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Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Let’s liven things up a bit today…

Also, please try to keep it clean. Thanks. Two deletions already and I just posted the thing.

*** UPDATE *** I’m declaring the winner to be “Bears Fan’s” comment, but since I deleted it for profanity you’ll never know what it was. lol.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Watson to meet with Daley; Pharmacists; Chapa LaVia; Black-Frerichs; Short session; Ultimate fighting; Jackson; Transit $; Lobsters; Hamos (use all caps in password) *** Updated x1 ***

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Do you support expanding gaming this year? If so, where would you put the new casinos? Would you support giving racetracks the ability to install slot machines?

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A new era in Chicago

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* One thing that wasn’t stressed in the coverage of this issue is that, regardless of the actual vote totals, Daley had to call a special session on Monday to pass this ordinance because he probably wouldn’t have had the votes to get it done after the new city council is sworn in…

Affordable-housing advocates and Mayor Richard Daley both claimed victory Monday as the Chicago City Council overwhelmingly approved Daley’s plan to require developers to set aside more housing units at lower prices.

Advocates had sought to lower the set-aside prices even more, but the move was easily defeated by aldermen who said Daley’s proposal was a responsible step and warned that going too far could harm the private market during the current housing slowdown.

I wouldn’t ever underestimate the mayor’s cunning. He’ll coopt at least some of those new council members soon enough. This won’t be a repeat of “Council Wars.”

But things will be interesting, and Daley signaled yesterday that he plans to play rough. After Ald. Ed Smith prematurely submitted his resignation as chairman of the council’s Health Committee over what he believed would be a floor fight on his precious foie gras ban (which never materialized), Daley wasted little time in accepting it…

Monday, the mayor gleefully announced Smith’s resignation to the Council and jumped at the chance to accept it.

“They’re going to [overturn the ban] maybe next meeting or the following meeting. … So, I accept that [resignation]. … I think it’s the silliest law that ever passed. . .. Of all the issues we have — foie gras?”

Smith’s letter stated his intention to resign “in the event that the foie gras ban is successfully repealed.”

Daley has been furious at Smith ever since he used a vote on the 2007 budget to rail against City Hall corruption. Smith also forced the mayor’s hand on a Chicago smoking ban that has since been usurped by a statewide version.

Smith probably wouldn’t have been chairman again anyway, but he was definitely humiliated yesterday.

Thoughts on the next four years?

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When a flip-flopper is a statesman; plus more tax news

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Editorial writers are easily predictable. If politicians change their minds and move away from an editorial board’s position, they’re “flip-floppers.” But when politicians flip-flop in the direction of an editorial writer, they’re “statesmen.”

From today’s Post-Dispatch editorial…

The best, most politically do-able alternative is the so-called tax swap, a plan that has been bouncing around Springfield for years. It combines a rise in corporate and personal income taxes with a smaller cut in property taxes.

Such a plan faces two problems, and the first is Mr. Blagojevich himself. He’s promised through two gubernatorial campaigns not to raise personal income or sales taxes. Mr. Blagojevich has ambitions beyond the governor’s mansion and reneging on a “read-my-lips” pledge would cost lots of votes. In other words, it would take real courage.

Wrong. The governor ran twice on this issue. He has sworn up and down more times than I can count that he would veto any such tax increase. He ought to be expected to keep promises like that.

How many times have we seen editorial writers chastise Blagojevich for not following through on his original campaign pledge to “change business as usual”? He didn’t even run on that pledge the last time, yet they still throw it in his face every chance they get. He did, however, run again on a platform of opposition to income and sales tax hikes. He should be encouraged to remain honest about that, instead of enticed into breaking his solemn vows.

* The governor has said lately that he won’t sign an income or sales tax hike during a time when gas prices could reach “$5 a gallon.” Eric Krol points out the obvious: The governor’s GRT proposal would likely raise gas prices…

Fleischli estimated that when gas was at $2.69 a gallon, Blagojevich’s business tax meant the price would go up seven cents a gallon. The amount only increases as the cost of gas does.

