* From the Champaign News-Gazette…

Indeed, Illinois residents would gladly trade positions with the people of Wisconsin.

Yeah. OK. And pay higher income taxes, live in a cultural desert and endure massive social unrest and a Republican governor who makes Bill Brady look like Dawn Clark Netsch? Gotcha. Right. Check. That’ll go over extremely well. [/Snark]

* The reason the News-Gazette claims we’d all like to trade positions with the Cheeseheads is that our state has a bigger budget deficit than they do.

But what I’d really like to know from the paper is what major state spending they’d like to see reduced in their own area. What U of I schools should be shuttered? What community college campuses should be closed? How much should class sizes grow in area K-12 schools? Which local families should lose their Medicaid, and which doctors, hospitals and nursing homes should be paid less? Which Champaign-Urbana domestic violence shelters, substance abuse centers and childcare programs should be closed? What newspaper industry tax breaks - on everything from ink, to newsprint to machinery - will the News-Gazette give up?

* This is the sort of empty rhetoric we see all the time from newspaper editorial boards. But none ever offers to sacrifice themselves. In fact, there’s a huge push on right now to block a bill in the General Assembly that would kill off a sacred government subsidy. From the Illinois Press Association…

Industry must rally against Public Notice bill

The introduction of HB 1869 in the Illinois House of Representatives has created a rumble through the Illinois newspaper industry that could be equated to kicking a hornet’s nest. The subsequent response from Illinois publishers to the IPA’s “call to action” has been tremendous and it appears certain that response will not calm down until this bill is defeated.

In short, HB 1869 would remove full-text publication of public notices from newspapers and allow government entities to post them on their own websites. The coalition behind this bill —eight groups comprised of elected officials from townships, school boards, county officials, etc. — are claiming this is a cost-cutting move necessitated by their tight operating budgets. They also claim circulation has decreased so significantly to the point of newspapers being obsolete and, also, that the Internet is now the better and preferred place for public notices.

Several newspapers have published editorials blasting the proposal since the IPA cranked up the opposition. But state and local governments spend a ton of cash on these notices, and few papers put the notices online. Since fewer and fewer people are reading dead tree editions, they won’t see the public notices.

It’s the same old story. “Cuts for thee, but not for me.”

* Related…

* Wis. Gov Scott Walker warns time is running out

* Police block access to Wisconsin Capitol

* Gov. Quinn: Walker Waging War on Workers

* Capitol Chaos: Democrats Likely to Remain in Illinois

* Indiana lawmakers not ready for compromise

* Daniels radio ad calls Dems home

…Adding… Roundup….

* Pension Funds Strained, States Look at 401(k) Plans

* Senate president weighs in on consolidation

* Top Democrat: School consolidation shouldn’t be forced

* District 128 officials oppose Gov. Quinn’s proposal to consolidate schools

* Quinn’s school proposals raise concerns

* Mayor: School mergers can be costly - Durflinger tells Washington districts that consolidation study will shed light on issue