Statewide update—Feb. 18, 2011

Peoria Journal Star—Federal panel says workers were fired by Blagojevich reps for being Republicans, “A federal jury found Thursday that 16 former workers with the Illinois Department of Transportation were fired seven years ago by representatives of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich because they were Republicans.”

• State Journal Register—Quinn plan targets more than 500 school districts for merger, “The state offers financial assistance to districts that consolidate, including guarantees of no loss in state aid, help in covering disparities in teacher salaries between the merging districts and an extra $4,000 for each certified staff member for three years.”

• (AP) Bloomington Pantagraph—Quinn’s budget calls for 950 new state workers, “The administration said adding some jobs will actually save money because some state agencies, particularly the Corrections Department, are spending huge amounts on overtime as guards work long hours to make up for a staff shortage.”

• SouthtownStar—Sheriff ‘appalled’ at cemetery’s treatment of bodies, “Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart called for a review of its contract with the cemetery at a news conference in which he criticized the operation for haphazard practices and restated his belief the state needs legislation requiring DNA collection on all unidentified bodies.”

• Chicago Tribune—State crime lab reports more than 4,000 untested rape kits in Illinois, “The new law came after a Tribune investigation found that Chicago-area police and prosecutors had placed many unexamined kits in storage, robbing the state of the ability to solve crimes, exonerate the wrongfully convicted and bring closure to victims.

• Chicago Sun-Times— Feds: Company gave phony physicals to police, fire applicants and workers, “The company’s contract with the city required that board-certified specialists review the tests.  But the firm simply used signature stamps of specialists to sign letters indicating they had reviewed the tests…”

• The Southern—Poverty hits children hard, “The child poverty rate in Illinois jumped from 17 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2009, which was the highest level since 1993…”

Statewide Update—Feb. 17, 2011

Photo courtesy lilhelen/Flickr

State Journal Register—Pension changes likely to be decided by state Supreme Court, “It will be up to the Illinois Supreme Court to decide whether changes to pension benefits for current state employees are constitutional, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said Wednesday.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Lawmakers: Quinn’s proposal mostly falls short, “Although most lawmakers found at least a little to like about the governor’s relatively brief, broadly themed speech, all agreed it will be tough to reach an agreement on how to pay a mountain of old bills while financing current programs.”

• SouthtownStar—Editorial: Better, but Quinn’s budget still falls short, “We wholeheartedly agree that Regional Offices of Education are a waste of money—we learned that firsthand when we uncovered the corruption taking place at the Suburban Cook County office under the beleaguered Charles Flowers, who is charged with stealing $376,000 in public funds.”

• Daily Herald—Illinois EPA asks state to act against salt discharge in Bartlett, “The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency released a statement saying Bluff City Materials Inc. stored as much as 50,000 tons of salt at one time at 1950 Vulcan Blvd. in Bartlett and asking the attorney general’s office to take steps to make sure the salt is stored in an environmentally safe way.”

• Rockford Register Star—Rockford, Winnebago County leaders back school board review, “Mayor Larry Morrissey and Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen said an independent review of the School District’s financial state could help settle the disagreement between the district’s money experts and its teachers union.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 27, 2011

• State Journal-Register—Illinois court throws out liquor taxes, video gaming, “If upheld by the state Supreme Court, the decision would wipe out video gaming, higher liquor and vehicle fees and increased sales taxes on some products.”

• (Gatehouse News Service) Peoria Journal Star—State AG says nominating petitions stay pending; Madigan says Senate has 60 sessions to confirm appointments, “Gubernatorial appointees who haven’t received Senate confirmation can continue to serve into the next General Assembly, according to Attorney General Lisa Madigan.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Republicans outline redistricting plans, “Even though their party won’t have much say in this year’s redistricting process, state House Republican staff are looking at preliminary census figures to draw their own version of a proposed legislative map.”

• The Southern—More charges filed against former deputy, “Former Saline County chief sheriff deputy and Harrisburg school district board president Todd Fort, already jailed on sex and misconduct charges, has been indicted by a Saline County grand jury on two counts of theft of governmental property.”