Go read the whole thing. There’s a pretty brutal back and forth with a Blagojevich aide.

* As I told subscribers this morning, A+ Illinois has a new radio ad. Listen below…

[audio:A+Illinois5_15.mp3]

* Tom Kacich of the Champaign News-Gazette has a question in the wake of the House’s rejection of the GRT…

How does he reassert himself over a Legislature that has has made him, for now, irrelevant?

Answer: The man with the veto pen and the power to call special sessions is never completely irrelevant.

* More GRT stories, compiled by Paul…

* YDD outlines tax alternatives

* Rejection of tax plan means hard decisions

* Zorn: Is Blagojevich man with plan, or just clueless?

* Editorial: A program for every need across the nation

29 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Sun-Times Editorial: Student loans for illegals need to be addressed nationally

But until Congress resolves this towering problem — we hope by providing tougher security at the border and a reasonable path to citizenship — state initiatives to get around it will fuel resentment and controversy, and, in the long run, make life more difficult for good kids like Ofelia Gonzalez, not less.

* Family physician says he will run for U.S. Senate; more here

* Eric Krol: Suburban doctor taking on Durbin

Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna Jr., who has been searching for a candidate to take on Durbin, said Sauerberg is a “serious and credible candidate whose experience as a family doctor provides a welcomed contrast to the tired old ideas of a career politician.”

* Editorial: TV viewers would be best served by competition

* Joseph Savage: Bill would speed video choice for consumers

* Libraries protest filter proposal; more here and here

* Illinois Review: Bye Bye electoral college

* Wind farm legislation concerns official

* CPS study shows students gain little with after-school tutoring

* FAA finds O’Hare slip ups

* Harvey faces contempt action over order to release records

* Early sales tax collection still has hope in Springfield

* Editorial: Governor needs to sign Rockford sales tax bill soon

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Durbin has his first GOP opponent *** Updated x1 ***

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

This was covered elsewhere in the blogosphere last week, but now it’s official. From a press release…

Steve Sauerberg M.D., a 54-year-old successful family practice physician based in La Grange, Illinois, has entered the Republican primary for the United States Senate seat, currently held by Democrat Dick Durbin.

“ A lifetime of serving others translates well to curing what is wrong with career politician Dick Durbin and his out-of-touch liberal values,” said Sauerberg. “We need to cut taxes to help families and create jobs, cut wasteful pork barrel spending, oppose efforts to reward illegal immigrants with citizenship and taxpayer benefits, and we must develop alternative energy sources including bio-fuels to ensure both energy independence and our national security, while also providing affordable top quality healthcare for all our citizens.”

A loving husband, father of two, and life-long family care physician, Dr. Sauerberg has built one of the largest family medical practices in the western suburbs of Chicago. Steve is also a former medical school teacher, little league coach and was recently chosen to serve on the MacMurray College Board of Trustees, his alma mater. Steve graduated from MacMurray College, located in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1975 and later graduated the Chicago-based Rush Medical College in 1977. He opened his own medical practice in 1985, which he still maintains today.

Earlier this year, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin was rated the most liberal senator in the country by the National Journal, a respected non-partisan Washington publication.

“It’s troubling how non-partisan sources document that Durbin is the most liberal member of the United States Senate, a real liberal’s liberal. Dick Durbin does not represent our Illinois values,” added Sauerberg. “We need to bring real-life common sense to the national debate so we can find solutions and get results for the taxpayers, families, and seniors of Illinois. I believe I can be that voice and best serve the residents of Illinois here at home and in Washington, D.C.”

*** UPDATE *** Krol has more at Animal Farm…

Sauerberg is getting a late start in what promises to be an expensive race. He said he plans to put some of his own money into the contest, but “not enough to make any difference.” […]

As is common with doctors, a quick check of court filings show Sauerberg has been sued a few times for malpractice, but no details were readily available Monday. […]

Sauerberg has hired Campbell & Campbell as his general consultant. Mark Campbell, who owns the firm with his wife Eva, is political director for former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giu-liani’s campaign.

