Insightful article by Cal Skinner

The Illinois Leader has this article by Cal Skinner that helped me to understand some of the state budget dynamics.

I think we should raise the income tax to 4% or 5% instead of having the lowest income tax rate in the Midwest at 3%. Even Indiana has a higher income tax rate at 3.4%.

Also, Rich Miller has a great tidbit in yesterday's Capitol Fax -- James Meeks, the Independent state senator from the south suburbs, has called himself a free agent. And if you ask me, the fact that his grace period bill didn't get called in SB 955 (or that Speaker Madigan didn't call SB 2133 which still remains in Rules) has something to do with his unhappiness with the Democratic Party leadership this week.