In Chicago’s white bread Northwest Side and close-in suburbs, the specter of raising taxes is viewed as a cultural issue, not a fiscal issue.

Most area residents have an “us-versus-them” attitude — the “haves” against the “have-nots.” They believe that there is an inverse relationship between the payers and the payees, and that those who pay more in taxes get less in government services, while those who pay less in taxes get more in benefits. They are utterly devoid of liberal “guilt,” which is normally expiated by spending more on the so-called “disadvantaged.”

On the Northwest Side, woe to the hapless politician who votes for a serious tax hike. It’s a betrayal of trust, of class, and of region. It’s a one-way ticket to oblivion. The May 31 vote in the Illinois House is illustrative of area politicians’ visceral fear of being labeled a “tax hiker.”

Proposed by Governor Pat Quinn, SB 2252 sought to raise the state income tax from three to 4.5 percent on individuals, and to 7.2 percent on corporations. The measure lost 42-74, with two “present” votes; 26 Democrats joined all 48 Republicans in opposition. Customarily, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan dictates how every Democrat votes. Not on this bill. Survival dictated how the Democrats voted, and every white Northwest Sider – John D’Amico (D-15), Joe Lyons (D-19), Deb Mell (D-40), John Fritchey (D-11) – joined the anti-tax majority.

In 2008, Lyons, D’Amico and Fritchey were unopposed in both the primary and election; Mell was unopposed in the primary, and won the election with 74.9 percent. But they all had the “tax hike” jitters.

“It’s like pointing a loaded gun at my head, and inviting somebody to pull the trigger,” said one area legislator. “I’m not going to risk doing it.”

Also opposing the increase were Republicans Mike McAuliffe (R-20), of Chicago; Beth Coulson (R-17), of Glenview; Skip Saviano (R-77), of Elmwood Park; and Rosemary Mulligan (R-65), of Des Plaines.

The only area incumbents supporting SB 2252 were Toni Berrios (D-39), from a heavily Puerto Rican Logan Square district, where her father, Joe Berrios is Democratic committeeman; and Lou Lang (D-16), of Skokie, a longtime liberal who will face no wrath from his largely Jewish constituency, which is crammed with do-gooders. Both were unopposed in the 2008 primary and election.

Other North Shore Democrats, all liberals, backed SB 2252: Julie Hamos (D-18), of Evanston; Elaine Nekritz (D-57), of Northbrook; and Kathy Ryg (D-59), of Vernon Hills. So did north Lakefront Chicagoans Sara Feigenholtz (D-12), Greg Harris (D-13), and Harry Osterman (D-14). All were unopposed in the 2008 primary, and Hamos, Harris and Feigenholtz in the election. Osterman won re-election with 85.5 percent, Nekritz with 67.9 percent, and Ryg with 63.7 percent.

Coulson and Hamos are running for Congress in the 10^th District.

As if to validate the Northwest Sides’ stereotypical perception, all seven Hispanics and all but two (who voted “present”) of the 18 black Democrats  embraced the Quinn hike.

Rejecting media hype about the “necessity and urgency” of an income tax hike, and about how “vital services” would otherwise suffer, eleven suburban and collar county Democrats, and two Southwest Side Chicago Democrats, opposed SB 2252. Clearly, as on the Northwest Side, suburbanites from less liberal areas did not want to put themselves in the cross-hairs.

Had Madigan made SB 2252 into a “save Illinois” crusade, and brought a majority (60) of Democrats on board by promising them oodles of 2010 campaign cash, the bill would have passed. But 26 Democrats feared voter reprisals, viewed 2010 as an anti-tax year; and refused to venture into harm’s way.

The adjoining vote chart displays the votes of area representatives. Here’s a look at their 2010 prospects:

John D’Amico, age 47, is part of the 39^th Ward’s Laurino Machine; his aunt (Marge Laurino) is the alderman, his late grandfather (Tony Laurino) was the former alderman, his parents were convicted as “ghost payrollers,” and he still double-dips as a deputy district superintendent in the city Department of Water Management. His first contest was in 2004, winning the primary with 59 percent and the election with 66.9 percent. He was unopposed in 2006 and 2008. Avoiding the “tax hike” rap, D’Amico is safe.

Joe Lyons, age 58, is the cousin of the late 45^th Ward Democratic committeeman Tom Lyons, and has served since 1996; he is president of the ward Democratic organization. He is also one of 7 assistant majority leaders, and part of the Madigan leadership. He won the 2004 primary with 70.1 percent, and election with 77.8 percent. He was unopposed in 2006 and 2008. He’s unbeatable. But he didn’t want to be a “tax hiker.”

John Fritchey, age 45, embarrassed himself mightily by losing the special 5^th District congressional primary on March 3, getting just 9,815 votes (17.8 percent); he began the campaign as the favorite, but lost to Mike Quigley. Fritchey is the 32^nd Ward (Wicker Park-area) Democratic committeeman, and has been state representative since 1996, when he replaced Rod Blagojevich. He is married to the daughter of Sam Banks, brother of outgoing 36^th Ward Alderman Bill Banks. Fritchey wisely voted against SB 2252. He was poised to run for state attorney general in 2010, had Lisa Madigan retired.

With his credibility now in tatters, and his statewide path blocked, Fritchey is bailing out of  Springfield to run for Cook County commissioner in 2010, seeking the open seat of Forrest Claypool. He has been endorsed by Claypool and Quigley. Fritchey is young enough and smart enough to rehabilitate himself as a county “reformer,” and run for mayor or county board president in the future.

Toni Berrios, age 32, and Deb Mell, age 41, may not, like astronauts, have the “right stuff.” But they do have the right DNA. Their respective fathers could pass for Daddy Warbucks. And, at the risk of being sexist, they’re in Springfield because they’re daddy’s little girls. (Note: There are also some daddy’s little boys.)

Joe Berrios made Toni, at age 25, a state representative in 2002, and she has never faced opposition. The elder Berrios, a Board of Review commissioner, is running for county assessor in 2010; he has $846,883 in his campaign fund. When Joe becomes assessor, expect him to give Toni his powerful BOR job.

Alderman Dick Mell (33^rd) made son-in-law Rod Blagojevich a state rep, congressman and governor. When Deb Mell decided she had a mission, the elder Mell ousted longtime incumbent Rich Bradley to make room for Deb in 2008. Here’s some advice for the alderman: Learn how to “Just Say No.” Count on this: When Mell, age 70, retires from the city council, his daughter will want the job. Guess what Dick will say?

Lou Lang, age 59, is one of the Cassandras of Illinois politics, perpetually pondering a run for statewide office, but never pulling the trigger. It’s too late to run for treasurer or comptroller in 2010, as the fields have formed. But Lang is an assistant majority leader, and aspires to be speaker when Madigan retires. When Lang votes for a tax hike, he’s pandering to the minorities and liberals in the House Democratic Caucus in a future speaker vote. First appointed in 1987, Lang is safe.

Mike McAuliffe, age 46, has served since 1996, when he replaced his late father, Roger, who had held the post since 1973. He can be termed “daddy’s boy,” since it was his father’s organization that elevated him, and young McAuliffe faced – and prevailed — over ferocious Democratic opposition, winning with 52.4 percent in 1996, 53.7 percent in 2002, and 59.2 percent in 2004. He got 60.4 percent on 2006, and 59.4 percent in 2008. McAuliffe knows to “Just Say No” to any tax hike bills. He can’t be beat.

____________________________________________________

Russ Stewart is a regular political analyst for The Chicago Daily Observer.