Sauerberg’s lone staff member so far is Patrick Carl-son, who worked as local po-litical director for former Speaker Dennis Hastert for six years and then on Judy Baar Topinka’s governor campaign last year.

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A little afternoon humor

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

“The Daley Show with Andy Plonka” blog has a funny little bit up about Gov. Blagojevich…

Besides being an avid runner, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is quite the Chicago sports enthusiast. In recent weeks, he’s been seen cheering and even participating at various contests.

Here, he helps Luol Deng track down a loose ball in a game against Detroit. The governor was whistled for a moving pick violation.

Cubs fans were in an uproar when they saw the governor mocking players for missing an easy fly ball. A spokesperson later said the governor was simply pointing out the ball so it wouldn’t get lost in the ivy.

There’s more. Go see the whole thing.

* Peoria’s 60th annual Gridiron show looked like it was pretty funny. Jennifer and Molly fill us in…

…Ameren Illinois CEO Scott Cisel was announced as the town’s most hated man, even drawing the ire of the devil. “Do you know how hard it is to heat hell? The power bill is insane.”

You may not have known that Gov. Rod Blagojevich visited Peoria recently to speak to his sole supporter for his gross receipts tax plan. That was Willie York, Peoria’s most prominent homeless man, who announced the governor is “really good smelling.”

* The Daily Southtown’s Howard Ludwig scored a FOID card for his 10-month-old baby. Yes, you read that right.

When it finally arrived, I found my application was approved, but Bubba was rejected. I was expecting an official letter that went something like:

Attention Father of the Year,

We are not issuing a FOID card to an infant.

Love,

The Illinois State Police

Instead, I was rejected on a technicality. I forgot to check the box confirming Bubba’s U.S. citizenship.

Undeterred, I filled out the form again and sent in another $5.

Create your own punchlines in comments.

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Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Today is “Unity Day” for Illinois libraries…

Libraries across Illinois are being urged by an industry association to shut off free Internet access Monday to protest a proposed state law.

At issue is the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act. The proposal was passed by a 63-51 vote in the Illinois House of Representatives last week and has been referred to the Senate’s Rules Committee.

Under the act, every library would need filters on public computers to prevent child pornography and other obscene images from appearing. Libraries would have to annually certify compliance or risk losing state grants.

The idea was initially bottled up in committee…

But last Wednesday, the Illinois House passed a new measure inspired by a December incident during which a man appeared to be looking at child pornography on a computer at the Mount Greenwood Public Library on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

The man turned out to be a sex offender.

Opponents are not pleased…

“This is designed to take away local decisions,” said Kip Kolkmeier, lobbyist for the Illinois Library Association. He added that it would require libraries to “spend money on technology that doesn’t really work.”

Some proponents are outraged at today’s blackout plan, including the Illinois Family Institute…

Part of ILA’s lobbying strategy is to have local libraries “turn off the Internet,” (or in other words, do not provide library patrons with the services they paid for with their tax dollars) and in the process, recruit outraged members of the public to their misleading cause by telling them that HB 1727 will cause them to lose Internet access at their library.

What does this say about the ALA, the ILA and various local library directors and boards — that they are they willing to completely shut out patrons from using tax-payer funded Internet computers to promote a pro-pornography-access agenda — yet they are unwilling to filter out degrading sexual images to protect the children and families they serve?

* Question, Part One: Where do you stand on state-mandated Internet filters for libraries?

* Question, Part Two: Do you think the Illinois Library Association is going too far, or is it justified in promoting this day of action?

(Ironically enough, my filter software may temporarily block some of your comments and my spam filter may block out others, but Paul will be checking comments throughout the day to unblock them. lol)

26 Comments

Site news

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

We’ve finally switched over to our new Internet host, and things seem to be proceeding pretty well so far. Not everyone will see the site until probably later today, as the notification of the new DNS address makes its way through the Intertubes. But by tomorrow morning it will be completely accessible to everyone.

