* Gov. Pat Quinn went all Popeye on the General Assembly yesterday over tax hikes…
“Sometimes politicians of both parties want to wait ’til after the election. I’m not one of those. I wanted to do it before the election. But now it is after the election … you gotta eat your spinach. You gotta eat your spinach to grow-up big and strong.”
Gov. Pat Quinn has a reputation as a spendthrift, so he’s promising a “frugal” but not “chintzy” inauguration next month.
Quinn says the celebrations will be meaningful, yet “thrifty,” when he and the other state constitutional officers are sworn in to office Jan. 10 in Springfield.
The full Q&A is below. At the end, reporters asked if he would be dancing at the ball, and also asked if he could dance. Listen…
Isn’t it time to dump the entire idea of inaugural festivities at all levels of government? Take your oath, go out to dinner with friends, then get the heck to work. Ask those “private donors” to fund a few inaugural commemorative reading tutors or buy a few thousand inaugural commemorative library books.
As lawmakers talk about big plans to expand gambling, the man charged with regulating the industry in Illinois called the proposal “overloaded” Wednesday. […]
Jaffe criticized the legislation as having “everything for everyone” because it calls for casinos in Park City, Ford Heights, Chicago, Rockford and Danville, along with 1,200 slot machines at Arlington Park.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle made it clear Thursday that she and Assessor Joseph Berrios remain political allies, even if she’s not keen about him putting relatives on the public payroll.
“Joseph Berrios is my friend,” Preckwinkle said. “He is the chairman of the (Cook County) Democratic party, and I’m a Democratic committeeman.”
Preckwinkle was reacting to the news that Berrios hired his sister and son within days of being sworn in Monday. The family members had long worked at the county property tax appeals board, where Berrios was a commissioner.
“I never hired any family members,” Preckwinkle said at a news conference to introduce top aides. “And I think it’s inappropriate.”
* Now, to the city, where Carol Moseley Braun just announced that she’s heading to New York for a fundraiser. There’s a bit of a problem, however…
Last month, Moseley Braun criticized mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel for “hanging out with bankers and billionaires” at a Hollywood fundraiser.
“Moseley Braun is going where necessary to raise money in order to compete in the race for mayor,” said spokeswoman Renee Ferguson. “As a senator, she built a national constituency and there are many who would like to continue to support her policies of fighting for working people.”
“I’ll generally be here [in Champaign County]. I will go to Washington quite often, but I’m going to be working out of Champaign-Urbana and making some trips to D.C.,” he said. “I think early on there will be more of them than later. I will definitely spend the vast majority of my time here.
“I think this will work out pretty well because one of the big changes the Republicans are making is to reduce the number of days Congress is in Washington, D.C.”
Shelden, who makes about $87,000 a year as county clerk, will get what he called “a substantial raise.”
“Chiefs of staff out there make in the 150s and 160s,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to make, but it’s going to be a substantial raise.”
A chief of staff who doesn’t live in DC?
Shelden, by the way, is replacing Jerry Clarke, who is moving over to freshman Congressman Randy Hultgren’s staff. Jerry ran Bill Brady’s campaign. Our old friend and former Illini Pundit blogger extraordinaire Gordy Hulten is in the running to replace Clerk Shelden. Good luck, Gordy.
* Fewer people gambling in Illinois; numbers challenge expansion plans
* Jackson urges action on south suburban airport: “I fear if this is held up until after the Chicago (mayoral) election, it’ll be put off,” Jackson said. “Our state is almost insolvent. It’s a unique opportunity to spread economic growth. Let’s take this project to its logical conclusion.”
* City could save on pension reform - New Police, firefighters could retire at 55 instead of 50
