Democrats not alone in blame

As a former longtime resident of DuPage County, I listened with interest to talk radio and television over the past days at the justifiable outrage at the Illinois tax increase. The people seem to be blaming the Democrats. Well, the Democrats are certainly justified in the blame scenario. However, the thing that is incredibly disgusting is the sanctimonious tone of certain GOP members. Failed GOP candidate Kirk Dillard is by far the most hypocritical of the bunch. Dillard tried to make everyone forget that while he was former Gov. Jim Edgar’s chief of staff, patronage, out-of-control spending and waste flourished. Edgar’s patronage director, Janis Cellini, the sister of now-indicted Springfield power broker Bill Cellini, put many Chicago connected patronage workers in state positions at high salaries. Dillard knew about this and did nothing.

So voters, listen carefully to public officials like Dillard. Republican and Democrat, they are all part of the same hypocrisy.

Ken Gaines

Chicago