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Morning shorts
Tuesday, Aug 29, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller · “The Fix” moves Illinois into play. 15. Illinois: Even Democrats acknowlege that Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) is vulnerable this fall. A cloud of ethical problems hovers over his administration and could counter the prevailing Democratic winds nationally. State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka (R) is far from a world-beater but the race is likely to be focused almost entirely on the incumbent. Topinka has struggled to stay within financial range of Blagojevich — a trend that if it continues will make it tough for her to push her change message. (Previous ranking: N/A) · Study: Ill. tollways lease could mean toll increases for drivers · ‘Sweetheart‘ deal given to gov donor slammed · Editorial: The Cook County jobs machine · Shakman goes after county hiring · Alleged ghost worker gets pension · “Chicago politicians rarely get the chance to lecture others about honest government, and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama took advantage of the opportunity Monday when he urged Kenyans to fight against public corruption.” · Hanania: Reversing Vote Is Not Answer To Big Box Crisis · Apparently, the governor is in southern Illinois. · “Patti Blagojevich laughed and said the DuQuoin State Fair is a place where kids can be kids. ‘This fair is cozier and more comfortable for parents with children,” Blagojevich said. “But still it has everything you can find in Springfield.’” · State’s crime rate drops · Jeff Trigg moves to the National Taxpayers United of Illinois. · Chapman: The wrong road to fuels of the future · Gov’s administration settles union dispute for $1 mil. · “Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean and Republican challenger David McSweeney clashed on stem cell research and tax cuts but fundamentally agreed on the Iraq war and immigration reform at a Monday debate in Waukegan.”
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- B Hicks - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 6:24 am:
I wonder what team Topinka will have to say about the AFSCME settlement.
- Disgusted - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 6:55 am:
I wonder why I can’t get a job like ghost payroller’s. Show up, sign in, go to work someplace else (in my case, at home) and collect a pension FOR DOING NOTHING for years! Joseph Mattes, you’re my hero. Only in Chicago. Maybe Springfield too, because it seems that those folks elected to the big stone building on 2nd Street aren’t doing much of anything also.
- Budget Watcher - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 7:01 am:
AFSCME gets a bone and Merit Compensation employees also will likely get a pay bump prior to November. It’s nice to spend money during an election cycle that’s not yours.
- Len O'Connor - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 7:22 am:
The problem is the phony Judges/Hearing Officers that the city uses, these guys are all politically connected. It would be interesting to see what other cases this hearing officer Roger J. Balla has done in other cases.
- Backyard Conservative - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 9:32 am:
I am SO steamed about this proposed tollway deal. Sen. Schoenberg is selling out his constituents to bail out the governor. The most lucrative segment is I-294, tolls will probably double and the majority of the revenues will go elsewhere.
- just watching - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 10:05 am:
This snake oil salesman is good, Nothing like a cool $1 million payoff (Taxpayer money) to the union that probably would have backed your opponent!
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 10:16 am:
I don’t want to be a ghost payroller but I want to know where I can best “invest” my money in Illinois politics to get the return that Cherry got. He invested $60,000 and got $900,000 back.
Wow. Over the short term, too. Are there any stock pickers out there getting those kinds of returns. Other than Warren Buffet, not many, I would guess.
As I’ve been saying, why does all this money have to go to the politicians directly. Why not sell the contracts and state jobs outright and put the profits in (our) state coffers.
- NW burbs - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 10:51 am:
· Jeff Trigg moves to the National Taxpayers United of Illinois.
How many conservatives does this make who get paid to post their opinion everywhere they can? There’s Greg Blankenship over at Illinois Review, etc….
Quite the racket conservatives have going on, getting paid just to feed their thoughts to the media. (Now if only I had a nickel for every time I was ‘accused’ of being on some payroll or another just because I proudly defend and promote progressive ideals on my own time….)
- WTTW Watcher - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 11:04 am:
Did anyone see the exchange of Todd Stroger, Quigley and Peraica yesterday on Chicago Tonight. It was stunning just how uninformed Todd was about everything in the county. Whenever there was an issue Peraica was hammering away on, Carol Marin would ask for Todd’s response. To paraphrase ‘well, I’ll look at that.’ Leads me to wonder who is helping this guy on his campaign. One would think that the party would at least give him a crib sheet on who is who in the county so he comes off knowledgeable and CEO type material.
- bored now - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 11:05 am:
Topinka has struggled to stay within financial range of Blagojevich
has topinka gotten a check from the republican governors association yet? and i don’t mean a commitment. republicans in michigan (fix rank:10) just got $750k and iowa (fix rank:5) got $500. i don’t know how much they’ve put in wisconsin (fix rank:9), but they are running commercials there. did i miss something here?
- Fast Eddie - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 2:00 pm:
Hey WTTW I thought Todd did a smashing job and by the way no one has watched since Calloway retired.
It ws good to have Quigley there to confuse everyone
Meanwhile my guy, Fast Tony P. ….. well what can I say…
- LaSalle - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 6:25 pm:
AFSCME wins strke against Gateway! What a way to start Labor Day weekend!
- roadkill - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 6:46 pm:
Thank goodness those mean and nasty people who inhabit the capitol press room can’t get their bosses to cough up the mileage reimbursement to get to DuQuoin. Now it will be Rod and Patti’s fault if Annie’s day at the fair is spoiled.
- Jeff Trigg - Tuesday, Aug 29, 06 @ 6:52 pm:
Thanks Rich.
Awww NW Burbs, someone sounds a little jealous. Like there aren’t any liberals scraping by being loud mouths and providing a service to their supporters. There is more work involved than just the loud mouth part too. But wait, the liberals have all the really good paying jobs in Chicago, Cook, and the state.
Coincidently, there are two others organizations in our building. Environment Illinois (just had a press conference with/for Jesse Jackson Jr. a couple weeks ago that I attended) and Woodstock Institute.
You’ve got your share. How else is it that Ralph Martire is interviewed/quoted for almost every article on income taxes lately and they mostly pass on Greg’s and my org?