Better than Hannity, Larry King or Dan Abrams: Rep. Fritchey w/Berkowitz on Obama, Tax Swaps and More; Cable and Streaming
Jeff Berkowitz: Are you predicting an increase in the income tax in ’08?
State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago): I think it is going to be very difficult to do. I think people are going to--
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Tonight's City of Chicago and City of Aurora edition of "Public Affairs," features State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). The show with State Rep. Fritchey airs throughout the City of Chicago tonight at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and also tonight in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV, Cable Ch. 10. The Aurora station, Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
Turn on, Tune in and watch discussions about Obama, Blago, Taxes and much more. Go here for a more detailed list of topics discussed on the show
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You may also watch the Rep. John Fritchey show, 24/7,here .
**********************************************************
A partial transcript of Tonight's City of Chicago and City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs [featuring Rep. Fritchey] is included, below:
********************************
State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago): The reality is that we need new state revenues…I am one of the lead sponsors of HB 2288 and Senate 50, both of which envision—
Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the first one?
Rep. John Fritchey: 2288 is the latest version—
Jeff Berkowitz: of House Bill 750
Rep. John Fritchey: of House Bill 750
Jeff Berkowitz: Which is a Tax Swap, which is about seven billion dollars in increased revenue, it is like the GRT with a different word [name].
Rep. John Fritchey: What it does, though, is that money is going into things that it should be going into. This isn’t greatly expanded programs. This is “let’s fund the education costs that we talked about funding.” Let’s fund the pension liabilities. Let’s get our house in order.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, if you raise the income tax and you raise the sales tax, expand the—
Rep. John Fritchey: I didn’t talk about raising the sales tax—
Jeff Berkowitz: HB 750
Rep. John Fritchey: 750 had it in there. 2288 does not. What we do need to do however—
Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are saying you are giving up on expanding the sales tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: We do need to modernize our sales tax structure. We are no longer the manufacturing economy that we were—
Jeff Berkowitz: Expand it to cover services, as well. Is that what you mean?
Rep. John Fritchey: You need to modernize it [the sales tax].
Jeff Berkowitz: When you say, modernize, you mean?
Rep. John Fritchey: That there are certain areas that are not subject to sales tax that should be.
Jeff Berkowitz: Which are?
Rep. John Fritchey: There are services.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you want to tax those services?
Rep. John Fritchey: Some of those services.
Jeff Berkowitz: Haircuts?
Rep. John Fritchey: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: Repair services for a car?
Rep. John Fritchey: Here, there is no logical reason that the individual with a small lawn that goes to the hardware store to buy a lawnmower pays a sales tax on that lawnmower but the individual with a large piece of property that has a landscaping service do it, they pay no tax on the landscaping service.
Jeff Berkowitz: How much do you want to raise the income tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: I think that we could very easily raise the income tax one, one and one half percent to about four and one half percent
Jeff Berkowitz: Which gives you how much additional revenue per year?
Rep. John Fritchey: Billions.
Jeff Berkowitz: 2, 3, 4 billion? What do you get for each point increase in the income tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: It depends how you look at the numbers. It is going to be a couple of billion.
Jeff Berkowitz: Couple of billion. And, some more from the sales tax. So, over-all, what are you looking to get from HB 750 [now 2288?], when you include the “modernization,”
Rep. John Fritchey: When you look at 2288 what you are looking to do is get our economic house in order. For our schools, for our pensions.
Jeff Berkowitz: How much? Give me the total figure.
Rep. John Fritchey: You are probably looking at 6 or 7 billion dollars [in new tax revenue per year]
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Jeff Berkowitz: So, 6-7 billion dollars. It’s got to come from somewhere. It doesn’t come from some major pot. It comes from either the employers, the customers, or the employees. Okay. When I say employers, I mean shareholders. People pay taxes. Don’t you chase companies out of business when you do that? Or, chase them out of Illinois. We just talked about that. You chase them to Indiana, to Michigan.
Rep. John Fritchey: As you are aware, we have the lowest income tax of any state that has an income tax. And, so I think the one area that we still have room to get revenues and still be competitive is an increase in the income tax or looking at going to a progressive income tax, which would take a constitutional amendment to do. I wish we would have had time to talk about Con-Con. [Ed. Note: Illinois has one of the higher property taxes, making it fairly high in per capita total tax, which is what employers look at].
