Statewide update—Feb. 14, 2011

• Daily Herald—Glenn Ellyn votes on ethics ordinance tonight, “The ordinance would establish rules to guard against gift giving, political activity on public time, conflicts of interest and undue influence by civil servants, defined as elected or appointed officials, or village employees.”

• Chicago Tribune—Pagano mismanaged Metra, reports say, “The former executive director used his authority to circumvent controls to approve certain transactions which benefitted himself and other employees…”

• State Journal Register—Editorial: First shot in benefits battle, “On Wednesday, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said he believes reducing benefits to current employees would be unconstitutional. But with Madigan openly discussing the concept and, on Wednesday, saying he will appoint a group of legislators to put the issue into bill form, it’s likely we’ll see debate on this topic during the current session.”

• (Gatehouse News Service) Rockford Register Star— Illinois secretary of state clarifies lobbyist rules, “Secretary of State Jesse White’s office will send a notice this week to lobbyists that they do not, in fact, have to disclose every conversation they have with state officials.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Risinger may step down early, “Risinger, who was first elected to the 37th Senate District seat in 2002, told the Journal Star on Friday he will not seek re-election in 2012 and that he ‘does not expect’ to fill out the remainder of his term. He did not say when he might step down.”

Statewide Update—Feb. 10, 2011

• Chicago Tribune—New report details scope of public pension shortfalls, “Chicago’s Civic Federation will release a report Thursday that shows the unfunded liabilities for 10 city and county pension funds grew sixfold from 2000 to 2009, with shortfalls now totaling nearly $23 billion.”

• Daily Herald—Cook public defender joins Alvarez in balking against budget cuts, “The Cook County public defender has joined State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez in opposing cuts proposed by county board President Toni Preckwinkle, raising the possibility the 2011 budget could unravel within three weeks of the deadline for passage.”

• Daily Herald—Daley, airlines can’t reach airport deal, “After a high-stakes powwow in Washington between Daley and airline executives, which U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood brokered, the parties said there was no agreement on what airlines should pay for the ongoing expansion at the major air-travel hub.”

• Southtown Star—State’s Attorney Alvarez lays off 101 workers, “Those losing their jobs included administrative assistants, clerks, victim-witness specialists and community outreach coordinators.”

• (Gatehouse News Service) Peoria Journal Star—Cullerton: Pension cuts unconstitutional, “Illinois Senate President John Cullerton on Wednesday tossed cold water on the idea of reducing future pension benefits for current state workers, but House Speaker Michael Madigan appeared to forge ahead anyway.”

• Belleville News Democrat—Lawmakers call for review of workers’ comp claims by prison guards, arbitrators, “Three metro-east lawmakers sponsored a bill Wednesday in the Illinois House directing the auditor general to investigate hundreds of workers’ compensation claims by employees at the Menard Correctional Center, as well as claims filed by state arbitrators.”

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. 18, 2011

• Southtown Star (AP)—Tax credit is incentive to hire temporary workers, “Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation providing a $2,500 tax credit to employers hiring trainees from the Put Illinois to Work temporary jobs program.”

• State Journal-Register—Thousands hired in Illinois ahead of new pension system, “Thanks to the eight-month span between Gov. Pat Quinn’s approval of a pension reform bill last spring and its implementation Jan. 1, any public worker hired in Illinois as late as Dec. 31 was enrolled in a far more lucrative pension plan than those hired after that date.”

• Chicago Sun-Times—Black wards adding more voters, while Hispanic wards lag behind, “In just 10 weeks since the November midterm elections, every ward in the city showed a jump in the number of registered voters, indicating a high level of interest in the upcoming mayoral contest.”

• WBEZ—Cook County commissioner wants family hiring ban, “The county government has long had a reputation for nepotism. Recently  Assessor Joe Berrios hired two relatives soon after he took over the office.”

• (Gatehouse News Service) Peoria Journal Star—State Comptroller informed that 38 appointees not confirmed, “The Senate of the 96th General Assembly did not confirm any of the listed persons… With their nominations no longer valid, I am unaware of any legal authority permitting the formal nominees to continue to draw a salary or receive expense reimbursements.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Durbin changes stance on death penalty, “U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking member of the U.S. Senate, said Monday he has come to believe that states should not impose the death penalty.”

• Chicago Tribune—State Sen. Lou Viverito of Burbank resigns, “Sen. Lou Viverito’s resignation was effective Saturday, though the 78-year-old from Burbank remains the Stickney Township supervisor, a job he has held for about 35 years.”

• Chicago Sun-Times—Quinn, former state rep. say job not traded for tax-hike vote, “During her final days in office, former state Rep. Careen Gordon scored a lucrative state job after casting an important vote that helped pass Gov. Quinn’s controversial 67 percent income tax increase.”

• Daily Herald—LeBlanc off ballot in Campton Hills but still in race, “Kristin LeBlanc plans to run as a write-in candidate for Campton Hills village president after the village clerk declined to put her on the April ballot because her nominating petitions were incomplete.”

• Center Square Journal—Ald. Schulter drops reelection bid; aims for County Board of Review, “Schulter has served as alderman since 1975. Rumors of his retirement have swirled since November, when a political ally of Schulter filed to run for alderman.”