Sen. Althoff will not shut the door on a run against Cong. Bean
Berkowitz: All right, on the federal level, just in case you do decide to run [for the 8th Cong. Dist. seat]. [President] Bush tax cuts, 01, 03, would you have supported those?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: Okay, unequivocally?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: And,that’s a difference between you and[Cong.]Melissa Bean(D-Barrington; 8th Cong. Dist.) because she has not so stated, has she?
Althoff: Not to my knowledge. No.
Berkowitz: Would you say that is a major difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean if you ran [against her]?
Althoff: Yes.
Berkowitz: Would that be the major difference?
Althoff: Most likely.
*********************************************
Tonight's and this week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features State Senator Pam Althoff [R- McHenry], a possible candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist. March, 2006 Republican Primary. See the end of this blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule for “Public Affairs,” and for more about the show with State Senator Althoff, who was appointed to her senate seat two years ago and who was elected to a four year term in November, 2004. The show with State Senator Althoff will also air throughout the City of Chicago [in the regular “Public Affairs,” City of Chicago time slot] on this coming Monday night, March 7 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].
**********************************************
State Senator Pam Althoff [R- McHenry] debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a possible run in the 8th Cong. Dist., a tax swap, education, SB 3186- the gay rights legislation that became law recently, smoke and mirrors, Governor Blagojevich, schisms in the Republican Party, fat cats, very fat cats, the War, Social Security reform, including “personal accounts,” rates of return and social security taxes; the proposed federal energy bill, gun control, the Bush tax cuts and the state budget and deficit and much, much more.
************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with State Senator Pam Althoff is included, below.
****************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …You can skip all the pleasantries …of thanking all those people who are flattering you by mentioning you [as a possible candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist. Republican primary] but what we really want to know is …are you likely to run in the 8th Cong. Dist. …in the Republican Primary for the right or opportunity to run against [Cong.] Melissa Bean in November of 2006?
Sen. Pam Althoff: …My interest as we sit here is to be the best state senator I can be. My constituents just elected me to a four year term…one of my statements is that I would be there…for them to count on, to bring more monies back to McHenry County, to address the issues of concern to McHenry County. If I make the statement sitting here today that my interest level is now at a congressional level, I think that that takes away from my senate position…
Jeff Berkowitz: Would you say, unequivocally, as we sit here on February 20, 2005, that you will not be a candidate, [that] you will not run in the Republican Primary for the 8th Cong. District seat?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Anyone who knows my past history knows that I recognize that every day is different, that there are no guarantees, that life changes. As I sit here today, I will tell you that I truly am not seeking to be a candidate in that race. However, as time goes on, if there are variables that change, if there are components that change, I will not say that I would not consider it if I was requested by other people to consider that. But, today, February 20, I truly am not investigating the opportunity to seek that seat.
Jeff Berkowitz: It sounds like you are leaving the door, or the window or whatever the metaphor is, a little bit open.
Sen. Pam Althoff: Politicians are always criticized for flip flopping or changing their position---Ummm, so I will leave the door open.
**************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Has he said this to you? He said this to me—Jeff, the real difference, former Senator [Pat] O’Malley says…is not between pro-life and pro-choice, the schism in the Republican Party, he says, is between the reformers and non-reformers.
Sen. Pam Althoff: Um, one thing—
Jeff Berkowitz: First, are you a reformer?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Oh, I don’t know how I would define myself in that particular regard.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, you are going to equivocate on that.
Sen. Pam Althoff: I’m not, you know—
Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t know whether you are a reformer?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Um, you know, I think that those definitions are just too simple. The issues that face us at this particular time in our history are very complicated or complex. And, to put yourself into one category means that every issue you are going to approach is from that particular stance.
***************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: What would you do as Governor to improve on the fiscal condition of the state?
Sen. Pam Althoff: I’d absolutely stop creating new programs and new spending. That’s irresponsible. We have a moral obligation--
Jeff Berkowitz: No new programs?
Sen. Pam Althoff: No new programs, no.
Jeff Berkowitz: No new spending programs?
Sen. Pam Althoff: No.
Jeff Berkowitz: Specifically, what would that cut-out?
Althoff: Well, there have been increases in early childhood education and as much as I am an education proponent, I think that there is a crisis in our educational system and our over-dependence on property taxes. I think we are obligated to address those issues before we create new programs.
Berkowitz: So, you want a tax swap. You want House Bill 750, right?
Althoff: What I want is I want property tax relief.
Berkowitz: Lower property taxes and you would agree to an increase in the income tax.
Althoff: Only, only if the formula that we currently have in place is addressed as well. McHenry County, so people understand, which is truly my concern—McHenry County is the 16th wealthiest county in the entire country, based on per capita household income.
Berkowitz: You represent a lot of fat cats.
Althoff: No, I represent a small portion of fat cats that skew that percentage.
Berkowitz: Those fat cats are very, very fat.
Althoff: Well, we have a wonderful asset in McHenry County and it is called land. And, land is right now the commodity. We have developers who are terribly interested in coming to McHenry County.
