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Chicago News Cooperative—Casino Bill’s True Believer Enters the Final Stretch, “It took 20 years for State Representative Lou Lang, one of Illinois’ most outspoken politicians, to convince his colleagues to support more gambling in Illinois. Now he faces a tougher challenge: convincing Gov. Pat Quinn, who campaigned against any large-scale expansion of gambling.”
- Southtown Star—Council may cancel Welch’s credit card, “The council’s move to revoke Welch’s card comes after the SouthtownStar reported the mayor and former city manager Henrietta Turner charged more than $75,000 at restaurants and at least $2,000 worth of movie tickets in 2010.”
- State Journal-Register—Employee salary shortfall looms in state budget, “There’s another potential problem with the operations budget state lawmakers approved last month: Not enough money to pay all employee salaries for the full year that begins July 1.”
- The News Gazette—State takes money designated for charities, repays some of it, “In all, state officials have borrowed $1.176 million in fiscal 2011 from 11 tax checkoff funds, according to figures provided by the Office of Management and Budget.”
- Chicago Sun-Times—Federal government takes over fund with ties to Daley’s son, Patrick, “A Chicago venture capital fund whose projects paid more than $1.2 million to former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s son has been taken over by the federal government, which says the fund owes taxpayers $21.4 million.”
- Southtown Star—Editorial: It’s good to be King Welch, “Government has been his personal piggy bank for so long that he has completely lost track of why elected officials owe integrity to their employers, the people.”
- State Journal-Register (AP)—Quinn OKs new congressional districts; GOP vows to sue, “The lines draw five GOP congressmen – including four first-term members, who are traditionally vulnerable in their first tries at re-election – into districts where they must run against other incumbents in 2012 if they want to stay on Capitol Hill.”
- Chicago Tribune—Emanuel to hold town hall meetings via phone, Facebook, “Emanuel says he’ll hold a telephone town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Monday and a live online chat via Facebook at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.”
- Bloomington Pantagraph—Erickson: Quinn appointment raises questions, “Recently, Quinn appointed former state Rep. Mike Smith to a $94,000-per-year seat on the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. The appointment drew howls of protest because Smith was among those lame duck Democrats who voted in favor of the January income tax hike after he’d lost his bid for re-election.”
- The Journal-Standard—First in Print: Attorney General asks for FOIA review, “The Office of the Attorney General has asked Township Supervisor Sheila Hooper to address a series of questions about her recent denial of a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request filed by Township Assessor Cynthia Petta Worster.”