• Chicago Tribune—Stickney Village President Daniel O’Reilly improperly claimed property tax benefit for six years, official says, “O’Reilly claimed homeowner exemptions on the two businesses since 2003, despite having claimed the exemption on his home in Stickney since 1999.”

• (AP) State Journal-Register—State Sen. Brad Burzynski plans to retire, “His district covers DeKalb, Ogle, Boone, La Salle and Winnebago counties.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Union, leaders react to proposal for consolidated police force, “Leaders with the city’s police union are prepared to “protect ourselves” regarding a proposed consolidated city-county police force, while other local officials say it’s something worth looking into.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 21, 2011

• Bloomington Pantagraph—AG: Pontiac school board broke meeting law, “For the second time in less than a year, the Illinois attorney general’s office has notified the Pontiac Elementary District 429 that its board violated the terms of the state Open Meetings Act.”

• State Journal-Register—Opinion: Clean house in workers’ comp agency, “A study by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services ranked Illinois’ workers’ comp premiums third highest in the nation for 2010.”

• Chicago Tribune—Watchdog: Cook County employees were pressured for $100 Todd Stroger fundraiser, “A Cook County Bureau of Human Resources manager pressured employees to contribute at least $100 each to a fundraiser last fall for outgoing County Board President Todd Stroger, a county watchdog reported Thursday.”

• State Journal-Register—Not all roads get salt in bad weather, “State highways and county roads usually receive doses of salt to remove ice, but many township road commissioners use no salt. Most cite cost as the reason, and they add that the practice isn’t new.”

• Trib Local (Joliet)—Will County Sheriif’s Office to offer online report filings, “Residents can file reports for minor crimes and incidents via the Will County Sheriff’s Office website starting Monday.”

• Trib Local (Oak Park/River Forest)—Oak Park considers eliminating, replacing some commissions, “Oak Park officials are looking to reconfigure, and even scale back, some of their volunteer commissions as many struggle to keep the positions full.”

• Daily Herald—Fiscal woes widen between county board and circuit court clerk, “The number of employees in Seyller’s office is at the heart of the disagreement.”

• Southtown Star—SD 225 strips principal of his duties, “A Rich Township High School District 227 administrator—who is suing the district and who was at the center of a monthslong controversy after a photo of him was burned at a party attended by Rich Central staff—has been stripped of his duties as principal.”

• State Journal-Register—Coroner’s jury rules Davlin death a suicide, “But inquest proceedings shed no light on why Davlin, 53, shot himself. Police investigators and the Sangamon County coroner’s office have not released records that could answer whether the mayor’s apparent financial difficulties prompted the suicide.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 19, 2011

• Chicago Sun-Times—Preckwinkle warns: Cut Cook County budget—or I will, “Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle issued a warning Tuesday to Sheriff Tom Dart and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez — and anyone else balking at the looming budget cuts: help her swing the budget ax, or she’ll propose the cuts herself.”

• Daily Herald—RTA awaits word on end of free rides for seniors, “The Regional Transportation Authority has had no word on whether Gov. Pat Quinn will sign a bill to limit free rides for senior citizens, but nevertheless is trying to calculate the revenue boost the agency would get if it does become law.”

• State Journal-Register—Private managers to take over Illinois Lottery in July, state says,  “The state has rejected two protests over the awarding of a private management contract for the Illinois Lottery, opening the way for the new manager to take control of the lottery this summer.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Nuckolls getting paid for being in county board while in jail, “Nuckolls has not attended a county board meeting since his September arrest and has been stripped of his committee assignments. He continues to receive his board salary of $4,460 a year.”

• Daily Herald—Des Plaines may update water meters, resulting in rate hike, “Des Plaines residents may see a rise in water rates starting next year if officials decide to eventually replace the city’s roughly 13,000 analog water meters with a new digital automated meter reading system.”

• Southtown Star—Kaupas names cousin deputy police chief, “Kaupas, who is the second cousin of Sheriff Paul Kaupas, was hired as the spokesman in December at a salary of $75,000. He said he will perform the duties of both positions, replacing two people who retired, at a net savings to the sheriff’s department.”

