Statewide update—Feb. 15, 2011

• (AP) State Journal Register—Quinn signs bill limiting free mass transit access, “Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Monday that ends a policy of letting all senior citizens ride free on mass transit systems. Now, elderly people above a certain income level will have to pay.”

• (Gatehouse News Service) Peoria Journal Star—Expect Quinn to seek more cuts, new taxes, “Even with higher income taxes, Illinois won’t have enough money to pay all its expenses for the coming year, let alone cover the billions in old bills that have been allowed to pile up.”

• State Journal Register—IDOT hiring case in hands of federal jury, “Either 16 Republicans were fired from their former jobs at the Illinois Department of Transportation early in the reign of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich because of their party affiliation, or IDOT leaders at the time were just trying to follow budget office orders to reduce headcount – and didn’t even know which party label fit some of the 16.”

• Rockford Register Star—Late state funds mean school cuts in South Beloit, “The South Beloit School District is preparing to cut between $350,000 and $500,000 from next year’s budget on account of delinquent state money.”

• SouthtownStar—Preckwinkle donor gets job, big pay, “Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is recommending that the board approve a huge pay raise — more than $43,000 — for one of her newest hires, a high-ranking staffer who’s been a regular contributor to her campaigns.”

• SouthtownStar—Judge orders new hearing in Oak Lawn election case, “A Cook County judge on Monday ruled that a challenge to the nominating petitions of an Oak Lawn trustee candidate should return to the village’s election board for an evidence hearing.”

Statewide Update—Dec. 23, 2010

• Daily Herald—Preckwinkle gets support for 21% budget cuts: “Preckwinkle has estimated that the county budget deficit is $487 million against last year’s spending figure of $3.5 billion. The 21 percent cuts reflect a 16 percent cut annually…”

• Chicago Tribune—Hearing officer recommends Rahm stay on Chicago mayoral ballot: “You can read the (Morris) report by clicking here: Download Morrisrecommendation.  The three-member elections board doesn’t have to abide by Morris’ recommendation, but can consider it along with testimony from last week’s hearing and legal arguments made by lawyers from both sides.”

• State Journal Register—IDOT, railroads reach $1.1 billion deal on high-speed rail: “The Illinois Department of Transportation has reached agreement with Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad to allow $1.1 billion in improvements for high-speed passenger rail between St. Louis and Chicago.”

• Bloomington Pantagraph—Prosecutors: No problems with DNA testing in Beason case: “Prosecutors and defense lawyers have been in constant contact with officials with the crime lab to ensure there are no problems with the evidence…”

• Rockford Register Star—South Beloit to limit public comment time: “The city has never before limited how much time a resident may take to address the City Council during its meetings.”

• Southtown Star—District 227 concludes party probe: “Those interviewed denied that a noose or an effigy of the principal was present, and no one could remember how the poster got into the fire.”

• Daily Herald—Six to compete for three Roselle board seats: “Seven candidates filed petitions to run for three open seats, including incumbents Barbara Rendall Hochstadt, Richard Rhode and Ron Sass.”