I’ve added a couple of things besides the new header to “celebrate” our departure from PowWeb. Several people asked for links to traffic and weather reports. You can find them in the pull-down menu entitled “Quick News Links” at the upper right side. There are also direct links to access live House and Senate debates in that same pull-down menu.

Enjoy.

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Edgar talks GRT, plus the end-game, Obama and a roundup

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Former Gov. Jim Edgar told Lee Newspapers that he has ” never seen a tax proposal be more dead on arrival,” than the governor’s gross receipts tax. Here’s more from the interview…

“Nobody’s ever for a tax increase until the last minute when it passes. It’s always kind of misleading to bank everything on what people are saying before they actually vote for it.” […]

“When [Blagojevich] came into state government, the state already had a serious financial problem, and it’s just gotten worse since. Not that he ever asked me, but my advice would be that you deal with this early instead of later because of two things. One, it’s going to get worse. And two, it’s your problem.” […]

“I think if you don’t do it this year, things are just going to continue to get a lot worse. And it just means what you do is going to have to be more massive. If they don’t do it this year, I think the state is in very, very serious financial trouble. The problems aren’t going to go away.”

Go read the whole thing.

* My syndicated newspaper column describes the “slow-motion train wreck” of a session and takes a look ahead. Subscribers know that I’ve since altered my view somewhat, but here it is…

There are at least three possible outcomes to this circus of a session, although things have a way of changing fast around here:

The three leaders finally put their animosity aside, sit down and cut a deal on a scaled-back version of the gross-receipts tax and add in things like gaming expansion, a lottery lease and a few other magical tricks to boost the total revenue package.

Failing that, Madigan sends the Senate some sort of income/sales tax increase to boost education spending and provide property tax relief and Jones has to decide whether he wants to abandon the governor — with whom he’s been allied all year — and then risk a summer-long fight with Blagojevich after the governor vetoes the tax hike.

Maintenance budget. The governor warned last week that a “do-nothing” budget would result in a billion dollars in spending cuts. But this option is starting to look good to some Democratic legislators who would rather be on the anti-tax increase side of a summer argument. The governor didn’t convince many legislators that this was a bad move by warning that some high school football teams wouldn’t be able to afford new jerseys if legislators tried to leave town without a tax hike. First of all, the vast majority of high schools don’t use taxpayer dollars for things like jerseys (that’s why they sell candy); and secondly, if that’s the worst thing that could happen, then why bother raising taxes and freaking out the voters?

* The Wall Street Journal editorialized on the GRT today - unfavorably, of course - and slipped in this little gem…

Illinois Senator Barack Obama has been silent on his Governor’s tax implosion, but someone should get him on the record.

Not a bad idea.

* More GRT links, compiled by our faithful intern Paul Richardson…

* Editorial: Governor’s tax tactics too much

* Editorial: Now will Blago get the message

* Laney: GRT is a death threat to Illinois business

* With governor’s tax plan near death, other options get look

* Martire: Stage set for compromise to reach Governor’s goals

* Statehouse Insider: Rough times for Rod, Madigan moving forward

* Dr. Young: Illinois needs a single payer public insurance plan

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Symbolism and Senate President Jones

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Tribune’s editorial page, which doesn’t carry the political punch it did when newspapers ruled the roost, demands today that Senate President Emil Jones allow a vote on House Bill 1. The legislation, according to the synopsis…

Prohibits a business that makes a State contract bid or proposal from making contributions to the officeholder responsible for awarding the contract, or a political committee established to promote the officeholder’s candidacy, during the period from the date the bid or request for proposals is issued through the date the contract is awarded, if the bid or proposal exceeds $25,000 or the aggregate bids and State contracts of that business exceed $25,000.

