Applying Some Pressure

The capitol was quite the scene yesterday as 5,000 protesters or more swarmed the statehouse to try to pressure lawmakers into voting for a tax hike. Protesters packed nearly every corridor of the capitol rotunda, crammed onto stairwells and gathered outside nearly every entrance. The crowd was so big that at one point, security guards blocked any more protesters from coming inside. I don't know whose idea it was to tell protesters they should wear black t-shirts, but they're lucky demonstrators weren't fainting left and right. A heat index above 100 combined crowds of people packed like sardines, all while dressed in black on a sunny day is not a healthy mix. A mix of labor unions and social service agencies organized the protest to oppose budget cuts that would slash social service funding in half.

Those same groups have been staging smaller protests around the state the past few weeks. It sounds like they may be changing the minds of some lawmakers who originally voted against a tax increase. For example, Rep. Mike Boland (D-East Moline) says he may change his vote if the House brings up a tax hike again. But with only 42 House Democrats voting the first time and 71 votes needed now to pass a tax hike, it will take a lot of work to get a tax hike approved. It also means bringing at least one Republican on board. Realistically, maybe 10 Republican votes would be needed, as there are some Democrats who just won't vote for a tax hike, no matter what.

Regardless of where things stand right now, there won't be a tax hike vote this week. And there's a chance there won't be a vote at all before the end of the fiscal year. If House members can't get together enough votes to pass something, there doesn't seem to be much reason to call a tax hike for a vote again. And Senate President John Cullerton says the Senate won't vote on a tax hike again until the House passes something. Most Senate Democrats already went out on a limb last month to approve a larger tax hike than the governor was seeking, only to see that proposal die in the House without a vote. Cullerton won't let that happen again. So, while we might see lawmakers only one more day after today before FY 2010 begins, those should be two interesting days.