Statewide Update—Dec. 17, 2010

• Politifact—Politifact’s lie of the year: “A government takeover of health care:” “ In the spring of 2009, a Republican strategist settled on a brilliant and powerful attack line for President Barack Obama’s ambitious plan to overhaul America’s health insurance system. Frank Luntz, a consultant famous for his phraseology, urged GOP leaders to call it a “government takeover.”

• Chicagoist.com—BGA Report Asks Why We Need So Many Aldermen: “Did you know that, once upon a lonesome, there were 75 aldermen representing 35 wards in Chicago? That’s one of the many tidbits you’ll learn from a recent Better Government Association report that reopens the argument of whether we really need 50.”
  

• (AP) State Journal-Register—New University of Illinois website tracks campus crime: “A group of University of Illinois journalism students have started a new website to provide information about crime on the Champaign-Urbana campus.”

• Daily Herald—Tax watchdog (National Taxpayers United of Illinois): School, municipal pensions ‘ridiculous:’ “These people are getting millions for sitting on their fat (behinds),” Tobin said Thursday in describing the state’s “pension millionaires.” Tobin’s group is touring the state, releasing the names and pension earnings of recently retired teachers and municipal employees. Tobin believes the cost of funding all the state’s pensions is what is really driving Gov. Pat Quinn and state lawmakers to push for an income tax increase.”

• Rockford Register Star—Rockford police union offiers to delay raise, give up pay benefits: “Members of the Rockford police union have agreed to voluntarily give up several types of pay and benefits due to them under their current labor contract to help the city balance its 2011 budget.”
  

• State Journal-Register—State police make early retirement offer to senior troopers: “The union representing most Illinois State Police officers has agreed to an early retirement plan that could send more than 100 troopers into retirement, but officials hope it will result in more new troopers being hired.”

• Peoria Journal Star—Peoria officials point out they didn’t raise taxes: “City officials including Mayor Jim Ardis have instead expressed some of their frustrations with other taxing bodies in Peoria — namely Peoria Public Schools District 150 — for increasing its property tax rate while the city avoids similar hikes despite increasing political pressure to do so.”

• Rockford Register Star—Caledonia wants you to serve on Village Board: “Only two people have submitted paperwork to run for five of the six seats up for grabs April 5. The deadline to file nominating petitions is 5 p.m. Monday.”

• Southtown Star—Meeks says minority contracts should only go to blacks: “The word ‘minority’ from our standpoint should mean African-American. I don’t think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title,” he said. “That’s why our numbers cannot improve — because we use women, Asians and Hispanics who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against.”