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Morning Shorts
Monday, Feb 5, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson * NEW: No reason for Illinois to have 900 school districts * NEW: Future of moderate politics subject of SIU talk by three former governors * Rich Miller: wait is on for other shoe to drop after Blago kills lending law * Dart calls budget cuts incredibly dangerous:
* Cook County commissioners eye land sale to raise revenue * CTA funding looks dim: “Right now, we have three different Democratic leaders who have their own concerns, none of which involves transit,” concedes state Rep. Julia Hamos, an Evanston Democrat who heads a House panel studying transit matters for Mr. Madigan. * Turbulence growing over Peotone project * Granberg announces $150 thousand grant for Intermodal Transportation Center * Chief Justice John Roberts on the role of the Supreme Court
* After 12 years, mixed results for Daley’s school reforms * Tribune editorial: Exposing the faux O’Briens * State: Slow down at ethics training * Phil Kadner: He blasts towing scams but balks at new laws * Big Box, round two: labor’s campaign muscle * Mary Mitchell: County health cuts hit poor youth the hardest * Lawmaker targets remote control hunting: State Rep. Dan Reitz, D-Steelville, has proposed banning such hunting in Illinois, saying such “ready, aim, click” kills — or the prospect of them — push the ethical envelope and violate the spirit of “fair chase” hunts. * Illinois may impose limits on campaign contributions; more here * Sue Ontiveros: Vote in ‘Alderman Idol’… winner gets $100,000 a year * Cook County softening on the no tax hike stance? *Rich school, Poor school….Tribune offers classroom ideas that work * Illinois as kingmaker? The pull of the early primary * Tribune Editorial: Don’t privatize future by selling state lottery * Lottery sale criticism mounts * Daley’s inclusive leadership warrants another term * Denis Robaugh: The history of smoking bans * Daley silent over Sorich * Legislation would allow jury trial for divorce proceedings * Editorial: Tell government to butt out:
* Hurry up and wait in civil service case * Rose fights back with NCAA tax legislation * The power of TV ads
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- Pat Hickey - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 7:26 am:
Rich, that is one solid and thoughful commentary on the Madigan/Blago contest - the Speaker ‘is having his served cold’ but I would imagine it’s coming down the pike, as well.
Great professional work - unlike the Bears defense ( what was their time on the field?),which the Colts went through ( up the middle) with impunity. Great Season though.
- Gregor - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 7:30 am:
In two years, Blago’s two options will be working in the commissary or laundry, and top or bottom bunk. After his stellar performance as Governor, not even Washington deserves having him sent there.
- Diego - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 7:43 am:
I truly believe MJM looks out for the little guy and the State as a whole. He expects his members to do the same and, in return, helps them get reelected. “All politics is local”, unfortunately, is no longer the case now with the mega-million media buys. “Good Government? Look out for the Little Guy? What is he thinking?”
- Pat Hickey - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 7:48 am:
Diego,
Well said my friend!
- Cassandra - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 8:39 am:
County commissioners, department heads, and Mary Mitchell are becoming ever more strident in their predictions of doom and gloom if property taxes in Cook County aren’t raised to cover the Cook County half a billion budget deficit.
Mary Mitchell can perhaps be forgiven…columnists are entertainers after all.
But she is dead wrong about Cook County clinics being the only resource for “poor youth.” Youth under 18 are eligible for Medicaid (via Allkids), and Medicaid cards can be used in many clinics and hospitals, not just Cook County hospitals and clinics. The young adult population is underinsured nationally, not just in Cook County, and that includes white, Hispanic, and Asian young adults, not just blacks. The solution here is to support immediate passage of the guv’s plan for universal health insurance, not to soak Cook County taxpayers, who are already paying for free care for middle class and rich patients as well as for those who live in surrounding counties and don’t pay anything to Cook County coffers. And countless illegal immigrants of course.
As to Dart, Devine, et al, their screams would be more credible if they were making the slightest effort to reduce costs. Devine hasn’t shown the slightest interest in increasing diversion programs and reducing the prison population. And why are Cook County sheriffs patrolling Ford Heights? If suburbs don’t feel like paying for their police departments, does that mean they don’t have to?
Taxpayers need to stand firm here. And the commissioners and county agency heads need to learn to set priorities and manage. That’s what we pay them their very nice salaries for.
- Off the map - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 11:10 am:
Daley administration would set up a $12 million fund to compensate people denied City Hall jobs or promotions because of politics.
WHO FUNDING THE $12 MILLION FUND? DALEY or the Taxpayers?
- Leroy - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 12:33 pm:
Off The Map -
The taxpayers, of course.
You can try to apply to get a position on the committee that is going to oversee the management of this money, but I hear you need to know someone in order to get one of the jobs.
- Garp - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 12:45 pm:
Well it is just great. The Mayor gets caught violating the Shakman decree and the tax payers have to pay for it. Unbelievable.
- cermak_rd - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 2:06 pm:
Cassandra, I know you have an axe to grind against Cook County Hospital, (what are you an investor in McNeil or something?) but don’t forget many people who aren’t poor can get help with the Cook County system so they aren’t made poor by their health care needs. That’s the reason why Medicaid coverage of the poor doesn’t matter to some extent, it only kicks in once one is poor enough to qualify. The other reason why Medicaid doesn’t matter as much is because many of the for-profit and even “charity” hospitals don’t have a history of providing good quality health care to the poor, instead having a tendency to stabilize and dump.
I’m all for cutting underused clinics as they should be in areas of the most need–of course one can’t simply move a hospital so Stroger has to be kept where it is. I’m also in favor of seeing about getting insurance information from those patients who come in with health insurance and making sure that only Cook County residents receive care (within reason you can’t turn away someone bleeding to death in the foyer even if they are a Will County resident).
- Levois - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 3:17 pm:
That was a great editorial on the 900 school districts. I’ve never thought of it that way. I almost wonder if there is a school district out there that consists of only say one or two schools. That would truly be a waste.
- Cassandra - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 3:37 pm:
It’s clear that Cook County Hospital and clinics are not needed for “the poor,” as they get Medicaid. In addition, the elderly get Medicare and all kids get Allkids cards which are accepted all across Cook County.
As to those middle class citizens who are using Cook County to reduce health care costs, should these folks be able to self-select? Save money by getting free care and free meds at the county while saving up for a new SUV or fancy TV? Maybe they could pay for health insurance if the existence of Cook County Hospital didn’t make it so easy not to bother.
I have no problem extending subidized health insurance to some non-poor citizens, or to all across the state. But that should be a public debate, with transparency as to costs, not simply a matter of opportunism by selected citizens yet paid for by us all.
- cermak_rd - Monday, Feb 5, 07 @ 4:09 pm:
Cassandra,
It has been a subject to public debate in Cook County. No County official is going to suggest limiting Stroger only to the needy because it is considered a form of insurance by the working poor (who seldom qualify for Medicaid) and by the middle class who realize they’re just a lost job away from losing their medical insurance. It is the reason I’m not out advocating for universal healthcare in IL, because I already have access to something similar in Stroger.
Like I said, it’s not a sacred cow to me that shall not be tinkered with–I have no problem with them not providing non-emergency care to non-Cook residents and collecting insurance info in order to bill the insurer.
As for your jibe about the middle class choosing Stroger so they can afford a better TV or vehicle, I doubt you would find that is the case. Most middle class families have at least 1 worker in the family who work somewhere that has health insurance as a benefit so they likely wouldn’t use Stroger unless they were to lose their job and hence their coverage. On another level though, if they’ve been a resident of Cook County and paid taxes for years and years, what’s so wrong with getting healthcare at Stroger? They’ve paid for it after all.