like we have and in a budget shortfall we have. Realistically by July 1st, we are trying to come up with $6 billion for this year alone there should be no cows including education, Medicaid, across the board. It is just a very serious, serious problem we have to solve."

2. "I am not in favor of taxing. I think we can do a lot of cuts and I think we can do some kind of pushing bills from year to year to help get through a crisis that we are in right now and the federal money will flow in that will help a lot of what's going on."

Rep. Michael Tryon, a Crystal Lake Republican

1. "Well I think everything is on the table and we have to put everything on the table with the economy and where we are at financially."

2. "Not until I see the budget. I have to see what Governor Quinn is proposing. I think it is too early to say that anybody is in favor of tax hikes until we actually get it and digest it."

Rep. Mark Walker, an Arlington Heights Democrat

1. No.

2. "I see myself both cutting and voting for revenue increases, because to get over $10 billion it is impossible to do it without both. Honestly, anybody who says otherwise is simply not telling you the truth. I expect us to cut before we ask for any more revenue."

Rep. Eddie Washington, a Waukegan Democrat

1. "I think some things like the seniors' (free mass transit) I think we should kind of go a little easy on that and not rush to try to take that.

2. Everything is on the table. And of course I can see myself putting myself in position to help correct this problem. It's going to have to start somewhere and anytime you go under the surgeon's knife it's always painful. But that doesn't mean it's got to be terminal. I think everything is on the table.

Illinois Senate:

Sen. Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican

1. "I think my focus will be on to preserve as many of the social service programs as we possibly can."

2. "I leave all options open on the board noting with huge emphasis and vehemence that we can cut and we have a responsibility to cut programs. We have to be responsible first and then yes, if there's still a huge deficit would I consider an enhanced revenue source? Absolutely."

Sen. Michael Bond, a Grayslake Democrat:

1. No

2. No. "I think we need to look at the spending programs before we look into that."

Sen. Dan Cronin, an Elmhurst Republican

1. "I think everything should be on the table, however, I'm very sensitive to education and services for kids with disabilities. (Developmentally disabled) facilities really are in no position to be experiencing a cut, they're barely staying above water and education is very important to me. You have to be a little more thoughtful about it. I think those are two areas of priority that I would be very reluctant to cut."

2. "I would say highly unlikely."

Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican

1. "My priorities are education but I'm not willing to trade an income tax increase for anything."

2. No.

Sen. Dan Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican

1. No. "Spending on new programs is going to be difficult. I think we need to find out where all the money is going and not continuing to throw money down the black hole."

2. No.

Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat

1. "I really don't, I think everything should be looked at. I don't' think there should be anything sacred in the economic climate we're in."

2. "I will not vote for a sales tax increase. On the income tax, I am waiting to hear what the proposal is. What I'm looking for is some fairness ... and also pension reform."

Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat

1. "I think we have to negotiate with everything on the table."

2. "I can't see voting for a sales tax increase. If anything the sales tax is already too high. That being said, I think we have to enter negotiations with, similarly, everything on the table. I think an income tax is a more likely proposal."

Sen. Linda Holmes, an Aurora Democrat

1. No. "To be honest my absolute priority right now is to make sure we get a capital bill passed because we desperately need to put people to work in addition to needing the bridges, the roads and the school construction."

2. "Arguably we don't know if it is a $9 billion or an $11.5 billion deficit and I think we need to plug that. My main goal right now is not to do any more new programs. We can't afford to do new spending we need to get a handle on getting our bills paid."

Sen. Randall Hultgren, a Winfield Republican

1. "No, I really don't. I think there's obviously things that constitutionally need to be our highest priority, I don't want to cut them necessarily, but want to see if we can do them more efficiently. I think everything should be looked at."

2. "No. I'll listen, but I think it's a mistake."

Sen. Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat

1. "I have two issues: health care and education."

2. "I think we need to have an ethics proposal before we look at tax increases."

Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican

1. No

2. No. "Time to batten down the hatches, people I work for are and expect no difference from state officials."

Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat

1. No.

2. "I'm open minded, but right now I'm not in favor of a tax hike."

Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican

1. "We are really going to have to look at the budget and the expenditures. This is our opportunity to go through everything and make government more efficient."

2. "Are we going to fix the problems in state government first or just raise taxes?"

Sen. Matt Murphy, a Palatine Republican

1. No

2. "I'm in favor of whatever is necessary to avoid a tax hike."

Sen. Michael Noland, an Elgin Democrat

1. "Absolutely off the table? No. In these times everything has to be on the table."

2. "It would be very difficult, very difficult. But, like I say, everything is on the table. We've got a $9 billion deficit ditch that we're stuck in and we've got to pull ourselves out."

Sen. Carole Pankau, an Itasca Republican

1. No

2. No. "I don't think we are going to have to do that."

Sen. Arthur "AJ" Wilhelmi, a Joliet Democrat

1. "I think that we have to make sure that we don't see a drop in education funding across the board especially in early childhood education."

2. "I'm giving that very careful consideration. Obviously we need to see the details in the proposal. We certainly have needs. There is no question about that. The question is how to accomplish the goal of closing a very large budget hole."