Morning Shorts and a ScribbleLive blog
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We used to do these back when I had an intern. Since I won’t be blogging much today, I thought you’d like a roundup…
* Lt. Gov. Simon keeps options open for 2014
* Quinn wants funding guarantee in pension bill: “The state can never ever again not pay what it should pay every year to the pension account. That’s why we’re in this situation,” he told reporters in Chicago.
* Chamber sees progress on Illinois pension crisis
* Tom Kacich: Pension reform OK’d, but not by downstate officials
* Can Legislature take next step on pensions?
* Editorial: We need ICC to keep a lid on utility bills
* Parents sue in attempt to keep Murray Center from closing
* Fracking: Put on the brakes
* Fairmount faces more issues than the snow
* Quinn pushes extensive road and bridge construction
* State unveils spring road work plans
* Medical marijuana legalization effort ‘one or two’ votes short in Illinois House
* Illinois: House Committee Approves Industrial Hemp Bill
* Redflex Warnings Go Back Years
* Rally for gay marriage: ‘Tired of being a second-class citizen’
* Durbin fired up over coal-fired ferry
* Hinz: What does the GOP really want to be?
* And a ScribbleLive blog. Blackberry users click here…
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 9:37 am:
I miss Morning Shorts.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 9:49 am:
Durbin’s way over-the-the top in his knock on the Badger. I’m sure he knows it, he’s just making nice with the Tribbies who are obsessed on the issue.
He neglected to mention the part where the federal government backed a $17.5 million loan guarantee to fund a new, direct competitor to the Badger, running from Milwaukee to Muskegon.
Also not mentioned is that the Badger has since sought a similar guarantee to convert to diesel that has not been forthcoming.
Take it easy. Progress is being made. Real people and businesses in Manitowoc and Ludington depend on this private company to bring in tourists.
The federales choosing one competitor over another is hardly a level playing field.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 10:09 am:
Tomorrow will be the ten year anniversary of my father’s passing. He had cancer and took Marinol, which didn’t help him. He lost his appetite months before he passed, plus he took his share of chemotherapy. I wish he would have had the ability to use marijuana to stimulate his appetite and alleviate his symptoms. He took Oxycontin, which is a dangerous drug.
Though I support full marijuana legalization with responsible restrictions, I would like for Illinois to take the first humane step and legalize medical marijuana. It’s encouraging to see that we are very close. I listed to Rep. Lang on the radio, talking about how strict the law would be. I guess we need to go through a process to get to where Colorado and Washington are today.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 10:46 am:
I love the Badger. Have ridden her once. Rode her sister, SS City of Midland in ‘73. An iconic vessel if ever there was one. I was not aware that the feds had guaranteed the loan to the competitor, word. Thanks for the info. Makes me hoppin’ mad when the gov’t picks winners and losers in the economic sphere when there is no compelling reason (national security, etc).
- Norseman - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 10:55 am:
I want to 2nd the Senate Dem prop to the City of Springfield for their good work in clearing the snow.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 11:24 am:
Since Quinn wants a guarantee, and it is almost impossible to construct a guarantee the GA can’t violate, how about this:
a Constitutional Amendment passed by the GA & approved by the voters requiring the pension fund payments be made ahead of everything else, including bonds, without requiring any appropriation by the GA, just a certification of the necessary amount by COFGA and concurred to by the AG that specifies the amounts the Comptroller must transfer. In the event COGFA and the GA can’t agree on the amounts, then the amounts requested by the individual plans per actuarial standards are the amount of the transfers.
- LincolnLounger - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 2:09 pm:
Wow, would the last person to leave the SJ-R please turn out the lights? Sad.
- Tsavo - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 4:02 pm:
Rich,
Any truth to this article from Springfield Leaks?
http://www.springfieldleaks.com/2013/03/25/sangamon-county-judge-unavailable-to-address-conflict-of-interest-in-retiree-health-premiums-case
- Just The Way It Is One - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 4:12 pm:
Gee, I was surprized to see how little the Lt. Gov. has in her (mini) “war chest.” If she’s pondering an AG State-wide race (unless Lisa chills out somehow and stays put) or Treasurer or whatEVer, she’s sure as heck fire gonna need WAY more in her Treasury than that! (She may even have to, hard as it may seem for her, consider askin’ folks for some BIG smackers at these Fundraisers, at LEAST in the $75 to $1000 Range, depending on the Category of Supporter)….
- Joe M - Tuesday, Mar 26, 13 @ 4:40 pm:
==Illinois: House Committee Approves Industrial Hemp Bill==
During World War II, US farmers grew about a million acres of Hemp across the Midwest. My grandfather had a 40 acre field in Illinois. Volunteer 10 foot tall plants of hemp still grow in the corners and along the fence lines. Although those plants look just like the more famous marijuana plants, those varieties from WWII are great for making rope, but they are no good for medicinal uses.