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Morning Shorts

Posted in:

* Legislators say state official lying about drivers

* Mary Mitchell: A cougar gets played in silk PJ scandal

Even if Wertz were a man and Estes were a woman, this would be a salacious scandal.
It’s even juicier because Wertz is being portrayed as a “cougar” — a powerful older woman who goes after younger men.

* Daley denies report that CTA’s Kruesi is headed out

* Illinois named #1 in the nation in regulating child care

* Agreement requires state to provide motorized wheelchairs in Illinois nursing homes

* Editorial: Cook County budget a step in the right direction, but toughest road ahead

Now the question is whether the elected officials will view this year’s battle as a starting point or as a one-time-only nod to responsible government. Budget talks for 2008 will begin before the end of summer. There already have been whispers around the county building that this year’s minimal cuts will be cited as the cause of declining services and justification for major tax increases next February.

* Tax board member supports 7% Expanded Homeowner’s Exemption

* Proposal of public financing of judicial races moves forward

* HPV vaccine mandate moves out of Senate committee

* Campaign reform activists still waiting on Governor

* Jones proposing universal screenings for postpartum mood disorders proposed

* Cross introduces three new bills targeting domestic violence

* Tougher teen drivinglaws set for full Senate vote

* Legislation to go after salvia plant

posted by Paul Richardson
Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 8:19 am

Comments

  1. So, let me understand this.

    The “expanded homeowners exemption” means that I will have to pay higher property taxes because I’m not a veteran, young person, low-income senior or whatever other category legislators plan to add…dog owners, perhaps? There’s no free lunch. If you aren’t in the exempt groups, you pay more.

    Since when did people have a right to live in communities they can’t afford? And how many of these good seniors and other low-income residents actually went to the polls and voted against the exorbitant property taxes they are now demanding protection from. How many wrote letters and called their elected representatives? Not too many, I bet.

    There are a multitude of reasonable, safe housing options in Illinois. I don’t expect the government to pay for me to live wherever I want. If I couldn’t afford the property taxes, I’d complain, but if that didn’t work…I’d move. I wouldn’t expect the state of Illinois to bail me out. Although I do wish the Legislature would start subsidizing foreign travel……

    Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 9:02 am

  2. The headline above about the Cook County budget is misleading. If you read the editorial, it’s very critical of the Stroger’s budget for protecting all the politically-connected people, balancing the budget instead on the backs of front line workers.

    It also notes some unusual alliances, which should raise a boatload of questions for reporters to chew on in the coming months. For example, why was the new chairman of the Cook County GOP, Liz Gorman, leading the charge for Todd’s budget, with its cuts in suburban law enforcement and protected Chicago Machine patronage?

    Comment by Southern Man Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 9:03 am

  3. “The 7 percent solution is a step in the right direction because it protects working families, senior citizens and longtime residents and puts predictability into our property tax bills without any significant shift in tax burden to other property classes.”
    — This isn’t even remotely true. While the 7% “cap” does give taxpayers an idea of what they can expect (7% per year and 21% per triennial reassessment), it absolutely shifts the tax burden to commercial, industrial, and any rental properties that are not afforded a Homestead Exemption. So, this “7% cap” only applies to the home in which a taxpayer lives. This “cap” is horrible legislation and will continue to drive business out of Cook County and right over the line into DuPage County.

    Comment by Gene Parmesan Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 9:35 am

  4. Well, sexual harassment works both ways. Males harassing females and females harassing males.

    For many years, men have been afraid to make sexual harassment claims against women for fear that others may questions his sexuality in refusing to accept unwanted advances.

    Well Mr. Estes has taken a stand and I commend him!

    Neither a man nor a woman has to subject him or herself to sexual harassment for fear of loosing their job. There are laws in place and hopefully justice will be served for the aggrieved party.

    Comment by One_Mcmad Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 11:34 am

  5. Public financing of judical races is an excellent idea. I’m glad that came out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Now I’m waiting to see what Blagojevich does about campaign finance reform, other than just talking about it.

    Comment by Squideshi Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 1:40 pm

  6. More “trash” legislation moving through the system while the important stuff continues to be clogged up in the bowels of government.

    Comment by i d Thursday, Mar 1, 07 @ 2:57 pm

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