By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A draft report from an 88-member task force has landed with a thud, as far as Illinois House Republicans are concerned.

Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) says majority Democrats don’t solve problems, they retreat from them. “The Democrat majority traded their votes for a progressive (income) tax amendment for a task force on property taxes,” Durkin said Wednesday at a Chicago news conference. “Following the release of their draft within the last week, we once again see them refuse to be serious when our citizens are so desperate for change in state government.”

And Durkin decries what he calls Democratic “fiefdoms” in places like – in his district – Lyons Township, which has a treasurer’s office school trustee.

State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst), one of several Republican representatives with Durkin, said Democrats again shut the Republicans out of possible solutions.

“There was little to no chance for members of the task force members to debate, to contribute to a final product. I called on the Democrats: bring the task force together. There’s 88 of us, people can participate by phone, let’s bring these ideas out, let’s talk about them, debate them, see if we can find some compromise consensus, and then actually present something meaningful to the governor.” said Mazzochi. “They declined.”

She and other Republicans are critical – not just of the size of the task force – but of the draft report which has come out. The final report has missed the deadline.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]