CHICAGO — Gov. Pat Quinn deflected questions Friday about a possible re-election race against former White House chief of staff William Daley and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Asked about a potential "family feud" in the Democratic Primary against the members of two Chicago political dynasties should he seek re-election next year, Quinn said, "I don't believe in family feuds. I like to see families come together."
Asked if it would constitute a conflict of interest if Madigan became governor while her father, Michael Madigan, remained Speaker of the House in the General Assembly, Quinn said, "My dad told me, quite a while ago, don't take aspirin until you've got a headache."
Questions about the Daley-Madigan relationship were sparked by a report in the Sun-Times detailing the history of the families. But the governor would not be drawn into speculation about Madigan or Daley, a brother of Mayor Richard M. Daley and son of Mayor Richard J. Daley.
"You know, we just had an election," Quinn said. "I don't think the voters and the families of Illinois want elected officials and those who aspire to elected office to be constantly campaigning. They want real action and outcomes for them, the people, the taxpayers."
To that end, Quinn followed Mayor Rahm Emanuel earlier in the week in pushing for low-income Illinois families to seek full refunds on the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Quinn said the state had launched a website, eitc.illinlois.gov, giving information on where families with household incomes under $50,000 and individuals making less than $25,000 can seek free help on filing tax returns with an emphasis on claiming the EITC.
"The average tax relief, of $2,200, is not chicken feed," Quinn said.
"Nobody likes paying taxes," he said. "But if you have tax relief you're entitled to by law, it's the worst thing in the world to leave that money on the table and not take it.
"We have to put purchasing power in the pockets of the people who need it most," Quinn declared.
