Republican Leaders Question Brady’s Economic Plan

As Illinois tries to grapple with a $13 billion budget deficit, Illinois republican leaders say their party's gubernatorial nominee, Bill Brady, should re-consider his opposition to a tax increase.

Speaking on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana on Wednesday, Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno noted that budget cuts will need to be made by whoever is elected in November. However, she said that raising taxes could still be a possibility to generate more revenue.

"Before we talk about any sort of revenue enhancement, we need to make sure that all the cuts that can be made have been done," she said. "After we've done all of that and we assess where we're at, then we have to make a decision about whether or not there needs to be a tax increase."

Governor Pat Quinn, Brady's Democratic opponent, is eying a 33% income tax hike to ease cuts he has already proposed. The Green Party's Rich Whitney is also in favor of an income tax increase, while independent gubernatorial candidate Scott Lee Cohen and Libertarian party candidate Lex Green will not support one.

Former republican governor Jim Edgar said if Brady is elected, he thinks the realities of the job will impact Brady's strategy to solving the state's fiscal mess.

"I don't think anybody should figure that he's able at this point to completely outline point-by-point what he would do if he becomes governor with the budget," he explained. "I couldn't when I was running in 1990."

Brady and Quinn are in a tight race. A recent Rasmussen poll finds Brady picking up half of likely voters, 37% going to Quinn, Whitney earning four percent of support, and ten percent of voters stating that they are undecided or preferring another candidate.

(Photo by Sean Powers/WILL)