Issue Position: Fiscal Responsibility

Issue Position

Mike Quigley has a long history of presenting sound and detailed solutions to tackle our most complex fiscal issues. During his time as a Cook County Commissioner, Mike authored eight separate, extensive reports describing how to reinvent County government to be more efficient and effective. His reports proved that the mission of County government could be achieved without tax increases.

Mike fought against the 1% sales tax increase, which would eventually be repealed and led the fight against lease, hotel, restaurant and fuel taxes. He was the only Democratic Commissioner to vote against the Cook County Parking Tax in 2000. Year after year, Mike identified questionable expenditures, unrealistic revenue projections, and no-bid contracts, while also proposing alternative solutions to the County's financial and management problems.

As a member of Congress, Mike has focused on passing long-term bipartisan budgets that reduce our unsustainable debts and deficits without unduly burdening the most vulnerable in our society. He believes that bipartisan solutions exist, but Members of Congress must be willing to take the hard votes. For any plan to succeed, it must include the three "B's" he believes are necessary for any deficit plan -- big, balanced, and bipartisan.

Mike has also introduced legislation to eliminate unfair tax loopholes; cut millions from outdated defense programs; and create a mechanism to allow taxpayers to track how the federal government is spending their money. In addition, Mike has written two reports on "Reinventing Federal Government." The first report presents methods for accurately assessing the overall fiscal condition of the United States, and the second details how to fix it, with 60 concrete recommendations for saving $2 trillion over ten years.

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