The Continuing Crisis

Citizens demanded Illinois State Legislators find a solution for the State’s budget crisis, so they had the courage to pass a tax

A 60 MINUTES segment entitled State Budgets: The Day of Reckoning aired on Dec. 19. In it, 60 Minutes' Steve Kroft interviewed then-Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on their states' fiscal crises. 60 Minutes referred to the "University of Illinois" as one of the State's creditors while showing video of UIC. The focus of the interviews appeared to spin it that public employee pensions are to blame for the states' fiscal crises. While Hynes appeared more circumspect, Christie bared no holds and was very blunt and direct in his position, throwing down the gauntlet to public employees and telling one if she didn’t like the changes coming, she could quit her job.

AS A result, House Republicans in Washington are talking about using a Christie-type model to break State employees around the country. See In Christie We Trust.

THE SHAMEFUL attack on public employees. See Huffington Post, Jan. 4, The Shameful Attack on Public Employees.

TAX INCREASE monumental first step to fix State budget crisis. See Progress Illinois, Jan. 12, Democrats Take "Monumental First Step" To Fix State Budget Crisis.

TAX INCREASE needed in Illinois, says Chicago Tribune on Jan. 8. See
Time for Illinois to behave like an adult.