Lame-duck lawmakers ponder next moves after voting for tax hike

By Mary J. Cristobal  Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — The income tax hike may be the talk of the state, but lame-duck lawmakers who voted for the increase believe the time for talk had ended and action needed to be taken.

Fourteen lawmakers from the previous General Assembly voted “yes” on the tax hike bill during the last days of the lame-duck session. Their terms ended when the House and Senate adjourned sine die Jan. 11  and 12.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed the measure into law,  which is expected to generate more than $6 billion a year. The individual tax rate increased from 3 percent to 5 percent, and the corporate tax rate increased from 4.8 percent to 7 percent.

Some lame-duck lawmakers were defeated in the primary or November general election. Others chose not to run, or ran for higher office and lost. But all are adjusting to life after politics, after voting for one of the most controversial proposals in years.

Former state Rep. David E. Miller, D-Dolton, opted to run for state comptroller but lost to Republican Judy Baar Topinka. A dentist, Miller went back to work in his dental clinic. Former state Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, was defeated by Republican Sam McCann, and has been cleaning out her district office.

Like Demuzio, other former lawmakers are pondering their next moves.

Miller said he has no plans on running for office again — yet.

“As far as seeking public office in the future, I certainly wouldn’t rule it out, but it’s certainly not high on our radar screen,” Miller said. “I think the thing is — how can we still move our state and country forward and how can we create good public policy, now that I quote unquote know the inside ball but also as an outside person. You know that’s sort of been soul searching, trying to figure out that balance.”

Demuzio has been catching up with friends over coffee or lunch. She said she doesn’t know what’s next for her. She’s been making appearances and giving speeches to organizations such as the Kiwanis International Club and Daughters of the American Revolution.

The previous small-business owner said she remains optimistic about the tax hike.

“Hopefully, as I said, we’ll be able to see that this particular law will prove to be beneficial to try to move the state forward,” Demuzio said. “And when we look at the consequences of where we were at when we took that vote — and what could have happened to the state — it is certainly one that hopefully we’ll be able to reflect on that this was a vote that could move the state forward.”

Former state Rep. Michael K. Smith, D-Canton, said he is exploring his options and doesn’t know if he’ll run for office again. Before he was elected, he worked for the state’s Attorney General’s office.

But he said he does know his “yes” vote was the right choice.

“I voted yes [on the tax bill] because I believe it’s the right thing to do,” Smith said. “I had said for some time that we needed to raise revenue. I vote for the tax increase in ‘09, and I was one of the 42 that voted for it when we had the vote at that time. And I just think it’s unrealistic to think that we can ever solve our fiscal problems without having additional revenue.”

Former state Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, said he’s looking for a job. He said he believes the tax hike won’t affect businesses coming to or leaving Illinois, as speculated about in media reports.

Walker said he put his 30 years of experience in business on the table when he was a representative. The businessman said he wishes more people with the same background  would work in state government.

The 14 lawmakers who cast a “yes” vote for the income tax increase before finishing their terms were:

Ex-senators: Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, and Louis S. Viverito, D-Burbank

Ex-representatives: Mike Boland, D-Moline; Michael J. Carberry, D-Evergreen Park; Robert F. Flider, D-Decatur; Paul D. Froehlich, D-Schaumburg; Careen M. Gordon, D-Coal City; Betsy Hannig, D-Gillespie; Jay C. Hoffman, D-Collinsville; David Miller, D-Dolton; Kathleen Moore, D-Chicago; John M. O’Sullivan, D-Worth Township; Michael K. Smith, D-Canton; and Mark L. Walker, D-Arlington Heights.