Illinois Governor Pat Quinn delivers his State of the State Address at noon. Barbara Flynn Currie is a fellow Democrat in the Illinois House. She still supports the governor’s call for an income tax hike to reduce the state’s multi-billion dollar deficit.
CURRIE: I do think that it’s critical if we want to maintain services for the vulnerable, people who are our responsibility, we really have to do the job.
Currie thinks the governor should blame the state’s dire financial situation on the global recession rather than over-spending on the part of lawmakers.
Meantime, the top Republican in the Illinois House says there’s more room for cuts in the state budget before lawmakers talk about raising taxes.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross says the economy is the biggest issue. He thinks there are better ways to improve the state’s bottom line than Governor Quinn’s plan to raise the income tax.
CROSS: I think the governor and many of his colleagues on his side of the aisle, the income tax hike is the easy way to address some of these issues. The tough issues are the issues of reform.
Cross says the state should make budget cuts before raising taxes.
You can hear the governor’s address live here at noon.
This version has been updated to correct the spelling of Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie’s name.