The Democratic race to the Illinois Governor’s mansion is getting heated. State Comptroller Dan Hynes officially announced his candidacy Wednesday.

And that’s put incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn on the attack.

Comptroller Hynes came out swinging.

He’s proposing an ambitious plan to balance - what he’s calling - “Pat Quinn’s” budget deficit.

It includes a combination of luxury taxes, cost-cutting, and - most notably - replacing Illinois’ flat income tax with a progressive one.

Quinn says he’s supported that idea for years.

But he says Hynes “went fishing” when the budget fight got tough.

QUINN: From day one, he didn’t want to cooperate.  He just wanted to play politics.  And I’m disappointed in him.  I thought he wouldn’t be so much of a professional naysayer.

Quinn says Hynes’ proposal would require a constitutional amendment, which voters wouldn’t have a chance to approve until the next general election, in November 2010.

If elected, Quinn says he’ll fight for such an amendment.

But in the meantime, the governor is standing by his call for a statutory income tax hike, which he says would bring in much-needed revenue sooner.