Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2008

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Our post on Patrick Botterman’s untimely death has well over 100 comments, so I thought many of you would like to know this. From an e-mail…

Patrick’s family has set up a scholarship fund at Harper College in Pat’s memory. If you would like to make a contribution please visit here.[fixed link]

* Also, Mark Brown had a wonderful column about Botterman the other day. Go read the whole thing.

Comments Off

Question of the day

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The setup…

The Chicago Housing Authority is poised to adopt rules that would allow the agency to limit how long residents can stay in public housing. […]

If embraced by the CHA board, term limits — allowed under a set of rules recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — would mark the most dramatic effort yet to reform Chicago’s public housing.

Along with rules that will require most adult tenants to work or go to school, term limits reflect a shift in vision: a belief among both local and federal officials that public housing should be a way station for people trying to regain their footing, rather than a permanent home for society’s poorest members. […]

Critics fear the federal rules give the housing authority too much discretion with this population and will destroy hard-won legal protections for public-housing residents.

* The question: While doing your best to avoid knee-jerk, reactionary, strictly ideological responses, please explain why you think this is a good or bad idea.

52 Comments

Bills galore

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Hey, campers, let’s play: “Which is the most unneeded piece of legislation?”

* First up, a ban…

An Illinois Senate Committee moved Wednesday to ban the sale of flavored cigarettes, saying the addictive effects will make smoking more appealing to teens. Rep. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago, said flavored cigarettes were most attractive to young people because they could be flavored like candy, fruit or soda, unlike regular cigarettes.

* Next, truth in labeling…

llinois lawmakers cracked down on alcoholic energy drinks Wednesday even as some cracked open a few. An Illinois Senate committee voted 8-2 to require stricter labeling requirements on the increasingly popular bottles of “buzz,” which a couple of members sampled during the debate.

* Populist futility…

“Reagan County” has a bit of a ring to it for state Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine. That could be the name created if Palatine and other towns fed up with having little influence in Cook County matters disconnect and former their own county.

* The “Isn’t this already covered under other laws?” bill…

State Sen. Ira Silverstein (D - Chicago) introduced a bill that would criminalize “cyberbullying,” the act of harassing others through the Internet, cell phones and email

* Doesn’t sound like a truly horrible idea, until you look at the pricetag…

An Illinois House committee has rejected a measure meant to help police track bullets found at crime scenes. The legislation would have required that bullets be imprinted with codes so police could figure out where the ammunition was sold. […]

Ammunition makers said the requirement would be too expensive. They estimate the startup costs could be $200 million.

* Are all of these bad ideas? Nope. All were likely introduced with excellent intentions. But are they necessary? You decide.

41 Comments

Daniels says he’s in the clear; Plus: Rezko roundup

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Most of us have known this for a while, but the Sun-Times gives us an update on Lee Daniels’ situation…

Former Illinois House Speaker Lee Daniels says he no longer has to worry about a federal investigation.

“It’s dead. It’s behind me,'’ says Daniels. “The statute of limitations has expired. It’s yesterday’s news. The bottom line is: I have not done anything wrong. I didn’t do anything improper.'’

Daniels’ former chief of staff, Michael Tristano, spent nearly a year in prison after admitting that, between 1998 and 2001, he used state money to help get Republican legislators elected. Tristano said he did so at the direction of Daniels and others.

Daniels is now selling real estate and gets a pension of just over $100,000 a year.

* We went through most of this yesterday afternoon, so here is just a basic Rezko roundup…

* Former chairman testifies Rezko pressured him

* Beck testifies on Rezko’s sway with board

* State official says he took orders from Rezko

* Rezko gavel-to-gavel: A matter of clout

* Chairman testifies that he took ‘marching orders’ from Rezko

* Tony Rezko Update

* Get your scorecard

* Other phone calls

* Health Facilities Planning Board

* Rezko roundup

* You can listen to audio files of a few of the federal wiretaps by clicking here.

12 Comments

Your money, Zell’s pocket

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Sun-Times’ lead editorial today hits the Wrigley Field issue out of the park…

There is, then, not a single good reason the State of Illinois should buy Wrigley Field, a scheme now roaring forward that would put our tax money at risk, to ensure the ballpark’s survival. Beautiful as it is, Wrigley Field is not some architectural damsel in need of being “saved.” Only Sam Zell and his Tribune Co., owners of the ballpark, stand to gain. And in an economic downturn, only the taxpayers stand to lose.

This deal isn’t about anything except padding Sam Zell’s bottom line. He didn’t approach Gov. Blagojevich about the state buying Wrigley Field in order to help him sell the team. He did it so he can make more money off the sale - the whole being worth less than the sum of its parts.

If we’re gonna help out a kabillionaire (and I’m not at all saying we should), shouldn’t that kabillionaire be the new owner instead of Sam Zell, who is dumping the team and doesn’t seem to care much about what happens to the park except that he finds a way to make the most possible money?

* Meanwhile, the Wrigley Company is keeping its cards close to its vest. Zell has floated the idea of selling naming rights to Wrigley Field, which some insiders claim is a hardball tactic to extract big bucks from Wrigley Co. But chairman of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. was cagey at a shareholders meeting yesterday…

“I think we’re just going to wait and see how all this plays out, and if there’s an opportunity, we’ll evaluate it just like we would all other opportunities,” Wrigley said.

Wrigley noted that the Cubs had been owned by the Wrigley family and not the company.

“Certainly I and my family have great passion for the Cubs and baseball and tradition and the heritage,” he said, adding that the company tends to put marketing dollars behind brands and not the corporation’s name.

* Related…

* Cubs fans go to bat for Wrigley

* A squeeze at Wrigley

15 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

« NEWER POSTS