Tuesday, January 25, 2005

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Dated January 25, 2005 at 2:30 pm
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Likely Republican Gubernatorial Primary Candidate State Senator Rauschenberger declines to take the tax pledge, but states that he doesn’t expect to raise taxes.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you take a pledge not to raise taxes? Would you take a pledge, if you were Governor, not to raise the [state] general sales tax, not to raise the state income tax?

State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger: No, I think that is a terrible mistake.
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Berkowitz: But you will not take a [tax] pledge. You are saying that you may decide to come in [and] to raise the income tax or to raise the sales tax? You won’t take that [tax] pledge tonight?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I think those kind of pledges are counterproductive. The extraordinary circumstances that we went through in this last compression. The Governor—and the fact that this Governor has made the pledges he’s made, I think is deleterious to what he does. I don’t think you need to raise taxes, I wouldn’t expect to raise taxes.
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State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger [R- Elgin]: I think a lot of legislators, including myself, would support a casino complex in Chicago under the right set of conditions and understanding how the resources were going to be used.
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In a show that first aired in the suburbs two weeks ago, State Senator Steve Rauschenberger is featured again on “Public Affairs,” in the suburbs tonight and this week [Comcast Cable, Week of Jan. 24]. See the conclusion of this blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule.
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State Senator Rauschenberger debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz the “Illinois First,” spending program, spending and taxes in Illinois in recent and current years and under former Governor George Ryan, State budgets, tax pledges, school vouchers/school choice, Governor Blagojevich’s performance, Gun Control, the Assault Weapon Ban, state subsidies to the CTA and publicly financed embryonic stem cell research.
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A partial, previously unpublished, transcript of the show with Senator Rauschenberger is included, below.
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Additional partial transcripts and more information about tonight’s “Public Affairs,” TV show in the City are included in the blog entries dated Jan. 17 at 5:20 pm and 1:40 pm, below.
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Coming Attractions: Cong. Dan Lipinski is featured tomorrow night [Wednesday] in a special edition of "Public Affairs," airing at 10:00 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV] Through-out the City of Chicago. This is an encore performance of a show that first aired a few weeks ago.
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Jeff Berkowitz: Would you take a pledge not to raise taxes? Would you take a pledge, if you were Governor, not to raise the [state] general sales tax, not to raise the state income tax?

State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger: No, I think that is a terrible mistake.

Berkowitz: You won’t take a pledge?

Sen. Rauschenberger: No, I will not take a pledge.

Berkowitz: Wow, your conservative credentials may be questioned tonight.

Sen. Rauschenberger: Well, I hope not. Because if thirteen years of service in the General Assembly—

Berkowitz: Does Jack Roeser support you?

Sen. Rauschenberger: If a recorded thirteen year record in the General Assembly with real votes and real issues, not a puffy novice coming in here telling you, I mean if thirteen years record in the General Assembly doesn’t persuade people that I am a serious candidate, that I am serious about taxes, or serious about being conservative—But, I think pledges are the kind of things that are big mistakes.

Berkowitz: You do?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I mean, George Ryan—

Berkowitz: Are you an NSC?

Sen. Rauschenberger: NSC?

Berkowitz: NSC. You told me [before the show] what an NSC was, right?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I am a Non-Scary Conservative.

Berkowitz: Isn’t that an NSC?

Sen. Rauschenberger: Well, yes--
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Sen. Rauschenberger: I don’t think I am a scary conservative. I think I am a serious candidate—

Berkowitz: But you will not take a [tax] pledge. You are saying that you may decide to come in [and] to raise the income tax or to raise the sales tax? You won’t take that [tax] pledge tonight?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I think those kind of pledges are counterproductive. The extraordinary circumstances that we went through in this last compression. The Governor—and the fact that this Governor has made the pledges he’s made, I think is deleterious to what he does. I don’t think you need to raise taxes, I wouldn’t expect to raise taxes.

Berkowitz: Does Jack Roeser support you, you know Jack Roeser?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I know Jack Roeser.

Berkowitz: What’s his organization called?

Sen. Rauschenberger: Family Taxpayers Network.

Berkowitz: Right. Do they want people to take pledges not to raise the income tax or the sales tax?

Sen. Rauschenberger: I don’t know.

Berkowitz: But he supports you, right? Did he support you for—

Sen. Rauschenberger:I don’t know. I don’t have that commitment, yet.

Berkowitz: You are working on it?

Sen. Rauschenberger: Well, yeah. I’d like him to. I like Jack.
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State Senator Rauschenberger interviewed on "Public Affairs," as it is being cablecast this week [Week of Jan. 24] in the suburbs on Comcast Cable. See the text, directly below, for a detailed "Public Affairs," suburban airing schedule. This show was recorded on January 4, 2004.
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The suburban edition of "Public Affairs," is regularly broadcast every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 pm on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Ft. Sheridan, Glencoe, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lincolnshire, Riverwoods and Winnetka.

The suburban edition also is broadcast every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 19 in Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northfield, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wilmette and every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Cable Channel 35 in Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Glenview, Golf, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Mt. Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Skokie, Streamwood and Wheeling.
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Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
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