Berkowitz: …So, you represent a fairly affluent district. And, these folks pay relatively high property taxes—
Althoff: They pay extremely high property taxes.
Berkowitz: Because their property is substantial and valuable.
Althoff: Yes.
*************************************
Berkowitz: Okay, net increase on spending on education, net increase in taxes? Short question, do you favor that or oppose it?
Althoff: I favor the investigation of any opportunity which I feel is going to address the crisis that I feel that education is now suffering under, which when you have, and it has changed—I know it was 83% of school districts who they said were in fiscal crisis—there has been some shift and it is now closer to 69, 68 %. I, ah, I’ll answer. Ummm, the increase in income tax is definitely something I think has merit. The concern I have is two fold. No. 1, an increase in the income tax without looking at the entire structural make-up of the state of Illinois and how we deal with finances, I don’t think you can separate the two. My understanding is what I have in front of me is if we go to a shift in property taxes and income tax, within the next five years, we may be facing the same fiscal crisis we have today. I don’t want to go to my constituents and say that this will fix that over reliance on property taxes, but only for five years, or for six years. I think if we address this issue, we need to do it comprehensively, we need to look at unfunded mandates, we need to look at the foundation formula for education. It has to be a complete re-haul.
Berkowitz: But, with all due respect, you didn’t answer the question, which is, on looking at all those things and you said you have to look at everything, would you possibly agree to, an increase, a net increase in taxes for education, and a net increase on spending on education in the state of Illinois? Would you agree to that? Possibly?
Althoff: Possibly, yes. Yes. I did answer that. Yes.
Berkowitz: All right, on the federal level, just in case you do decide to run [for the 8th Cong. Dist. seat]. Bush tax cuts, 01, 03, would you have supported those?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: Okay, unequivocally?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: And, that’s a difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean [D- Barrington; 8th Cong. Dist.] because she has not so stated, has she?
Althoff: Not to my knowledge. No.
Berkowitz: Would you say that is a major difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean if you ran [against her]?
Althoff: Yes.
Berkowitz: Would that be the major difference?
Althoff: Most likely.
****************************************
State Senator Pam Althoff, recorded on February 20, 2005 and as is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of Feb. 28] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, March 7 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See directly, below, for a detailed suburban airing schedule.
*******************************
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.
*****************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com
***********************
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: Okay, unequivocally?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: And,that’s a difference between you and[Cong.]Melissa Bean(D-Barrington; 8th Cong. Dist.) because she has not so stated, has she?
Althoff: Not to my knowledge. No.
Berkowitz: Would you say that is a major difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean if you ran [against her]?
Althoff: Yes.
Berkowitz: Would that be the major difference?
Althoff: Most likely.
*********************************************
Tonight's and this week’s suburban edition of “Public Affairs,” features State Senator Pam Althoff [R- McHenry], a possible candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist. March, 2006 Republican Primary. See the end of this blog entry for a detailed suburban airing schedule for “Public Affairs,” and for more about the show with State Senator Althoff, who was appointed to her senate seat two years ago and who was elected to a four year term in November, 2004. The show with State Senator Althoff will also air throughout the City of Chicago [in the regular “Public Affairs,” City of Chicago time slot] on this coming Monday night, March 7 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].
**********************************************
State Senator Pam Althoff [R- McHenry] debates and discusses with Show Host and Executive Legal Recruiter Jeff Berkowitz a possible run in the 8th Cong. Dist., a tax swap, education, SB 3186- the gay rights legislation that became law recently, smoke and mirrors, Governor Blagojevich, schisms in the Republican Party, fat cats, very fat cats, the War, Social Security reform, including “personal accounts,” rates of return and social security taxes; the proposed federal energy bill, gun control, the Bush tax cuts and the state budget and deficit and much, much more.
************************************************
A partial transcript of the show with State Senator Pam Althoff is included, below.
****************************
Jeff Berkowitz: …You can skip all the pleasantries …of thanking all those people who are flattering you by mentioning you [as a possible candidate in the 8th Cong. Dist. Republican primary] but what we really want to know is …are you likely to run in the 8th Cong. Dist. …in the Republican Primary for the right or opportunity to run against [Cong.] Melissa Bean in November of 2006?
Sen. Pam Althoff: …My interest as we sit here is to be the best state senator I can be. My constituents just elected me to a four year term…one of my statements is that I would be there…for them to count on, to bring more monies back to McHenry County, to address the issues of concern to McHenry County. If I make the statement sitting here today that my interest level is now at a congressional level, I think that that takes away from my senate position…
Jeff Berkowitz: Would you say, unequivocally, as we sit here on February 20, 2005, that you will not be a candidate, [that] you will not run in the Republican Primary for the 8th Cong. District seat?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Anyone who knows my past history knows that I recognize that every day is different, that there are no guarantees, that life changes. As I sit here today, I will tell you that I truly am not seeking to be a candidate in that race. However, as time goes on, if there are variables that change, if there are components that change, I will not say that I would not consider it if I was requested by other people to consider that. But, today, February 20, I truly am not investigating the opportunity to seek that seat.
