Hynes' budget plan recycles rejected ideas

SPRINGFIELD - In unveiling his plan to fix the state's budget morass, Democratic candidate for governor Dan Hynes is counting on a lot of people changing their minds and his party rival doing quite a bit of his heavy lifting.

Nearly all of the deficit-busting concepts outlined by the three-term state comptroller have been taken up recent years by lawmakers. Many, if not most, have either stalled or been voted down.

For instance, Hynes proposes three new casinos and a constitutional amendment to change the state's tax structure. But just a few months ago lawmakers rejected three new casinos and in 2008 they nixed the constitutional amendment on taxes.

Hynes' $1-per-pack cigarette tax was rejected in 2007 and his cosmetic surgery tax he once pitched as a way to fund stem cell research only to have it dropped for lack of political support. Similarly, the business loopholes he wants closed have been proposed and rejected annually.

So why should this plan be taken seriously?

"Partly, I'd like to believe I can be more persuasive," Hynes said. "I think it's also because circumstances have changed."

Lawmakers and Gov. Pat Quinn put off fixing the budget until next year when, unable to agree on higher taxes or deeper cuts, they opted to borrow billions and put off paying bills this year. The plan is to resume budget talks in January.

Quinn, the former lieutenant governor who inherited the governor's office upon Rod Blagojevich's impeachment and ouster, is seeking a full term next year and Hynes is the leading Democratic challenger to date. Numerous Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination and Green Party candidate Rich Whitney is expected to run again.

For Hynes' plan to work as detailed, Quinn would have to enact it during the remainder of his current term.

Hynes wants voters to decide next November whether the state's flat tax rate on income should be altered to allow higher tax rates on higher incomes. If successful, he'd like those higher tax rates to take effect Jan. 1, 2011.

That's just days before the next governor takes office.

Hynes said he's being responsible and telling voters how he'd fix existing problems.

"I'm going to continue offering ideas," Hynes said. "I'm not going to keep things secret until I'm governor."

A Quinn campaign spokesman said there'd be no comment.

Political observers say Hynes finds himself in a bit of a political catch-22.

He'd be criticized if he didn't offer up a budget and tax plan but once he does he risks being criticized on the details, especially since as state comptroller he's currently powerless to enact that agenda.

"Pat Quinn is not gong to embrace Dan Hynes' package," said Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute and a former top media aide to Gov. Jim Edgar.

"As the comptroller he cannot make this happen, but he needed to put something out there. I would hope that the voters hold all the candidates for governor to a standard of being specific on revenue and spending instead of merely criticizing the actions and proposals of others," Lawrence said.

Others said Hynes is taking a gamble by coming out with a tax increase plan since Quinn has already backed higher taxes.

"Politically it's incredibly risky, but I give him credit for coming up with a credible plan," said Paul Green, director of Roosevelt University's School of Policy Studies. "So on one level it's honest. In other words, unlike all the other plans this is a revenue raiser and there's no other way to say it - it's taxing the people who have money which will (tick) off the people who have money."

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