Ryan focuses on spending cuts, but open to tax hikes post recession
If former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan wins his bid for governor, the Elmhurst Republican says he will focus on cutting spending, but be open minded to tax hikes once the recession clears.
"If we do everything humanly possible," Ryan said of the spending cuts and landmark reforms he is proposing, "then I would look at revenue enhancements."
"But not before the recession is over," Ryan quickly added during a tapping of WBBM 780AM's At Issue program on Thursday.
When asked later about what taxes Ryan would consider raising, his spokesman Dan Curry said, "He doesn't believe that will be necessary. He believes the fiscal discipline he will impose on Springfield will right our financial ship."
Ryan is one of six Republican candidates vying for the party's nomination in the Feb. 2 primary. Most other contenders have taken a hard vow not to raise taxes if elected in stark contrast to Gov. Pat Quinn's push to raise the income tax rate 50 percent to bail the state out of an $11 billion budget shortfall.
However, Hinsdale Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard also has left wiggle room in his tax stance.
"I have no designs to raise any taxes," Dillard told Springfield reporters Thursday. "But everything must be open when you have a record budget deficit, the second biggest deficit in the United States of America, everything needs to be out there, but it is absolutely the last resort."
Asked what would qualify as a "last resort", Dillard said, "I don't know."
And he criticized as "grossly ignorant" or untruthful, other Republicans who wholesale write off possible budget fixes, even if for discussion.
Asked if he felt fellow Republicans "no tax" pledges are irresponsible, Dillard responded: "I'm saying some of them are pandering, and I'll leave it at that."
As for Ryan, he spent a considerable amount of time during the interview Thursday talking about cutting state spending, but he would not single out specific state programs to take the hit.
Like other Republican candidates, he is calling for a top-to-bottom review of spending to target cuts. Beyond that, he wants reforms to public employee pension plans and Medicaid to save money.
"We can't sustain what we are doing," Ryan said of state spending. "We have to get back to the basics."
Ryan had previously endorsed a plan to reduce property taxes in exchange for an increase in the income tax, but he says now that is a bad idea given the economy. He also says he has looked at other states that have a similar tax structure and seen the switch, intended to better fund education, doesn't work as well as promised.
"I have had a lot more time to look at the issue," Ryan said.
The At Issue program will air at 9:30 p.m. on WBBM 780AM.
Other candidates running for governor on the Republican ticket include DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom of Naperville, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, conservative commentator Dan Proft of Chicago, Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski and former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna of Chicago.