J.B. Pritzker And Julianna Stratton Discuss Long-Term Plans

CHICAGO (CBS)--Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Julianna Stratton sat down with CBS2's political reporter Derrick Blakely to discuss their plans going forward.

Pritzker said his first priority is to succeed where outgoing governor Bruce Rauner failed; delivering a balanced budget in his first year.

In the long term, he said he wants to raise taxes on the wealthy and cut taxes for the working class.

Pritzker says his priority is to raise the living standards for working families in Illinois.

If, after four years, he has accomplished that, Pritzker says, his term will be a success.

Blakely: Should Illinois citizens brace themselves for a tax increase?

Pritzker: No, I think most people in the state should brace themselves for getting more money in their pockets because we're going to lower their taxes. That's really what this has been about. As you know, what I proposed is a graduated income tax and there's been talk about ways to do that. The best way to do that is an amendment in our constitution.

Blakely: A lot of people said for years that Mike Madigan thought he was governor of Illinois. How are you going to work out your relationship with him, and will there be a power struggle?

Pritzker: The governor of the state doesn't get to pick who speaker of house or who president of senate is.

Blakely: Your predecessor was a wealthy political neophyte. How do you guarantee that the pitfalls that swallowed him up, don't consume you?

Pritzker: I think you've seen, I've got real things done, big things done for people throughout Illinois as a non-office holder.

Blakely: This is a different ballgame. What's your learning curve going be?

Pritzker: Actually, you're wrong. To get pre-school and child care done, you've got to talk to people on both sides of the aisle. I've done that on federal and state levels.

Blakley: Pritzker's running mate, L.t. Juilana Stratton, will chair his transition team, which will include advice from across the aisle.

Stratton: We have everyone from governor Edgar to so many other great leaders who are going to help bring diverse perspectives on how we can build the best administration possible.