* The veto session kicked into a much higher gear yesterday…

Illinois Senate leaders have charged a few select lawmakers with reforming the state’s Medicaid program and workers’ compensation system - by Jan. 3.

Subscribers already know what that could mean.

* More stuff…

A slew of top state officials could be ousted under a proposal floated Thursday.

In what could turn out to be a fumigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, introduced legislation to formally remove nearly 700 people from a variety of state posts because the terms of their positions have ended.

Among those affected are heads of major state agencies dating to Blagojevich’s tenure as chief executive. Members of the state Board of Elections, the gaming board and the Board of Higher Education also could be affected.

Cullerton said the proposal does not bar people from being reappointed to the jobs they currently hold. But, under his plan, they would not be able to continue working after 30 days if a new nomination is not sent to the Senate by Gov. Pat Quinn.

* More pension reform is also on the way…

With 2010 winding to a close, however, it almost certainly will fall to the General Assembly — not the unions and local governments — to impose new benefit guidelines for future public-safety employees in Illinois. Cities and unions simply are too far apart on some issues to forge compromises.

We’re encouraged by some of the reforms detailed this week by Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orland Park, a member of the House Police and Fire Pension Reform Committee. Also encouraging is the resolve that seems apparent to have significant reforms in effect for police and firefighters hired as of Jan. 1, 2011.

Under McCarthy’s plan, which is being drafted into a bill, police and firefighters will be eligible to receive their maximum pension benefit (75 percent of their salary) after 30 years, but the retirement age will rise from 50 to 57. Pensions would be calculated on the average of the employee’s four or eight highest salaried years with cost-of-living increases capped at 3 percent or tied to inflation, whichever is less (currently they are guaranteed at 3 percent). Pensions for surviving spouses would be 67 percent of the employee’s pension.

A whole lot more happened yesterday, but you have to subscribe to find out what it was.

* Meanwhile, Progress Illinois took a look at the numbers in the House on a tax hike plan in the wake of the election…

* Dems whose district voted for a tax hike and party won re-election: 40
* Dems whose district voted “present” for a tax hike and party won re-election: 2
(Reps. W. Davis, Miller)
* Dems whose district voted for a tax hike and party lost re-election: 2
(Reps. Smith, Hannig)
* Dems whose district voted against a tax hike and party won re-election: 21
(Reps. Fritchey, O’Sullivan, Carberry, Froelich, McCarthy, Farhmam, Crespo, May, Lyons, Dugan, McAsey, J. Gordon, Holbrook, Reitz, D’Amico, Zalewski, Mell, Franks, Beisler, Bradley, Phelps)
* Dems whose district voted against a tax hike and party lost re-election: 5
(Reps. Boland, Hoffman, Flider, Walker, C. Gordon)

What’s this tell us? To secure 60 votes, Madigan would need to retain the support of all 44 Democrats whose districts voted yes or present and then pick up at least 16 more votes from the 26 districts that voted against SB 2252 last year. Of those 26, nine are leaving the legislature, either to pursue other opportunities or because they were upended by a Republican challenger last week. Presumably, voting for a tax increase is easier for those folks because they won’t have to fight to retain their seat in 2012.

It’s a big hill to climb, but that’s what tax reformers are working with.

Only a few of those people who won reelection and voted against a tax hike last spring could be tapped to vote “Yes” this time around, however. The key here is to look at lame ducks in both parties. It’ll be close either way.

* Roundup…

* Ill. Senate president targets holdover appointees

* Confirmation hearing expected for state police director

* Daily Herald: Alter pensions for police, firefighters

* New program lends money to agencies owed by state

* Warden: Death penalty is a costly exercise in futility for state

* Zorn: Time to give same-sex couples the same right we give to criminals

* Elgin school district to get $15.5 million from veto override

* Lawmakers revive U46 funding fix

* State legislature succeeds in overriding veto of funding bill

* Attorney general: UI must release records in presidential search

* Lawmakers Chip Away at New FOIA Law

* Miller: Freedom of (some) Information Act

* Smoking issue: Should ban be lifted in casinos?

* Report: Illinois’ top officials paid well