* The House Personnel and Pensions Committee meets this afternoon, but there is only one bill posted and it isn’t “the big one.” The bill, sponsored by House Republican Leader Tom Cross, would forbid Chicago union execs from basing their city pensions on income earned at their union jobs. The bill follows a series of stories a few years ago by the Sun-Times and more recently by the Tribune exposing the practice. There’s nothing in today’s Senate Executive Committee postings, and the same goes for the House Exec postings.

Tomorrow afternoon’s hearing is much the same stuff. It’s all about the union pension fund issue, but the major reform legislation hasn’t yet been posted, nor amended onto an existing bill in committee.

If a major reform bill surfaces, the whole thing could happen very quickly. And even if it manages to pass the House, the Senate is far more questionable. The Senate President doesn’t believe that Cross’ bill is constitutional because it alters the system for current employees. And members just haven’t been lobbied by the proponents like they have been in the House.

* From Gatehouse…

The [Civic Committee-backed pension reform] bill didn’t get a vote last spring. Since then, working groups of lawmakers, pension officials, union representatives and others have met to discuss where to go.

“Our pension expert attended the meetings and made clear our views, but it, frankly, seemed like a dog and pony show to promote the failed legislation from the spring,” Lindall said.

Brown said members are being surveyed to see what support exists for a pension change bill. Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, ranking Republican on the House Pensions Committee, is skeptical.

“I don’t see them working that bill at all,” Poe said. “No one’s talking too much about it.”

* Tribune…

House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego is expected to push a number of pension reforms following Tribune reports about abuses that allow union officials to collect inflated pensions.

Cross’ legislation is aimed at closing loopholes that allow double-dipping by union officials who collect a city pension and union pension for the same period of work. He also wants to reorganize Chicago and Cook County pension boards to provide what he says is more accountability.

Cross also is working on a measure that would limit pension benefits for current employees, but it’s unclear if the measure will surface during the abbreviated fall session.

That’s the overarching challenge on many of these issues: It took months and sometimes years to put support together, and now lawmakers must find a way to retool in only a few weeks.

* DeKalb Daily Chronicle…

Pritchard said he’s heard rumblings that the pension issue might come up at the veto session, but his gut feeling is that it won’t happen. State Sen. Christine Johnson, R-Shabbona, said she doesn’t expect SB 512 to be called during the veto session, though she’s heard there are different proposals that could come up.

State Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, said legislative leaders will decide what is brought up during the Veto Session, and he noted there’s a lot of issues that will demand attention. […]

Fahner said he believes the chances are good that pension reform will come up at the veto session. The measure is sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and Republican House Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, and Fahner believes lawmakers have the votes to get it passed. […]

What should occur, Pritchard said, is employees and the state should work together to find a solution. There are many ideas out there, he said, like establishing a later retirement age or capping the amount of pension salary employees can earn.

Rep. Pritchard’s comment about a desire for a negotiated solution is something I’ve been hearing more and more these days. Republicans and Democrats want both sides to try to hammer something out. And the feeling is that has a better chance of happening if action is put off until the spring session. Some of the people pushing reform believe that union members will get antsy about having something jammed down their throats, so they’ll push leadership for a negotiated solution. Time will tell.

It’s possible that Leader Cross will address this issue at today’s committee hearing. Stay tuned.

* Roundup…

* State senator tied to target of ‘large-scale fraud’ investigation: In 2005, George E. Smith, a South Side health-care and social-services provider, bought two unfinished condominiums and a vacant lot from Illinois state Sen. Mattie Hunter for $240,000. Three years later, Smith’s not-for-profit mental-health group got $500,000 in state funding that Hunter — a Chicago Democrat and head of the Senate Human Services committee — helped arrange. That “disability behavioral health services” grant is now among more than $18.5 million worth of government deals that state inspectors say Smith used to commit “large-scale fraud” on Illinois taxpayers.

* Statehouse Insider: Is a smaller gambling bill even possible?: Quinn can complain that the expansion bill that was never sent to his desk is too big and therefore unacceptable. But so far in this state, no one has figured out how to pass a smaller-scale version. Like it or not, it has to be real big or it probably will be nothing at all.

* Illinois veto session expected to focus on budget, differences between Quinn and Legislature

* Hopf: Proposal for ROE funding will generate protest from communities: Has the funding for the regional superintendents’ salaries been put on the back burner? Not exactly. House Speaker Michael Madigan introduced legislation earlier this month to restore the funding with money collected through the personal property replacement tax, which the state collects from corporations and business partnerships and distributes as income tax to schools, counties, cities and other government bodies. This looks like a victory for Quinn, who has made it clear that if regional offices of education remain open, they should remain open with local revenues. However, with talk of moving PPRT from this budget cycle, municipalities and counties across the state will be gearing up for a battle.

* Regional superintendent, assistant should receive paycheck soon

* Nonprofit hospitals’ huge tax breaks under increasing scrutiny

* Mercy Health systems operates as a ‘church’ for tax purposes

* Chicago hospital helping Haiti rebuild - Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital helping Port au Prince’s Grace Hospital