• Daily Herald—Pension reform tops Naperville’s state agenda, “For the second consecutive year, pension reform tops the list of fights the city wants its legislative leaders to tackle.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 14, 2011

• (AP) State Journal-Register—Quinn signs tax increase, Dems point to spending caps, “Illinois taxpayers will have to fork over a lot more money now that Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a major tax increase, but Democratic leaders want them to take comfort in knowing that new spending limits will ensure their dollars are handled carefully.”

• Chicago Sun-Times—Opinion: How tax increases will affect state, “Elections have consequences. You Illinois taxpayers who are outraged over the reduced paychecks you’ll soon see should remember that more than half of you voted for Gov. Quinn, and he campaigned to raise your taxes.”

• Southtown Star—Lawmakers plan to revive gambling legislation in 2011, “Southland lawmakers vowed Thursday to revive a plan that would drastically expand gambling in Illinois, just days after outgoing lawmakers allowed the proposal to stall during the closing hours of the previous General Assembly.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Opinion: Luciano: Taxman, peek at pensions, “Rather than just jamming people with a brutal income tax, our lawmakers could’ve taken a hard look at one of the state’s most glaring trouble spots: Pensions.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—New state lawmakers propose pay cut for assembly, “Five new Republican lawmakers introduced legislation on their first day to cut Illinois General Assembly members’ pay by 10 percent.”

• Daily Herald—Aurora laborers union agrees to 7 furlough days, “Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1514 reached an agreement this week with Aurora to take the equivalent of seven unpaid furlough days in 2011 to save the city money.”

• Chicago Tribune—Plan would fire corrupt city workers when convicted of corruption; Alderman seeks to change policy of waiting until sentencing, “Ald. Joe Moreno, 1st, said taxpayers shouldn’t be required to continue covering the cost of the workers’ salaries while they appeal their convictions or await sentencing.”

• Daily Herald—District 300 may need $19 million loan, “Late payments from the state and looming expenses will likely force Community Unit District 300 to take out a $19 million loan in the next few months to cover general operating costs, including payroll.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 13, 2011

• Southtown Star—Will lawmakers pay for tax hike? No way. “Voting in favor of the state’s largest income tax increase won’t make outgoing state Rep. Mike Carberry popular on his Oak Lawn block. But the vote was needed, he and other Southland Democrats said Wednesday, to avoid state insolvency.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Central Illinois debates income tax increases, “It was a debate taking place across Central Illinois on Wednesday after the General Assembly worked into the early morning to send Gov. Pat Quinn a controversial tax increase bill.”

• (AP) State Journal-Register—Cook County medical examiner double-bunked bodies, “The head of the Cook County medical examiner’s office says it was forced to store bodies two to a cooler tray for a short time.”

• State Journal-Register—Quinn: Will ‘follow my conscience’ on death penalty abolition, “Gov. Pat Quinn won’t say whether he will sign legislation abolishing the death penalty, but even if he does, it won’t empty death row, as then-Gov. George Ryan did before he left office in 2003.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Trial starts in IDOT suit; former state workers say they were laid off because of politics, “The trial got under way Wednesday in the federal lawsuit filed by 16 former state workers who claim they were sacked seven years ago because they were Republicans.”

• Daily Herald—West Chicago, Warrenville chambers merge, “The two chambers merged, effective Jan. 1, into the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce. The new chamber will serve more than 400 members in the two communities.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 12, 2011

• State Journal-Register—Senate approves end to death penalty; bill headed to Quinn, “Ten years after Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois and nearly eight years after then-state Sen. Barack Obama sponsored reforms to the system, a bill abolishing capital punishment is headed to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk.”

• Southtown Star—Senate President: More work ahead, “Senate President John Cullerton says fixing the state’s finances will require hard work even after lawmakers passed a massive tax increase.”

• Daily Herald—Lombard ballot to include term limits question, “A ‘yes’ vote will signal voters want the village board to consider a binding referendum to place limits on the number of consecutive terms officials can serve.”

• Rockford Register Star—Rockford School District presents $51 million cuts plan to public, “The committee came up with proposals to cut $51 million — or 12.6 percent — from the district’s $404 million budget to use for fiscal 2012, which begins July 1. The committee presented its recommendations Tuesday at the School Board meeting.”

