"For folks making less than $200,000 a year, your taxes will not go up. For Gov. Quinn's plan, virtually ever one in the state will see their income tax rate go up by 50 percent," said Matthew McGrath, Hynes campaign manager.
The governor called the Hynes ad deceptive because he wants to increase the exemptions offered to taxpayers.
"Many people in Illinois would receive lower tax bills. That is my goal, to lower the income taxes of many people of moderate income or who are poor," said Quinn.
Despite the growing $10 billion budget deficit, Quinn and the democratic legislative leaders have agreed not to consider a tax increase until after the primary election in February.
The newest, formally announced candidate for the party's nomination for governor, Oak Park attorney Ed Scanlon, opposes any effort to raise taxes.
"I don't think any politician in Illinois proposing higher taxes right now without looking at the government and trying to reform the government itself, is going to do well in a general election," said Scanlon.
On Friday afternoon, the Hynes campaign presented the governor with a set of 2009 calendars; something about reminding the governor that not much has changed budget-wise since Quinn took office.
Hynes, who has a larger campaign war chest than Quinn, hopes the television ad will boost the comptroller's approval rating among voters enough to continue the effort into the winter.
"We have a strong campaign with plenty of resources and this all part of the plan," said McGrath.
The Hynes ad will run for several days, reportedly through the weekend in Chicago and downstate. What usually happens after a commercial's run is the campaign surveys voters to measure the impact of it.
Hynes is reportedly is trailing Quinn in earlier surveys. If the margin is narrowed after this weekend, he will use that information to attract more donors to his campaign.
