CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— End of state budget impasse brings stability, disappointment for business – Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz and Ally Marotti
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-illinois-budget-business-impact-0709-biz-20170706-story.html
— ‘A questionable expense’: Aurora Housing Authority spent thousands on luxury patio, office fireplace – Sarah Freishtat and Hannah Leone
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/news/ct-abn-aurora-housing-authority-fireplace-patio-st-0627-20170707-story.html
— Illinois’ financial challenges remain despite income tax increase – Kim Geiger and Monique Garcia
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-illinois-budget-tax-hike-finances-met-0709-20170707-story.html
— Illinois taxpayers: After the whomping, do we stay or do we go? – John Kass (DIERSEN: The Democrats who run Illinois increasingly make it clear that they want individuals, organizations, and companies that are members of Group A to stay in the state and members of Group B to leave the state. Group A is anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders (except Bill Clinton), and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America longer than their ancestors and Group B is Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German Americans, draft avoiders (except Bill Clinton), and/or those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. In aggregate, members of Group B pay far more taxes than members of Group A.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-illinois-tax-hike-kass-met-0709-20170707-column.html
DAILY HERALD
— Trump, with Putin, predicts ‘positive things’ for US, Russia – AP
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170707/news/307079978/
— Lake Michigan water flows into new areas of Lake County – Mick Zawislak
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20170708/lake-michigan-water-flows-into-new-areas-of-lake-county
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Did Rauner really win the budget fight? – GREG HINZ (DIERSEN: One could ask “Did those who won the fight against TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, Milton Township Republican Central Committee, Illinois Center Right Coalition, American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter, and GAO really win?”)
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170708/ISSUE05/170709930/how-illinois-budget-veto-override-will-affect-governor-race
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Rauners ask “What, exactly, was the point of all this, Governor?”
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170708/ISSUE07/170709939/crains-editorial-how-gov-rauner-failed-illinois
— Poll: On budget battle, Crain’s readers pick side
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170708/ISSUE07/170709937/on-budget-battle-crains-readers-pick-side
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Rauner retaliation? Time will tell – Bernard Schoenburg
http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20170708/bernard-schoenburg-rauner-retaliation-time-will-tell
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Service agencies: Budget deal may be ‘too little, too late’ – Paul Swiech
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/government-and-politics/service-agencies-budget-deal-may-be-too-little-too-late/article_3c4bff13-9680-59cd-a5c2-5c8bf8db1172.html
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Doing my job, voting for balanced budget – Mike Unes
http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20170708/spotlight-doing-my-job-voting-for-balanced-budget
BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— You will work 28 hours to pay new Illinois tax. How about 14 to change things? – Editorial
http://www.bnd.com/opinion/editorials/article159970434.html
KANKAKEE DAILY JOURNAL
— Who is the real public today? – Dennis Marek (DIERSEN: Are/were you rich? All during the almost 30 years that I worked for the federal government, my Democrat superiors, Democrat supervisors, Democrat co-workers, and Democrat subordinates demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as being rich. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, a minority, a female, or a veteran.)
http://www.daily-journal.com/opinion/columnists/local/dennis-marek-who-is-the-real-public-today/article_dee873ef-db72-531b-86cb-65bf3cafd71d.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: As I, and most of America, get more nauseated by the political scene each day, something else arises. We, of Illinois, are the victims of a state with little hope. Last month, it was announced Illinois ranks 50th in the financial stability of all the states. We have no budget as I write this. We have no cooperation between the governor and the legislature. We have no money. All we have is self-righteous rich men and women running our state into utter bankruptcy. Is the general public rich or poor? I suppose that depends on the definition of rich. Obviously, this also depends on the person who is defining the term. If a person is on Social Security, public assistance, or is unemployed, someone earning $30,000 is rich. If one is a professional earning $150,000 per year, then the multimillionaire is rich. And if you are Gov. Rauner who has millions, then Bill Gates is rich. It is all in the point of view. So, let’s be fair. Let’s say the well-off person is from a family that nets after all deductions and itemizations more than $50,000. Then, let’s say the present budget impasse between Michael Madigan and Rauner is on the proposed increase in the Illinois income tax rate. The House, with the help of 15 Republicans, passed Madigan’s bill increasing the state income tax for individuals from 3.75 to 4.9 percent and the corporate tax from 5.25 to 7 percent. We are a broke state. Do we tax more or spend less to get out of debt? That is one of the major differences between the political parties today. Democrats want to tax the rich more and keep programs going. The Republicans want to “lower” everyone’s taxes (mostly theirs) and cut spending everywhere. So, who is right? Rauner wants to redo the worker’s compensation system, something that was fought over forever 50-plus years ago. Rauner wants to cut Medicaid and fees charged by doctors. He wants to leave Illinois taxes low. Remember, not that long ago, we actually paid 5 percent state income tax. Let’s look at who really gets help if we do not raise state taxes. Take a $50,000 family. If the tax stays at 3.75 percent, the family pays $1,875 in Illinois tax. If it goes to 4.9 percent, the family pays $2,450 or $575 more. But if you are in the 20 percent Federal tax bracket and itemize, you save $115 on your Federal tax because your state income tax is another deduction. So, this bill that passed the House cost this family $460. Yet, it is predicted across the state such an increase would bring the state $4.3 billion. The increase in the corporate rate from 5.25 percent to 7 percent would bring in another $460 million. So, the middle income family pays an added $460 per year. Who do you think really pays the balance of the $4.3 billion? The super-rich. The Rauners and the Pritzkers. The very people who want to run the State of Illinois.)
