Vallas Slams Rauner For Not Proposing Budget Plan
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(CBS) -- Paul Vallas, Gov. Pat Quinn's running mate in his bid for re-election, defended the governor's budget plan on Tuesday and blasted Republican challenger Bruce Rauner for not offering a plan of his own.
"He's basically taking this position of opposing the governor's budget, without offering anything – ANYTHING – in its place," Vallas said.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports Quinn addressed Illinois House Democrats in a private meeting on Monday to urge them to vote for his budget plan.
In robocalls to several legislative districts on Tuesday, Rauner slammed Quinn and House Speaker Michael Madigan for what he called a "secret back-room meeting with state representatives, pressuring them to raise your income taxes."
Rauner ripped Vallas for defending the tax hike plan, when he opposed raising income taxes when he ran for governor. Vallas laughed at that.
"I ran for governor 12 years ago, you know? And incidentally, the pension systems were in much better shape. That was a different time. The economy was growing," he said.
Vallas, who is running for lieutenant governor, said Rauner might have a message about Quinn's plan, but he doesn't have a plan of his own.
"Our opponent has not made a specific, substantive policy recommendation, other than some talk about reducing the minimum wage, which would obviously adversely impact the poorest of the working families," he said.
Rauner has switched positions on the minimum wage, and now says he'd support raising it, but Vallas said Rauner is not being open about his policy positions.