Jeff Berkowitz: …But Republicans are going to oppose this…Speaker Mike Madigan is going to support a tax increase when all of his members are up for election in ’08, do you really think that is going to happen?
Rep. John Fritchey: Well, all of his members are always up for re-election.
Remember, we are on a two-year cycle.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, at least go out and do it when you are not up that year.
Rep. John Fritchey: And, he is on the record over a year ago of saying we need a new permanent revenue source.
Jeff Berkowitz: Are you predicting an increase in the income tax in ’08?
Rep. John Fritchey: I think it is going to be very difficult to do. I think people are going to--
*************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search,
can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain, former Presidential candidate Richardson-- and many other pols, including this week's suburban show with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, tonight's show in the City with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) Last Week's show with Deputy Republican Senate leader and State Senator Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), this week's suburban show with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior show in the City of Chicago, Aurora and 35 suburbs with WGN Political Pundit and Professor Paul Green at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
*********************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include this week's show in the suburbs with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, tonight's show in the Cities of Chicago and Aurora with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior show with Senator and Deputy Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), our prior show with Rep. Lang (Part 2), our prior show with Rep. Lang (Part 1) , our prior show in Chicago, Aurora and 35 Chicago metro villages with WGN Radio political pundit Paul Green, a prior show with Senator and likely 2010 Illinois Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady,our show with former Sen. Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, our prior show with Republican U.S. Senate Republican nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his Democratic opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, our prior show featuring State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) and possible 2010 Illinois gubernatorial candidates and 2010 U. S. Senate candidates (assuming Obama moves up to President in 2008) , a discussion with State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County
State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago): I think it is going to be very difficult to do. I think people are going to--
*******************************************
Tonight's City of Chicago and City of Aurora edition of "Public Affairs," features State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). The show with State Rep. Fritchey airs throughout the City of Chicago tonight at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 (CANTV) and also tonight in Aurora and surrounding areas at 7:30 pm on ACTV, Cable Ch. 10. The Aurora station, Aurora Community Television, Comcast Cable Ch. 10, reaches all of Aurora, Bristol, Big Rock and parts of Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove and Montgomery.
Turn on, Tune in and watch discussions about Obama, Blago, Taxes and much more. Go here for a more detailed list of topics discussed on the show
*************************
You may also watch the Rep. John Fritchey show, 24/7,here .
**********************************************************
A partial transcript of Tonight's City of Chicago and City of Aurora edition of Public Affairs [featuring Rep. Fritchey] is included, below:
********************************
State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago): The reality is that we need new state revenues…I am one of the lead sponsors of HB 2288 and Senate 50, both of which envision—
Jeff Berkowitz: What’s the first one?
Rep. John Fritchey: 2288 is the latest version—
Jeff Berkowitz: of House Bill 750
Rep. John Fritchey: of House Bill 750
Jeff Berkowitz: Which is a Tax Swap, which is about seven billion dollars in increased revenue, it is like the GRT with a different word [name].
Rep. John Fritchey: What it does, though, is that money is going into things that it should be going into. This isn’t greatly expanded programs. This is “let’s fund the education costs that we talked about funding.” Let’s fund the pension liabilities. Let’s get our house in order.
Jeff Berkowitz: But, if you raise the income tax and you raise the sales tax, expand the—
Rep. John Fritchey: I didn’t talk about raising the sales tax—
Jeff Berkowitz: HB 750
Rep. John Fritchey: 750 had it in there. 2288 does not. What we do need to do however—
Jeff Berkowitz: So, you are saying you are giving up on expanding the sales tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: We do need to modernize our sales tax structure. We are no longer the manufacturing economy that we were—
Jeff Berkowitz: Expand it to cover services, as well. Is that what you mean?
Rep. John Fritchey: You need to modernize it [the sales tax].
Jeff Berkowitz: When you say, modernize, you mean?
Rep. John Fritchey: That there are certain areas that are not subject to sales tax that should be.
Jeff Berkowitz: Which are?
Rep. John Fritchey: There are services.
Jeff Berkowitz: And you want to tax those services?
Rep. John Fritchey: Some of those services.
Jeff Berkowitz: Haircuts?
Rep. John Fritchey: Yes.
Jeff Berkowitz: Repair services for a car?
