TAXPAYERS = THE GENERAL INTEREST NOT SPECIAL INTERESTS, MR. RYAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Greg Blankenship | 217.544.4759 | gkblankenship@all4growth.org

Ryan Shouldn’t Place Himself above those he wishes to represent; Putting Taxes “On the Table” will undermine Anyone’s Plan for Spending Reforms

(Springfield, Ill.) The Illinois Alliance for Growth today denounced gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan’s comments to the Suburban Daily Herald calling taxpayers just, “another special interest.”

In remarks to the Suburban Daily Herald, today, former Attorney General Jim Ryan called the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a pledge to constituents to oppose any and all tax increases, a “phony pledge” and its keeper, Americans for Tax Reform, “another special interest.”

“Ryan’s remark that taxpayer advocates are just “another special interest” tells us what he really thinks of taxpayers and that’s not much,” said Illinois Alliance for Growth President Greg Blankenship. “It’s not fair to the tax paying public to equate them with trial lawyers, public employee unions and big business.  The governor is supposed to represent the public interest not put himself above it, but that’s what Jim Ryan is doing, here.”

Earlier this year, Governor Pat Quinn’s disastrous attempt to hike the income tax was averted when members of Ryan’s party unanimously refused to give political cover to a 50% income tax increase.  Overwhelming majorities of Ryan’s party, 89%, in the latest Chicago Tribune poll are in opposition to tax increases.  A bi-partisan group of 34 Illinois legislators have signed the Pledge as well as five of the seven other gubernatorial candidates –  Andy McKenna, Bill Brady, Bob Schillerstrom, Dan Proft and Adam Andrzejewski.

Only Ryan and Kirk Dillard have refused to put their opposition to higher taxes in writing and off the table, thus forcing the state to reform spending and services delivery.

“Earlier this week Ryan offered a promising 10-Step Plan to put Illinois on the right fiscal path but he’s deceiving himself if he thinks he’ll be successful with taxes on the table” said Blankenship. “It’s self deceptive for any candidate to believe that he will get spending reforms with taxes on the table because you don’t need tax hikes if you have the reforms.  Anybody who believes they can negotiate any spending reforms successfully with a savvy tactician like House Speaker Michael J. Madigan with tax hikes on the table needs to think again.”

The Illinois Alliance for Growth is a non-profit, non-partisan taxpayer protection group dedicated to economic growth and limited government.  You can find out more about the Illinois Alliance for Growth at www.all4growth.org.

-30-