Statewide update—March 8, 2011

Bloomington Pantagraph—State’s archaic financial tracking system under review, “Less than two weeks after Auditor General William Holland found the state is relying on hundreds of different financial reporting systems to track spending, the chairwoman of a Senate committee said lawmakers must investigate.”

• Chicago Sun-Times—John Cullerton: Consider taxing under-65 pensions, “The top Senate Democrat Monday suggested taxing retirement income for high-earning senior citizens for the first time to help lower income taxes that were raised in January.”

• Daily Herald—Gambling plan includes slots, no casinos, “The push to allow slot machines at Arlington Park and other Illinois race tracks is on once again, but an initial plan leaves any new casinos out of the equation.”

• Trib Local (Winnetka/Northfield)—Attorney General: New Trier High School board violated Open Meetings Act, “The New Trier High School District 203 board violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act last spring when it privately discussed topics that should have been addressed in public, according to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.”

• Chicago Tribune—Contract for Dolton mayor’s daughter sets of firestorm, “A proposal to award a million-dollar deal to a south suburban mayor’s daughter prompted a trustee boycott and accusations of secrecy, but a revised contract was pushed through Monday night.”

• SouthtownStar—Quinn signs Chinatown redistricting legislation, “Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law Monday a bill that protects minority groups from being split — and thus losing political influence — during legislative redistricting.”

Statewide Update—Jan. 5, 2011

• Chicago Tribune, Editorial—Legislators should look at cutting state spending first, “If you cut deeply and still don’t have enough revenue to balance the budget, then you can talk with the people of Illinois about more taxing and borrowing. But only then.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Death penalty vote near for lawmakers, “Lawmakers could vote to abolish the death penalty in Illinois as soon as Wednesday.”

• Southtown Star—State democrats nearing vote on tax increase, “Illinois Democrats are edging closer to a possible vote on raising income taxes during a lame-duck session of the state Legislature.”

• State Journal-Register—Plan to limit pension sweeteners advances in Illinois House, “A state constitutional amendment aimed at making it harder to sweeten public employee pensions moved to the floor of the Illinois House Tuesday, but its sponsor, House Speaker Michael Madigan, couldn’t answer key questions about the measure.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—State lawmakers sign off on redistricting roadmap, “The proposal, approved on a 67-46 vote, requires lawmakers to hold a minimum of four public hearings about new legislative districts.”

• Herald-Review—City primary puzzle shows need to reform law, “The Illinois General Assembly has plenty on its plate right now, but it might be time to update municipal election laws.”

• Daily Herald—Lake County Laborers agree to concessions, “Laborers working for the Lake County Forest Preserve District have agreed to shave raises under a proposed two-year contract extension.”