Illinois Radio Network is reporting that Madigan's backpedaling -- or at least giving the illusion -- that the income tax increase he hopes for isn't a sure thing:
A tax hike isn't likely, but a new Democrat lieutenant governor candidate is. House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) is not saying if he and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) have advised Gov. Pat Quinn to leave an income tax hike out of his budget proposal. But he is hinting that it's a non-starter. He reminds lawmakers that Quinn's tax hike proposal won only 44 votes last year, far short of what it needed to pass.
Meanwhile, voters will know who's being interviewed by the Democrat State Central Committee for the post of lieutenant governor candidates. Madigan says the committee will meet March 15 to plan its schedule for interviews and voting, and Madigan pledged to allow those interviews to be open.
So what do we believe ... ?