Harmon: We’re going to have to look at deep cuts

Posted on March 9, 2021
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) spoke at a virtual program hosted by Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Suddenly, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) has more seniority among legislative leaders than the Speaker of the House and the Senate Minority Leader. And he is just beginning his second year.

Challenges these days include working out a budget fueled – in part – by a flat income tax.

“The lesson I took from November is that voters do not want a general tax increase, and that’s how opponents styled” the graduated income tax proposal, Harmon said.

“So we’re going to have to look at deep cuts.”

While his party has supermajorities in each legislative chamber, plus all of the statewide offices, Harmon says politics are too polarized.

“It is not good for Democrats to have a malfunctioning Republican Party,” he added. “We are better off when we meet in the center.”

Harmon spoke at a virtual program hosted by Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

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