• State Journal-Register—Tenaska fails again, project’s future in jeopardy, “The Illinois Senate early today again rejected a bill authorizing a clean-coal technology plant in Taylorville, possibly ending chances of the plant ever being built.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Normal mayor suggests form-based code optional, “Mayor Chris Koos is suggesting making the controversial form-based code an option — not a requirement — for developers of properties along the Main Street Corridor in Normal.”

• Daily Herald—Mundelien to merge engineering, public works departments, “In a cost-cutting move, Mundelein officials are merging the town’s engineering and public works departments.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 7, 2011

• (AP) State Journal-Register—Public using stronger open government laws, “Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Thursday that the state’s 2009 overhaul of its Freedom of Information and Open Meetings laws brought long-overdue transparency to Illinois government.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—On 2^nd try, state House votes to abolish death penalty, “Illinois has not enforced the death penalty since then-Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium in 2000 after more than a dozen men on death row were exonerated. Just before leaving office in 2003, Ryan commuted the death sentences of 167 inmates to life in prison and pardoned four others.”

• Daily Herald—Kane finance committee to explore ethics of seeking financial advice, “The Kane County Board may have a new panel of financial experts chiming in with advice in 2011 as it tries to avoid another year of deficit spending.”

• State Journal-Register—Dems push income, cig tax increases, property tax break, “The plan calls for borrowing $8.75 billion to pay off old bills. And to prevent the state from sinking into a financial abyss again, lawmakers will be asked to approve bills limiting spending increases and imposing a prohibition on new programs for the next three years.”

• Southtown Star—Daley rips admission fee for Taste of Chicago, “During that the Taste of Chicago will ‘always be free,’ Mayor Richard Daley said Thursday he would oppose a lone bidder’s proposal to charge a $20 admission fee to the lakefront festival.”

• Daily Herald—DuPage seniors can defer property taxes, “A DuPage County program allows qualified seniors, 65 and older, to defer their property taxes until they sell their home.”

• State Journal-Register, Editorial—Clout carries the day vs. Tenaska, “As things stand now, it appears that the Tenaska clean coal power plant proposed for Taylorville is dead.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 6, 2011

• Chicago Sun-Times—Better Government Association sues Chicago Police Department, “The BGA, a not-for-profit corporation, claims the Chicago police refuses to release documents about the protection and transportation of Burke (14th) as requested in an Aug. 24, 2010, Freedom of Information Act request, according to the complaint filed in Cook County Circuit Court.”

• State Journal-Register—2 percentage point income tax hike on table for state leaders, “Legislative leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn will meet today to discuss boosting Illinois’ income tax rate from the current 3 percent to 5 percent as part of a package that also could include pension borrowing, a moratorium on new state programs, no new spending and property tax relief.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Illinois Senate approves Medicaid reform, “With the clock ticking on the lame-duck legislative session, the Illinois Senate unanimously approved a plan Wednesday to overhaul the state’s Medicaid program.”

• State Journal-Register—Tenaska bill falls short in Senate, “A bill authorizing construction of a $3.5 billion clean coal technology plant in Taylorville failed in a vote in the Illinois Senate Wednesday.”

• Belleville News Democrat—Insurance fraud investigators begin probe into workers’ comp claims at Menard, “State insurance fraud investigators have opened an official probe of the Menard Correctional Center, where hundreds of guards and others have filed for or received taxpayer-funded settlements for “repetitive trauma” they say was mainly caused by operating heavy cell locking mechanisms.”

• Southtown Star—U.S. House welcomes five from Illinois, “The Illinois congressional delegation has the biggest freshman class in more than a decade — five new House members and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk were sworn in to full terms on Wednesday, all Republicans.”

• Daily Herald, Editorial—Kane County ethics laws, for the most part, require a do-over, “An opinion on the county’s ethics law from former State’s Attorney John Barsanti before he left office to become a circuit judge Dec. 1 deems several sections of the law unclear, not applicable and unenforceable.”

• Southtown Star, Editorial—Unfair election process taints suburban hearings, “Whenever suburban elections approach, dozens of poor slobs find themselves caught up in a process designed to stop outsiders from threatening the people in power.”

• Chicago Tribune, Editorial: Reform—or eyewash? “Springfield is buzzing with reform talk in the final frantic days of this brief, few-days conclusion to a 2010 legislative session.”