ILLINOIS GOP NEEDS UNITY

What's going on in the Illinois Legislature? A dogfight has developed between the Legislature and the governor. OK, it's not so uncommon to see politicians argue. But what makes this so peculiar is that the warring politicians are all Republicans.

Republican Gov. Jim Edgar proposed a massive tax increase for public schools in the form of a constitutional amendment. The financing of the $400 million increase would have come from higher state income taxes accompanied by a decrease in property taxes. The election-year timing was objectionable to many legislators. It was the Republicans who trashed the governor soundly in the press, worried that even the proposal would endanger continued Republican-control of the General Assembly in November. Republicans achieved majorities in both legislative houses in 1994 for the first time in a quarter-century.

House Speaker Lee Daniels, R-Elmhurst, came back with his own proposal, a $500 million school funding plan that would be achieved through budget cuts.

Edgar responded with his fists swinging. He called Daniels' proposal a "tragic mistake," saying it fails to lift up poor school districts and deep cuts to achieve the increased funding would hurt the state.

It is time that the Illinois Legislature pause to remember that most of the arguing parties are members of the same party. This bickering can do more to hurt the Republican image in Illinois than any budget proposal.