East Central Reporter

Chris Miller argues Mike Madigan is just playing his typical political game by pretending to support a policy he has long opposed.

“Everything about the way he has governed in all these years has been disingenuous,” Miller told the East Central Reporter. “There’s always been a difference between what he says and what he's done. The only thing he seems to care about is being re-elected and maintaining his power base.”

The North Cook News previously reported Madigan (D-Chicago) might have had a hand in a “no budget, no pay” mailer that was recently sent to voters in districts where candidates the longtime House speaker supports are on the ballot this November.

Chris Miller

The ads give the impression that Madigan supports such legislation despite the fact he filed legal action against it when then-Comptroller Leslie Munger proposed it for lawmakers two years ago.

Munger, now the Deputy Governor, was joined at a recent GOP press conference aimed at calling attention to the deception by State Representatives Peter Breen (R-Lombard), Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), Margo McDermed (R-Frankfort) and Tom Morrison (R-Plainfield).

“Madigan and his cronies actions prove they don’t care about Illinois, taxpayers or the business community,” said Miller, who is running against Democrat Shirley Bell in the 110th District. “It’s all about continuing the culture of corruption.”

Miller supports “no budget, no pay” and is hopeful the prospect of seeing their pay withheld may be enough to motivate Springfield lawmakers to do their jobs keeping a balanced budget enacted and getting the cash-strapped state back on track, he said.

“We can only hope,” Miller said. “Not much else seems to work.”

Miller isn’t surprised that things have now come to this for Madigan and Democrats, he said.

“What else is he going to run on, raising taxes, job creation or maintaining a pro-business growth environment,” Miller said. “People in my district want change, and they want Madigan gone because he’s the biggest part of the problem. I have no idea why anyone would vote for a Democrat.”

Meanwhile, Miller said his pro-growth business policies and calls for tax relief and term limits are resonating with voters.

“I was at a parade recently and a lady walked up to me and said she’s thinking of moving back to Illinois to be near family and asked if I could keep talking about tax reform and do something about,” he said. “It’s not like people don’t still want to be in Illinois. We’ve just got to get Springfield out of our way.”

The 110th House District includes Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar and Lawrence counties.