Illinois: More Trouble for Blagojevich Tax Plan

The Chicago Tribune reports that three Democratic state senators have come out in opposition to Governor Rod Blagojevich's proposed gross receipts tax:

Sens. William Delgado, Martin Sandoval and Antonio Munoz put out a statement saying they want to debate other possibilities....The three senators applaud his goals but question the tax proposal. "We believe the governor's insistence on the gross receipts tax as the exclusive solution to this problem is short-sighted," the Chicago Democrats said. They suggested a plan to raise income and sales taxes while lowering local property taxes. They called that idea "more realistic."

The three senators, are, of course, exactly right in their diagnosis of the governor's behavior. His insistence on a GRT as the only possible solution to the state's fiscal woes is hard to understand. Why exactly is the guv so hell-bent on pushing this one idea to the exclusion of other sensible reforms, again? Wait, it's coming to me:

Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, have promised to block any increase in income or sales taxes.

Which means the three good senators are taking a glass-half-full approach when they describe their (eminently sensible) reform suggestions as "more realistic." But pledges were made to be broken-- especially the dumb ones. Let's hope the political leadership in Illinois can have the courage to confront these decisions on their merits.