By Greg Halbleib
BLOOMINGTON – The Democratic candidate for governor and the U.S. Senate minority leader stopped in Bloomington on Wednesday on their way to their party’s day at the Illinois State Fair.
JB Pritzker told a crowded room in downtown Bloomington that his challenge to incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner is partly based on changing the current tax system.
“Raise the taxes of Bruce Rauner and me and those who are wealthier in the state, lowering taxes for the vast majority of people in the state, and making sure that we change the funding mix between the state and local government in funding schools,” Pritzker said. “We have one of the most unfair tax systems in the nation.”
Sen. Dick Durbin said polarization of the country is not as deep as some believe.
“The vast majority of American people share the same bedrock values,” Durbin told the audience. “They’re not the values of fear and hate. It is a belief in opportunity and a belief in equality. The terrible things we see coming out in tweets, things that are racist and hateful and bigoted, do not represent who we are.”
Pritzker criticized Rauner’s negative campaign tactics.
“Have you seen one positive commercial from Bruce Rauner?” Pritker asked the gathering. “Not one. You know why? Because he’s not done anything in three and a half years to brag about.”
Durbin, who agreed with Pritzker’s assessment of the sitting governor.
“I have yet to receive the first phone call from this governor about a federal program or federal opportunity for the state of Illinois,” Durbin said. “He has never picked up the phone to do what every other governor has done during the time I’ve been your senator. That’s a lost opportunity.”
Pritzker blamed Rauner for the recent long budget stalemate.
“A budget is a moral document,” Pritzker said. “It’s a moral expression of our values in a state. For two years, Governor Rauner was unwilling to sit down and hammer out a budget. I don’t care whether you don’t like the people on the other side of the table. You’ve got to negotiate. You’ve got to get a budget done.”
Durbin praised Pritzker and lieutenant governor candidate Juliana Stratton for focusing their campaign on the entire state.
“Here was a team that was committed to coming downstate and understanding the challenges we face,” Durbin said. “Any politician who sets one part of the state against the other ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
Local Democratic candidates joined Pritzker and Durbin during the midday visit to downtown Bloomington.
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
