Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2006

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Â· My latest weekly newspaper column examines that Glengariff Group poll from last week.

Â· The Rezko beat:

Real estate developer Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s plan to extricate himself from another soured deal has hit a snag. Unable to get a 24-story River North condominium tower off the ground, Mr. Rezko and partner Daniel Mahru decided last year to sell the development site at Chicago and Hudson avenues. The problem: They signed a contract to sell the property for $9 million, but they owe the property’s lender, Chicago-based Broadway Bank, about $12 million.

Â· Christian Coalition shrinks as debt grows

Â· Chicago draws college grads

Â· SJ-R has apparently begung running columns on the front page.

Â· Supremely Meek Media

Â· Rep. Hoffman makes good

Â· Puerto Rico Governor Celebrates Midwest Office in Chicago

Â· Hundreds Rally For Immigration Rights At U Of I

Â· Protested Bean Defends Immigration Stance

Â· Ontario officials must have talked to Illinois legislators because they’ve obtained a “memorandum of understanding” from Gov. Blagojevich.

Have at it…

11 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

First, the setup:

Before a film industry boon goes bust in the Chicago area, Illinois lawmakers are debating whether to extend additional tax incentives to filmmakers being lured to other states that offer even better breaks.

Legislation that passed the Senate 58-0 Friday would extend the film tax credit until January 2009 and provide greater tax incentives to production companies that employ residents from high-poverty areas.

The current film tax credit, set to expire next January without an extension, allows film companies to deduct 25 percent of their total labor costs for each employee who is an Illinois resident.

Under the proposal now in the House, the law would be tweaked so firms could claim a 20 percent tax credit on total production costs and receive an additional 15 percent break on labor costs for employees hired from high-poverty areas.

Now, the question: Do you think this tax break is the right thing to do?

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Pay Hike; Left on the plate; Teachers; Dick Kay; Mahoney; Pensions; Verschoore; Calls; Revenues; Dummification; Scofield (use all caps in password)

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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More trouble for Alexi

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Tribune hasn’t given up just because Alexi Giannoulias won the primary.

On the way to his March primary victory, Democratic candidate for state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias found himself defending multimillion-dollar loans his family-owned bank made to a Chicago crime figure.

While saying there was nothing wrong with the loans, he also emphasized they were business decisions made while he was in law school and not a full-time bank employee.

But newly gathered records from South Carolina, Florida and Cook County show that his family’s Broadway Bank made an additional $11.8 million worth of mortgage loans last year to Michael Giorango, a convicted bookmaker and prostitution ring promoter. And Giannoulias, a senior loan officer at the bank, oversees those 2005 loans. […]

Giannoulias also said in March that Broadway Bank “never financed any casinos. We never did anything like that.”

The Tribune interviewed Giannoulias again last week after newly obtained records showed the more recent Broadway loans, including a $3.6 million mortgage that Giorango and another convicted felon used to acquire a casino boat marina in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“I thought it was for condos,” Giannoulias said of the waterfront property that secured that loan.

And the best quote in the entire story:

Asked in the recent interview if he thought it was acceptable for the state treasurer to lend money to crime figures, Giannoulias said the state treasurer must get “the best rate of return for taxpayers to create jobs.”

Oy.

Read the whole thing. There’s plenty more.

54 Comments

Yet another Lane Evans open thread

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Does John G have it sewn up for his guy or not? The ~~QC Times~~ Dispatch and Rock Island Argus fills us in.

Rock Island County Democrats may not be the king makers of the 17th Congressional District, if party bosses in other counties get their way.

Rock Island County Democratic party chairman John Gianulis said he will endorse a candidate from within the county and expects other chairmen from around the district will fall in line.

Mr. Gianulis called a press conference Friday to announce who he’d endorse to replace U.S. Rep. Lane Evans on the November ballot. Instead, he said he will make the announcement next week.

He believes his backing will bring others throughout the congressional district in line behind his candidate, especially other county party chairmen.

