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* Charged lawmaker may lose pharmacy license
State regulators have notified Stephens that his arrest, coupled with a prior disciplinary action, are grounds not to renew his pharmacy license when it expires next year.
Stephens was put on probation in 2001 for “habitually using controlled substances.”
* Ill. collects $100 million in late child support
* Records: Congressman put daughter up for her state job
Before he lent her $140,000 to buy an “affordable home,” U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez helped his daughter get a government job, according to records kept by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.
Omaira Figueroa became a consumer counselor for the Illinois Commerce Commission in June 2004, after Blagojevich aides included her in the then-secret hiring database under a spreadsheet labeled “Gutierrez, Luis (CONG-D-4th Dist.)”
* Gutierrez no longer lives in his district
The U.S. Constitution doesn’t require congressmen to live in the districts they represent. The only residency requirement is this: They have to live somewhere in the state from which they are elected.
* Gutierrez arrested for immigration protest; explains on CBS “Face the Nation”
* Stroger charged own bills to county
The charges range from $30 to $400 and include a hotel stay in the West Loop as well as an “emergency” run to a clothing store to get a new dress shirt after he spilled food on another, sources said.
Though Stroger has reimbursed the county for the personal charges, some county commissioners say his use of the card should be investigated.
* Washington: Todd’s on way out; Tillman may return
* Sneed: Money, money: The Stroger file
Sneed hears rumbles Cook County Commissioner John Daley, who is flummoxed by rumors Stroger may have given pay increases to top aides despite a board resolution forbidding him to do so, plans to ask the Cook County comptroller and the director of human resources to rescind them.
* Daily Herald: Time for Todd Stroger to move on
* Daley: Market not good for Midway sale
Daley noted that London’s Gatwick Airport sold late last year for 1.5 billion pounds — about 300 million pounds less than anticipated.
A $2.5 billion deal to privatize Midway collapsed last year when funding dried up in the credit crisis.
* McCormick Place study calls for substantial change
James Reilly, who is advising lawmakers on how to reduce costs at McCormick Place, said he proposed putting the property under temporary control of a trustee. The trustee would legally have 18 months to find a private management firm to take over, he said.
Also, Reilly said he urged that the General Assembly approve work rule changes designed to lower the cost of staging conventions in Chicago. The proposal calls for eliminating the exclusive electrical service franchise at McCormick Place, called Focus One.
* State adviser wants McCormick Place privatized
* Top lawmakers get roadmap to revamp city’s sagging convention biz
* Wal-Mart To Go Before Committee This Week
* Sun-Times: Wind turbines in lake an idea worth study
* City needs $660 million more a year for pensions — for 50 years, report says
* CTA awaits word on federal funds for faster bus system
* ‘An awful lot’ of O.T. for Chicago cops
The city paid $18.5 million in police overtime in 2005, $33.8 million in 2006 and $37.1 million in 2009 — its highest in eight years, according to figures obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in response to a Freedom of Information request.
Police officials attribute the enormous rise from 2005 to 2006 to officers landing a new contract with the city. Their 2006 paychecks included three years of retroactive pay increases.
The big jump in 2009 was partly because of a legal settlement that required $3.5 million in overtime payments to officers.
* Daley panel recommends more money, benefit cuts for city worker pensions
The changes are needed because there is only $10.9 billion in the city’s four pension funds — a shortfall of nearly $14.6 billion, states the report by the Commission to Strengthen Chicago’s Pension Funds.
Without changes, closing all but 10 percent of the gap would require that the city pay $710 million more a year into the funds starting in 2012. The city’s current budget is $6.1 billion, and in recent years Daley has tapped reserves to balance it.
* The most forgiving judges
A Tribune review of 2006 to 2009 cases found that Jordan ranks as the most forgiving judge in Cook, DuPage and Lake counties for drivers cited by state police for going 100 mph or faster….Jordan isn’t the only judge who has repeatedly given supervision to speeders cited for driving 100 mph or higher. Cook County Circuit Judge Jill Cerone-Marisie, based in Rolling Meadows, gave 52 supervisions. Her colleague, Cook County Associate Judge Larry Axelrood, handed out 36 in Skokie.
* New School Closings Policy: Loving What You Once Fought
* Illinois officials call Nicor pipe-repair plan overpriced, misleading
Ms. Madigan, along with the staff of the Illinois Commerce Commission, says the charge for Nicor’s ComfortGuard service, which covers the cost of repairing gas pipes within customers’ homes, far exceeds its benefits….More than 440,000, or 20%, of Nicor’s 2.2 million suburban customers pay $4.95 per month for ComfortGuard, according to the ICC staff filings. Nicor reaped a total of $26 million from the product last year while paying out only $600,000 in benefits, the filings allege.