WSIL TV
— Trump pledges $50 million to help women entrepreneurs (DIERSEN: The Republican Party platform calls for equal opportunity, that is, no race or gender based preference giving.)
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/35838690/trump-pledges-50-million-to-help-women-entrepreneurs
UPSTREAM IDEAS
— “Fire The 15” Campaign Launch
http://upstream-ideas.com/upstream-ideas/ideas/fire-the-15-campaign-launch
KANE COUNTY REPORTER
— ‘Lipstick reforms’ won’t cover up Illinois’ problems, Wheeler contends – Hoang Tran
http://kanecountyreporter.com/stories/511145582-lipstick-reforms-won-t-cover-up-illinois-problems-wheeler-contends
CHICAGO CITY WIRE
— Rauner described as giving in to compromise yet failing anyway – Caitlin Nordahl
http://chicagocitywire.com/stories/511143198-rauner-described-as-giving-in-to-compromise-yet-failing-anyway
SANGAMON SUN
— Policy writer Austin Berg argues budget plan has no solutions for Illinois – Caitlin Nordahl
http://sangamonsun.com/stories/511143454-policy-writer-argues-budget-plan-has-no-solutions-for-illinois
LAKE COUNTY GAZETTE
— Barbara Wheeler: Illinoisans are leaving, and budget is another shove out the door – Hoang Tran
http://lakecountygazette.com/stories/511145586-wheeler-illinoisans-are-leaving-and-budget-is-another-shove-out-the-door
DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— DuPage board member Brian Krajewski saddened, not surprised, by Radogno departure – Justin Stoltzfus
http://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511143155-dupage-board-member-saddened-not-surprised-by-radogno-departure
— DuPage County taxpayers will pay an extra $557M with passage of tax hike law
http://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511144677-dupage-county-taxpayers-will-pay-an-extra-557m-with-passage-of-tax-hike-law
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IL GOP RELEASES NEW VIDEO ATTACKING SPEAKER MADIGAN’S TAX HIKE
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/07/il-gop-releases-new-video-attacking-speaker-madigans-tax-hike.html
GOPUSA
— Oregon governor to sign bill providing free abortions to all
http://www.gopusa.com/oregon-governor-to-sign-bill-providing-free-abortions-to-all/
— DeVos’ conservatism questioned over transgender pronouns (DIERSEN: Conservatives do not do anti-conservative things.)
http://www.gopusa.com/?p=26765
AMERICAN THINKER
— Despite passing a budget, Illinois bonds could still drop to junk status – Rick Moran
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/07/despite_passing_a_budget_illinois_bonds_could_still_drop_to_junk_status.html
NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: An anti-Trump charges Trump with “Dissing Jews.” While I worked for the federal government for almost 30 years, many of my superiors and supervisors were Jewish. My Democrat superiors, supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates reminded them a) that I am 100% German national origin and b) that I was baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. In my defense, I stressed a) that all my ancestors immigrated to northeast Illinois during the 1840s and 1850s, b) that my grandfather on my father’s side fought the Germans in WWI, c) that my uncles on my mother’s side fought the Germans in WWII, and d) my father would have fought the Germans in WWII if he had not been 4-F.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/08/opinion/sunday/why-does-donald-trump-keep-dissing-jews.html