Rep. John Fritchey: Here, there is no logical reason that the individual with a small lawn that goes to the hardware store to buy a lawnmower pays a sales tax on that lawnmower but the individual with a large piece of property that has a landscaping service do it, they pay no tax on the landscaping service.
Jeff Berkowitz: How much do you want to raise the income tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: I think that we could very easily raise the income tax one, one and one half percent to about four and one half percent
Jeff Berkowitz: Which gives you how much additional revenue per year?
Rep. John Fritchey: Billions.
Jeff Berkowitz: 2, 3, 4 billion? What do you get for each point increase in the income tax?
Rep. John Fritchey: It depends how you look at the numbers. It is going to be a couple of billion.
Jeff Berkowitz: Couple of billion. And, some more from the sales tax. So, over-all, what are you looking to get from HB 750 [now 2288?], when you include the “modernization,”
Rep. John Fritchey: When you look at 2288 what you are looking to do is get our economic house in order. For our schools, for our pensions.
Jeff Berkowitz: How much? Give me the total figure.
Rep. John Fritchey: You are probably looking at 6 or 7 billion dollars [in new tax revenue per year]
*******************************************
Jeff Berkowitz: So, 6-7 billion dollars. It’s got to come from somewhere. It doesn’t come from some major pot. It comes from either the employers, the customers, or the employees. Okay. When I say employers, I mean shareholders. People pay taxes. Don’t you chase companies out of business when you do that? Or, chase them out of Illinois. We just talked about that. You chase them to Indiana, to Michigan.
Rep. John Fritchey: As you are aware, we have the lowest income tax of any state that has an income tax. And, so I think the one area that we still have room to get revenues and still be competitive is an increase in the income tax or looking at going to a progressive income tax, which would take a constitutional amendment to do. I wish we would have had time to talk about Con-Con. [Ed. Note: Illinois has one of the higher property taxes, making it fairly high in per capita total tax, which is what employers look at].
Jeff Berkowitz: …But Republicans are going to oppose this…Speaker Mike Madigan is going to support a tax increase when all of his members are up for election in ’08, do you really think that is going to happen?
Rep. John Fritchey: Well, all of his members are always up for re-election.
Remember, we are on a two-year cycle.
Jeff Berkowitz: Well, at least go out and do it when you are not up that year.
Rep. John Fritchey: And, he is on the record over a year ago of saying we need a new permanent revenue source.
Jeff Berkowitz: Are you predicting an increase in the income tax in ’08?
Rep. John Fritchey: I think it is going to be very difficult to do. I think people are going to--
*************************************************
Jeff Berkowitz, Show Host/Producer of "Public Affairs," and Executive Legal Recruiter doing legal search,
can be reached at JBCG@aol.com. You may watch "Public Affairs," shows with Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain, former Presidential candidate Richardson-- and many other pols, including this week's suburban show with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, tonight's show in the City with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) Last Week's show with Deputy Republican Senate leader and State Senator Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), this week's suburban show with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior show in the City of Chicago, Aurora and 35 suburbs with WGN Political Pundit and Professor Paul Green at www.PublicAffairsTv.com
*********************************************
Recently posted shows on the Public Affairs Youtube page include this week's show in the suburbs with Dem. Campaign consultant Pete Giangreco, tonight's show in the Cities of Chicago and Aurora with State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), our prior show with Senator and Deputy Republican Senate Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), our prior show with Rep. Lang (Part 2), our prior show with Rep. Lang (Part 1) , our prior show in Chicago, Aurora and 35 Chicago metro villages with WGN Radio political pundit Paul Green, a prior show with Senator and likely 2010 Illinois Gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady,our show with former Sen. Rauschenberger, assessing Barack Obama, our prior show with Republican U.S. Senate Republican nominee Dr. Steve Sauerberg, discussing his Democratic opponent--Senator Durbin-- and domestic, cultural and foreign policy issues, our prior show featuring State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston,IL), discussing Barack Obama, as well as various Illinois Budget issues (spending, mass transit, capital budget, education, gaming and taxes) and possible 2010 Illinois gubernatorial candidates and 2010 U. S. Senate candidates (assuming Obama moves up to President in 2008) , a discussion with State's Attorney for Cook County Republican nominee Tony Peraica; and Anita Alvarez, Chief Deputy to current State's Attorney for Cook County Dick Devine and now the Democratic nominee for State's Attorney of Cook County
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