* That Kane Co. tax bill may get your blood boiling
Residents in Kane County will feel, on average, about a 3 percent increase in their property taxes payable June 1 and Sept. 1.
How can this be, you say? The answer mostly goes back to the fact that even though most everything from the thickness of wallets to the waiting times at your local restaurant is down, the cost of taxing bodies providing their services is up.
* SouthtownStar: Yet again, CN angers residents
* Oswego approves budget; water rate to increase this summer
* Downers Grove posts strong census results
* Oak Lawn to get $40 million in low-interest loans to upgrade its water system
* Recall organizers rally against Buffalo Grove Trustee Lisa Stone
* Moline police chief wants more officers
* Raises for city employees decided tonight at R.I. Council meeting
* No raises in [Quincy] contracts; tentative agreements reached with four of six unions
* Washington fire chief wants fines for false alarms
After dealing with multiple false alarms, including three in less than 24 hours, at a Washington business this winter, Vaughn discovered there are no penalties in the city’s fire prevention ordinance for several false alarms caused by maintenance issues at the same location.
So he’s proposing adding fines to the ordinance. The fines range from $75 for the third false alarm to $750 for the 10th and additional false alarms at the same location over a 12-month period.
* McLean County contemplating layoffs, other cuts
* Pontiac Council to vote on wind turbines ordinance
The proposed ordinance would ban the building of wind farms in Pontiac, as well as within a 1.5 mile radius around the city limits. City Attorney Alan Schrock said the change would make sure the turbines did not hinder any potential growth.
* Tempers flare as East St. Louis OKs budget with 7 layoffs
* Fairview Heights mayor unhappy with budget; starts veto process
* Quinn proclaims Dick Biondi Day to honor DJ
* State fire officials offer safe grilling tips
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 3, 10 @ 8:43 am
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So was Gutierrez going for the trifecta of news stories today in celebration of Kentucky Derby weekend??
Comment by BigDog Monday, May 3, 10 @ 8:52 am
Note to Republican voters: You may wish to think twice before voting for the next pharmacist who is seeking elective office (since the previous pharmacist/legislator before Rep. Stephens was a fellow named George Ryan).
Comment by fedup dem Monday, May 3, 10 @ 8:57 am
The article about Gutierrez’s residency mentions that he moved again four months ago but is still registered at the same address.
So did he not vote in the primary, or did he vote from an address he didn’t live at?
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Monday, May 3, 10 @ 9:13 am
So, Democrats are going to have to raise taxes to meet pension fund requirements in Chicago–or, I suppose, do a Pat Quinn and start borrowing. Or sell more things like airports, etc. I wonder how that tax increase would go over. On the one hand, citizens in Chicago are used to paying for very expensive city government, full of Democratic patronage and super perks for the bureaucrats, alderpeople, and other pols doing the governing.
On the other hand, Chicago city government can’t hire everybody into those lavishly compensated city jobs and there are many Chicago citizens who are unemployed or who are otherwise affected by the Great Recession. In an increasingly pension-less working world, how happily will they give up more money to support those golden goose city pensions.
Especially since other government bodies are after their (our) money as well. There is widespread agreement that at some point the feds
will have to raise taxes and fees such as Medicare fees) in order to pay down the federal deficit–the only question is, who pays and how far down the income ladder do the increases go. We don’t really know how much health care reform will cost. And Cook County property taxes are heading upwards this fall. Our Pat is trying to head that off at the last minute by keeping the property tax cap. Maybe he has figured out (finally) that once they see those property tax bills, taxpayers won’t be too receptive to his inevitable push for an income tax hike if he wins in November. Everybody doesn’t love higher taxes like our Pat. And many believe a lot of the money is wasted.
Looks like the coming years will be filled with appeals to our pocketbooks from various levels of government. It won’t be pretty and unless we are eternally vigilant, it will be far more expensive to us than it needs to be.
Comment by cassandra Monday, May 3, 10 @ 9:33 am
luis, luis, luis. what do you want from life? maybe you are angling to run again for alderman when the remap is done. 38th ward is said to be in play and looks like you are headed that way. you would be closer to all the house and fence contracts.
Comment by Amalia Monday, May 3, 10 @ 10:32 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s nice to see that the State is doing something about child support–and that media are getting the message out to divorced parents with children and their spouses who owe money to their kids.
Having gone through that myself long ago for a very, very long time–and being unable to collect anything without paying attorneys even more, “enforcement” seems tough because of the recourse available, but at least there’s something out there now to help struggling moms help their children.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, May 3, 10 @ 11:29 am
…EX-spouses….
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Monday, May 3, 10 @ 11:35 am
==since the previous pharmacist/legislator before Rep. Stephens was a fellow named George Ryan==
Let’s not forget Senator Frank Watson, who served honorably…just sayin’.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Monday, May 3, 10 @ 1:21 pm