State’s High Court Hears IG’s Case

http://bit.ly/wkvn9Z

The Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments recently in a case that will help determine what power the city of Chicago’s main watchdog has to investigate City Hall. The BGA is closely following the case.

http://progressillinois.com/posts/content/2012/09/21/watchdog-takes-emanuel-state-supreme-court

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. 26, 2011

• Peoria Journal Star—Agency Director: I was told to get rid of Republicans; Court testimony comes in lawsuit filed by 16 former IDOT workers, “The former director of the state Historic Preservation Agency testified Tuesday that representatives of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich told him in 2003 to “get rid of Republicans” in his agency.”

• Daily Herald—DuPage hires remap consultant, spikes confidentiality clause, “Schirott, Luetkehans and Garner, P.C. will be paid up to $125,000 to serve as a consultant to the county board committee charged with configuring the future legislative map.  However, the firm won’t need to comply with a confidentiality clause that had DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin raising concerns about lack of transparency.”

• Southtown Star—Quinn signs Medicaid reform into law, “Gov. Pat Quinn signed major reforms to Medicaid into Illinois law Tuesday, calling it a “landmark achievement” as he was flanked by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers who said the changes aim to reduce costs, pay bills sooner and target fraud.”

• (AP) State Journal-Register—Illinois Supreme Court will hear Rahm Emanuel appeal, “About the only thing abundantly clear after a chaotic and unprecedented day at the Chicago Board of Elections: Voters only get to vote once, even if their ballots are wrong.”

• The Southern—Overdue bills still an issue for Illinois, “The state’s stack of unpaid bills will soon double despite an income tax increase, according to state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.”

• Trib Local (Arlington Heights)—Taxpayers organize to influence politics, “Fed up with rising tax bills, residents have organized a watchdog group to  try and influence local politics and keep taxes down.”

• (AP) Peoria Journal Star—SEC reviewing Illinois pension predictions, “The Securities and Exchange Commission is reviewing the Illinois pension systems and state officials’ statements about how much future savings the state will get from reforms enacted last spring, Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration said Tuesday.”

• Rockford Register Star—Sheffields savings ideas: Close 8 Rockford schools, reduce staff, “Eight schools will close, gifted and several other programs will relocate to other schools, and kindergarten will shrink to a half-day program if the Rockford School Board adopts cost-cutting recommendations from Superintendent LaVonne Sheffield.”