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Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Editorial: Let the public information flow freely

* Editorial: Lawmakers should lead by example with pension reform

* Cook County govt. finds a â€˜hell of a problem,â€™ $500,000 missing

* Sun-Times Editorial: Ending hospital regulation must be handled with care

* Stroger asks for review of 2003 audit discrepancy

* Alderman wants settlement made public: “Alderman Tom Becker wants everyone to know how much Des Plaines paid to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit targeting him.”

* Was smoking ban study worth $30,000?

The study’s primary conclusion was there was no long-term negative impact in sales tax revenue received from restaurants and bars in towns that enacted a smoking ban.

* Solis opponent seeks runoff in 25th ward

* Michael Sneed: Natarus gives Reilly cold shoulder

* Mayoral candidates debate progress in Hanover Park

* Springfield ward 9 aldermanic candidates exchange jabs

* NEW “Amazing Grace” a must-see movie for political junkies

* NEW Lyons: Just maybe foie gras issue doesn’t matter

* NEW Woman with ties to Governorâ€™s wife charged with illegal firm work

Sources familiar with the investigation said Wednesday the firm allegedly bilked taxpayers out of at least $400,000. That number could soar to $3 million as investigators continue their work.

6 Comments

- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 9:17 am:
Great editorial by the Pantagraph on pension reform. Bill Brady is right, they should be in with the rest of the State Employees (SERS). Otherwise put the rule in that the Leglis Pension gets funded at the same percentage as the SERS Pension.

- Cassandra - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 9:27 am:
So…wasn’t somebody over at DCFS supposed to be monitoring this contract? A political appointee perhaps?

Maybe we need a local version of Obama’s contract transparency bill here in Illinois. A little sunlight might help, or at least cut down on the incompetence and fraud in state of Illinois contracting.

And this is only one contract. If it’s this easy to bilk the state of Illinois, taxpayers are potentially losing tens or hundreds of millions more to unscrupulous contractors aided by incompetent, even corrupt government employees who are supposed to monitor those contracts.

- Did Blagojevich score a victory over Madigan? - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 1:17 pm:
Rich,

Was the Governor’s office motion to disqualify the Attorney General GRANTED in the Judicial Watch suit against the Office of the Governor?

https://courtlink.lexisnexis.com/cookcounty/FindDock.asp?NCase=&SearchType=2&Database=3&case_no=&Year=&div=&caseno=&PLtype=1&sname=Judicial+Watch&CDate=

- A Citizen - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 6:06 pm:
“NEW Woman with ties to Governorâ€™s wife charged with illegal firm work” I am once again wondering if the little woman is REALLY the Power behind the throne. What with this and the Antoin R. deals what’s up? Fitz will soon tell us!

- spolk - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 7:08 pm:
What else do expect from Natarus? Reilly ran a negative/deceitful campaign (even though he said he “didn’t know about the milings till they hit the mailboxes”…liar) he deserves every cold shoulder he gets.

I’m sure Rich, being the independent jouranilist he is (two great columns by the way), will defend Reilly, but he is a dirty politician and won’t last more than a term in the city council. Natarus is right, he doesn’t know what he is getting himself into in the 42nd Ward.

- spolk - Thursday, Mar 8, 07 @ 7:10 pm:
“mailings” by the way…misspelling

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