“I told them who I support will be a Rock Island County candidate and I am sure they will support that,” he said.

But that may not be the case.

“I’ve talked to a lot of county chairmen, and the chairmen I’ve talked to don’t care for the person John is going for,” Vern Hagstrom, Adams County Democratic party chairman, said.

[Hat tip: Inside Dope, who has more]

What have you heard lately?

UPDATE: Just got this e-mail:

Rich:

Today’s bit on Lane Evans attributes a story to the QC Times. The story you quote actually ran in The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus.

Sorry, again, for that time a few years back when we accidently identified you as a murderer.

Joe Beach
Metro editor
The Dispatch/The Rock Island Argus

True story.

16 Comments

Statewide campaign roundup

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Pantagraph reports that Mrs. Blagojevich says her husband isn’t yet looking at a White House bid.

Illinois’ first lady says her husband isn’t looking for a job in the White House - yet.

Speaking to a class of fourth-graders from Harristown Elementary School Friday, Patti Blagojevich said her husband is concentrating on his bid for re-election as governor of Illinois.

“I think all of our focus right now is - to make sure he gets the chance for another four years,” she told the students during a mock press conference at the Executive Mansion.

Meanwhile, the AP reports, without specific polling data to back it up, that women Democrats are split between Blagojevich and Topinka.

Many female Democrats like Donovan are drawn to Topinka, in part because she’s a woman but mostly because she’s a moderate.

That crossover appeal gives the state treasurer the opportunity to pick off voters from a key Blagojevich constituency, one he has carefully courted over the past four years.

“The fact that she’s a moderate makes it possible for them to slide over,” said University of Illinois at Springfield political studies professor Chris Mooney.

And that’s vital, former two-term GOP Gov. Jim Edgar notes, because Democrats outnumber Republicans in Illinois. […]

Bonnie Grabenhofer, president of the Illinois chapter of the National Organization for Women, said Blagojevich has a long list of accomplishments when it comes to women’s issues.

For example, he supports abortion rights, while Topinka favors restrictions on it that are “troublesome to us,” Grabenhofer said.

Topinka also slammed the governor over the weekend over his conservation record.

State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka offered stinging criticism of Gov. Rod Blagojevich during a speech to more than 100 leaders of environmental and conservation groups gathered at the University of Illinois at Springfield on Saturday.

Blagojevich did not attend the conference.

“Even worse than his absence and indifference is the harm that Rod Blagojevich has caused to conservation interests,” Topinka said in a 15-minute speech. “And the harm has been significant.”

And the Illinois Times ran an interesting column about why downstate black Democrats could embrace Meeksâ€™ candidacy. Go check it out.

11 Comments

Morning shorts

Monday, Apr 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Â· What she said.

Â· Tribune: “Friday wasn’t supposed to end this way, with Gov. Rod Blagojevich, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones quietly leaving Springfield with their work undone.”

Â· Chambers, as usual, gets it right.

Â· “The state agency managing health care for the poor began its last budget year $860 million in the hole. By the time it finished the year, it grew that hole nearly twofold to $1.5 billion.”

Â· Governor feels effect of spring storms â€” in Chicago

Â· Government investigating if Big Oil thwarting biodiesel

Â· City desk interview with Tony Peraica (video only).

Â· Finke: Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH showed up in Springfield Tuesday - four days before the General Assembly’s original adjournment date - to begin negotiating a budget.

Â· Bernie: Some Republican lawmakers have been spinning their wheels while in Springfield - literally.

Â· Job recruiter frustrated by state

Â· Let’s make a deal, Comptroller

Â· Meeks to 9,000 regulars: Stay home on Easter

Â· Doyle signs with Biden

Â· Marin: Spread sunshine on Supreme Court picks

Â· Vets director reiterate governorâ€™s plan to give low-income veterans medical coverage

Â· Editorial: Increasing driving time for minors makes sense

Â· Charities battle to stay alive on state tax forms

Â· Sweet: Possible ‘08 candidates look to Illinois

Â· Suit slams school league breakup

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