Jeff Berkowitz: It sounds like you are leaving the door, or the window or whatever the metaphor is, a little bit open.
Sen. Pam Althoff: Politicians are always criticized for flip flopping or changing their position---Ummm, so I will leave the door open.
**************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: Has he said this to you? He said this to me—Jeff, the real difference, former Senator [Pat] O’Malley says…is not between pro-life and pro-choice, the schism in the Republican Party, he says, is between the reformers and non-reformers.
Sen. Pam Althoff: Um, one thing—
Jeff Berkowitz: First, are you a reformer?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Oh, I don’t know how I would define myself in that particular regard.
Jeff Berkowitz: Okay, you are going to equivocate on that.
Sen. Pam Althoff: I’m not, you know—
Jeff Berkowitz: You don’t know whether you are a reformer?
Sen. Pam Althoff: Um, you know, I think that those definitions are just too simple. The issues that face us at this particular time in our history are very complicated or complex. And, to put yourself into one category means that every issue you are going to approach is from that particular stance.
***************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: What would you do as Governor to improve on the fiscal condition of the state?
Sen. Pam Althoff: I’d absolutely stop creating new programs and new spending. That’s irresponsible. We have a moral obligation--
Jeff Berkowitz: No new programs?
Sen. Pam Althoff: No new programs, no.
Jeff Berkowitz: No new spending programs?
Sen. Pam Althoff: No.
Jeff Berkowitz: Specifically, what would that cut-out?
Althoff: Well, there have been increases in early childhood education and as much as I am an education proponent, I think that there is a crisis in our educational system and our over-dependence on property taxes. I think we are obligated to address those issues before we create new programs.
Berkowitz: So, you want a tax swap. You want House Bill 750, right?
Althoff: What I want is I want property tax relief.
Berkowitz: Lower property taxes and you would agree to an increase in the income tax.
Althoff: Only, only if the formula that we currently have in place is addressed as well. McHenry County, so people understand, which is truly my concern—McHenry County is the 16th wealthiest county in the entire country, based on per capita household income.
Berkowitz: You represent a lot of fat cats.
Althoff: No, I represent a small portion of fat cats that skew that percentage.
Berkowitz: Those fat cats are very, very fat.
Althoff: Well, we have a wonderful asset in McHenry County and it is called land. And, land is right now the commodity. We have developers who are terribly interested in coming to McHenry County.
Berkowitz: …So, you represent a fairly affluent district. And, these folks pay relatively high property taxes—
Althoff: They pay extremely high property taxes.
Berkowitz: Because their property is substantial and valuable.
Althoff: Yes.
*************************************
Berkowitz: Okay, net increase on spending on education, net increase in taxes? Short question, do you favor that or oppose it?
Althoff: I favor the investigation of any opportunity which I feel is going to address the crisis that I feel that education is now suffering under, which when you have, and it has changed—I know it was 83% of school districts who they said were in fiscal crisis—there has been some shift and it is now closer to 69, 68 %. I, ah, I’ll answer. Ummm, the increase in income tax is definitely something I think has merit. The concern I have is two fold. No. 1, an increase in the income tax without looking at the entire structural make-up of the state of Illinois and how we deal with finances, I don’t think you can separate the two. My understanding is what I have in front of me is if we go to a shift in property taxes and income tax, within the next five years, we may be facing the same fiscal crisis we have today. I don’t want to go to my constituents and say that this will fix that over reliance on property taxes, but only for five years, or for six years. I think if we address this issue, we need to do it comprehensively, we need to look at unfunded mandates, we need to look at the foundation formula for education. It has to be a complete re-haul.
Berkowitz: But, with all due respect, you didn’t answer the question, which is, on looking at all those things and you said you have to look at everything, would you possibly agree to, an increase, a net increase in taxes for education, and a net increase on spending on education in the state of Illinois? Would you agree to that? Possibly?
Althoff: Possibly, yes. Yes. I did answer that. Yes.
Berkowitz: All right, on the federal level, just in case you do decide to run [for the 8th Cong. Dist. seat]. Bush tax cuts, 01, 03, would you have supported those?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: Okay, unequivocally?
Althoff: Yes
Berkowitz: And, that’s a difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean [D- Barrington; 8th Cong. Dist.] because she has not so stated, has she?
Althoff: Not to my knowledge. No.
Berkowitz: Would you say that is a major difference between you and [Cong.] Melissa Bean if you ran [against her]?
Althoff: Yes.
Berkowitz: Would that be the major difference?
Althoff: Most likely.
****************************************
State Senator Pam Althoff, recorded on February 20, 2005 and as is airing on the Suburban edition of Public Affairs this week [week of Feb. 28] and on the City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs on Monday night, March 7 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21. See directly, below, for a detailed suburban airing schedule.
*******************************
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.
*****************************************
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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