Bill Brady Budget: Still No Detailed Budget Plan From GOP Governor Candidate

Last week, Gov. Pat Quinn gave a speech announcing his plan to solve Illinois's budget crisis. Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney also released a comprehensive and extremely detailed budget proposal.

As for Bill Brady, the Republican on the ticket?

"It doesn't need to be put in legislation. It's not complex," Brady told the Chicago Tribune regarding his budget plan. He has repeatedly declined to give anything more than a broad-strokes outline of his budget proposals.

Brady has been critical of Gov. Quinn's proposal, especially the 33 percent tax increase that will allegedly prevent school budgets from being slashed. Many have described Quinn's portrayal of the tax hike as a false binary, saying that spending could be cut without holding schools hostage.

But for his own part, Brady's budget solution consists primarily of a 10-percent across-the-board budget cut. This solution has been criticized even by many in his own party, including former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. If Brady's plan were to go through, it still would not solve the budget crisis: the state's annual spending is roughly $50 billion, so a 10 percent cut would only save $5 billion, or less than half of the massive $13-billion deficit.

Coupled with a tax cut Brady has proposed, it's unclear how the state senator's plan would balance the Illinois budget.

And whether he plans on clearing up his position is unclear. Thethe Tribune reports:

As he attacked Quinn's recent call for a 33 percent increase in the state's income tax--moving the personal rate from 3 percent to 4 percent--Brady also said he would not use his position as a state senator to sponsor his own budget plan.

... He has declined to offer budget specifics that go beyond those broad outlines.

"It doesn't need to be put in legislation. It's not complex," Brady said of his fiscal plans. "We're not going to play (the Democrats') game. They're all about politics and game playing."

Comments

[jsgaetano]

05:24 PM on 03/16/2010

He's a Gooper. Goopers don't do budgets.

Brady will turn in a beer-stained napkin with no numbers, which is a typical GOP-style budget. Then he'll just blather on about lower taxes, being a "fiscal conservative", and how he's going to cut spending like Ronald Reagan.

[OneConservative]

11:12 PM on 03/15/2010

More Puffington spin. Brady has a plan to cut the state budget and then cut taxes. Happy days are coming soon.

[mratcheson]

10:10 AM on 03/16/2010

Is it possible to read his plan? Is it posted online someplace?

[Ravi Abunijad]

03:42 PM on 03/16/2010

No, of course it's not posted. It's a bit of a faith-based budget. You just have to believe that Bill Brady is a magical economic figure who will find a way to raise revenues without raising taxes. I'm sure he'll find a way given his extensive economic policy experience as a licensed real estate agent.

[jsgaetano]

05:25 PM on 03/16/2010

Brady's plan-

"blah blah blah Reagan blah blah blah cut taxes blah blah fiscal conservative blah."

Oh, and his budget won't have any numbers in it either.

[knightoftheroundtable]

04:54 PM on 03/15/2010

I am voting Green Party, we need a change of Government in IL. Let's try a new crook, tired of the same ol same.

[cstmrsrvc]

04:06 PM on 03/15/2010

State vehicle stickers went up to $48 per under Lyin Ryan, as of this year they are at $99.00 , a tax increase,,, cell phone, water, electricity gasoline, natural gas , sales taxes, municipal taxes, Phone bills, cable , liquor , cigarettes, tollways, ,,,,income, and property taxes,,,, added all up and we are taxed OVER 50% AND QUINN ISN'T CUTTING expenses, pensions, perks or pork

[mamala4]

03:03 PM on 03/15/2010

So typical of all of the republicans...criticize but offer nothing...

[corwin]

06:55 PM on 03/15/2010

DIffidently, I note he proposed a 10 % cut.across the board.So, something was propsed.And, if you'll look at Huffpo's headlines today, Gov Quinn 'refuses to discuss alternate plan.' I fell that you, like many, react to the party of the speaker , rather than looking at the content . That's not unheard of , but not the mark of a mature mind.
Consider a few things.Except for Calif, Illinois has the worst credit rating in the country For many of your peers, a gov't job is the best (by far) to which they can aspire.A large number of top Democratic officials are either in legal trouble (blago0 or a joke (Sen Burris) or disappearing (who is the Lt Gov candidate,by the way ?) But your response seems to be divide all problems and solutions into "Bad guys" and Good Guys ". Think about what I've said..

[mamala4]

07:51 PM on 03/15/2010

I thought about what you said as you ordered....I don't like your lecture, and I don't need to be lectured by anyone who would support this right wing tool...

[mamala4]

07:53 PM on 03/15/2010

This solution has been criticized even by many in his own party, including former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. If Brady's plan were to go through, it still would not solve the budget crisis: the state's annual spending is roughly $50 billion, so a 10 percent cut would only save $5 billion, or less than half of the massive $13-billion deficit.

[pmc617]

02:11 PM on 03/15/2010

"It's not complex" perfectly describes the GOP candidate.