New State General Assembly Begins Work

January 12, 2011 1:54 PM

Illinois State Capitol buillding in Springfield (AP Photo)

Filed under

Democrats’ Majority Has Shrunken

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) – Hours after the old Illinois General Assembly voted to raise taxes, a brand-new one began work.

New members of the Illinois House and Senate were sworn in Wednesday and the 97th General Assembly officially got underway.

Democrats still control both chambers, but their majorities have shrunk.

Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago) was re-elected as Senate president. He promises to focus on improving education and reducing worker’s compensation costs.

As he has for every team but one since 1983, state Rep. Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), returns as House speaker.

Madigan and Cullerton were among those pushing for a 66 percent tax increase to help plug the state’s $15 billion deficit. Both houses have approved the tax hike, which Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign into law.

Madigan says the last session was among the most contentious and also most productive sessions in Illinois history.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

BEN

THE DEMOCRATS DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE
THAT IS WHY THEY DID IT IN LAME DUCK SESSION.
THEY ALL NEED TO BE KICKED OUT OF OFFICE AND REPLACED.
WE NEED A TAX REVOLT AND ALL COMPANIES NEED
TO HOLD THERE PAYROLL TAXES AND INCOME TAXES
UNTIL THEY STOP SPENDING AND STARVE THEM.

Ben 2

What you really need is to quit typing in all caps you d-bag!
Gerald Spencer

Those companies haven’t been making payments to either Springfield or Washington for years. That is part of the problem, businesses are talking employee money, keeping it, then later settling their debts for a penny on the dollar.

Dan

Obviously Ben you have never heard of a tax lien, levy, or siezure. Also you spelled there wrong it should be their

Gene

Better check your own spelling……

rich

Any legislator who voted for the increase should be reminded of it at the next election by being voted out of office. Unfortunately voters have such short memories that it won’t happen which is precisely what the politicians are counting on.
ak

Now with the clould lifted from their pension benefits the new general assembly can go back to business as usual…the first agenda items: Pay raises for legislators? Quinn giving his senior staff the raises he promised? How about seriously dealing with one of the biggest problems – pension benefits and other entitlement programs for state employees…way past time to stop offering pensions and early retirement options…how about 401 (K) plans and retirement at age 66 like most everyone else!
Gerald Spencer

Texas, Florida and Alaska grew since the last census because they do not have any personal income tax; they are also where the scoff laws go.