Hynes first to air TV ad in governor's race

Democrat Dan Hynes criticizes Gov. Pat Quinn's tax proposal while touting his own plan to raise income taxes in the first TV ad of the governor's race, which debuted Thursday.

In the 30-second commercial, Hynes addresses the state's troubled fiscal condition. He says that as state comptroller, whose main duties are to pay the state's bills, he warned ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich about overspending.

"That governor's gone, but our problems aren't," said Hynes, who talks directly to the camera while seated behind a desk dressed in a dark jacket and tie.

Quinn replaced Blagojevich in January when the former governor was removed from office by lawmakers after his arrest on federal corruption charges. Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to scheming to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

Hynes swipes at Quinn for proposing a 50 percent income tax increase. He touts his own tax plan that he said would only raise income taxes on people making more than $200,000. It's a graduated income tax rate system instead of the flat tax rate Illinois currently uses.

Hynes also said the state could help balance its budget by cutting waste "line by line."

Quinn immediately fired back.

"It is unfortunate that, in these difficult economic times, the Comptroller is trying to deceive Illinois voters by giving a false impression of my record," Quinn said in a written statement. "I have always supported a principle as old as the Bible: Taxes should be based on the ability to pay."

When Quinn proposed an income tax hike in March to plug a budget deficit of more than $11 billion he also suggested reducing the sting on the poor and working-class families by upping personal exemptions. Quinn's tax proposal went nowhere in the General Assembly.

McGrath said Hynes bought TV air time early in the campaign so voters would know the key differences between him and Quinn. The Democratic primary is in February.

It's risky for Hynes to spend money on TV airtime now, but it's understandable because he's trying to topple a sitting governor, said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

"It's a risk because people aren't really thinking politics. On the other hand, he's playing catch-up. He doesn't really have any other option," Redfield said.