The Tribune sees the bill as a chance to clear up some of the questions surrounding his recent past…

He’s had to defend himself against published reports about lucrative state jobs held by his wife and son, and a utility company contract given to his stepson. He shocked and undermined some of his fellow Democrats by pulling a rare parliamentary maneuver to stymie a statewide electric rate freeze.

The paper also sees the vote as an important opportunity to show that he’s not completely beholden to Gov. Blagojevich this year…

“The one person who has an interest in bottling this ‘pay-to-play’ legislation up is the governor, because this would be unilateral disarmament for the governor’s fundraising operation,” said the chief House sponsor, Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago).

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has raked in hefty campaign contributions from vendors that do business with the state. Federal investigators are scrutinizing the practice.

So what’s known as House Bill 1 will serve as an important loyalty test: How wedded is Jones to the governor’s interests?

I noticed in Friday’s Question of the Day that Jones may be more unpopular with commenters here than Rod Blagojevich, which is really saying something. Some of that is way overblown, but there’s no doubt that Jones’ public reputation has been damaged by all the revelations this year and his closeness to Blagojevich.

The bottom line, though, is that the perception questions won’t go away if this one bill passes, despite the Tribune’s framing. (It may have even been sent across the hall by Speaker Madigan to deliberately put Jones on the spot.) But it is certain that the worst will continue to be assumed by editorial writers, columnists and pundits if he continues to bottle up the legislation.

Thoughts?

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Morning Shorts

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* NEW Dems in D.C. scold Stroger

* Real electric rate fix: beat the heat

* Suppliers ready to compete if lawmakers drop electric rate freeze

* Illinois electric rates and ranking since 1990

* How much does Illinois pollute?

* Governors worry about depleted National Guard

* Report: Fewer attorneys in the state

* Veterans get extra help in home buying process

* Student loans for illegal immigrants

* Research backs up single sex schooling; parent and student reaction

* City may borrow $1 billion for O’Hare

* Showdown set as Daley pushes for housing plan

* Chambers: What’s an extra 6 months of higher sales tax in Rockford

8 Comments

Mother’s Day thoughts

Saturday, May 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

I’ve always had a very cool mom. Here she is with my Dad around the time they were married in 1961…

She wore a miniskirt in the early 1970s, which didn’t go over too well with the nuns at the Catholic high school where she taught briefly in Kankakee. She was just too cool for that school.

We eventually moved to Europe in the late 1970s, and here’s a pic from then…

Everybody loves their mother, and I am no exception. She had five children, but she made each of us feel special in our own way, even though family finances required that she work full-time pretty much all the time.

She started her adult life as a teacher, so all of us were well ahead of the other kids our age. Inheriting her intelligence - Mom’s IQ has been tested at the genius level - probably didn’t hurt either.

But she taught us more than reading and writing. She made extra sure we all understood that coming from a working-class background meant we would all have to strive much harder than others to get ahead in life. No matter how bad things got in those days, she never gave up, never panicked and never lost her keen sense of humor. Mom has always been a great role model.

Here’s a photo from last Christmas…

I’ve always believed that I get my story-telling ability from my paternal grandmother. This is Grandma around the time she was first married in 1938…

Here she is many years ago with my daughter Vanessa, who will turn 21 this summer…

Grandma rode a horse to school when she was growing up in the Kentucky backwoods. She had a hard-scrabble upbringing, but she’s always made the best of any situation she has found herself in. I can listen to her fascinating stories for hours on end. And her biting humor never fails to crack me up.

My maternal grandmother, Nettie Akers, passed away many years ago, but I spent a large part of my childhood at her house on a farm in rural Iroquois County. Some of my best memories are of Grandma Akers. She doted on her grandchildren. I don’t think she ever so much as scolded me once, and I still think about her all the time.

Grandma grew up in southern Illinois, moved to Pontiac with my grandad, then to a farm in Milks Grove Township after they were flooded out. Here she is with two of her four children…

Happy Mother’s Day to Mom, Grandma and everyone else out there who has children and grandchildren. We all love you dearly.

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