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* Redistricting the right way
If Illinois loses a congressional district because the 2010 census shows declining population, political observers say that U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, a Republican, likely would be the odd man out.
* Activists promise fight for more Great Lakes money
* Foreclosures Hit Wealthier Chicago Neighborhoods
The condo building Catalpa Gardens looks more like something from Miami than the traditional North Side neighborhood of Edgewater. It’s painted red, yellow and blue and towers over everything nearby. But the cheerful colors outside mask financial pain inside.
* Daley: Loop Superstation Still Necessary
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says the Loop still needs a “superstation” where passengers could catch high speed trains to Midway and O’Hare airports. And he thinks the federal government should pay for it.
* East Chicago Mayor Indicted
* Arbitrator gives CTA go-ahead to cut jobs
While calling the planned layoffs of 1,057 CTA workers “nothing less than a mass execution,” an arbitrator ruled that the job cuts could proceed as planned Sunday.
* City inspector general needs power to do job
Now a plan is being drafted — and likely will be brought before the City Council next week — that the Daley administration hopes will convince Andersen that a federal monitor is no longer necessary, that the bad old days of political patronage are over and that trustworthy systems are in place to make sure it never ever happens again.
Call us cynics, but we have doubts.
* The Second City Unveils Its Ode to Limbaugh
* Kennedy Expressway drivers should brace for delays
The lane reduction will run from Washington south to the ramps that connect drivers to the Eisenhower Expy.
* Superintendent, unions spar over letter-writing
More than 30 people met this evening at AFSCME’s Rockford office, 212 S. First St., to talk about the letters and what progress they’ve made.
* Stark board pleased with new sales tax
* Coles County schools feel sting of sales tax proposal’s defeat at the polls
* Davis spells out high school options at [Decatur] Chamber of Commerce breakfast
Decision4Decatur is Phase II of the High School Task Force’s work to determine what to do about the aging high school buildings. In a process that began a year ago, the task force explored options and narrowed them to four choices: renovate the two buildings; build a new consolidated high school; remodel Stephen Decatur Middle School into a single high school, which would also mean remodeling MacArthur High School into a middle school; or do nothing.
* Carl Hansen, 1926-2010: Former Cook County Board member
* O’Fallon hopes to clean up high-profile eyesore
The city paid $1,000 for the former Clark station at 102 E. State St. with hopes of getting federal stimulus grant money to clean it up, according to City Administrator Walter Denton
* Union County OKs courthouse funds
Voters passed the 1 percent increase in the countywide sales tax rate to support the construction of a new Union County courthouse, but other county tax referendums were voted down, including a 0.25 percent increase for the city of Anna and a 0.65 percent property tax increase for the Lick Creek school district.
* ‘Southern Illinoisan’ Publisher Named Illinois Press Assoc. Exec Director
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:21 am
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That redistricting out the GOP is of great concern. I am surprised because STL Metro East population is on the rise, in Shimkus and Costello’s districts. Costello’s is way too big geographically. I bet it’s really Chicago that’s losing the population. They should lose a district. All the more reason for the GOP to win elections this year.
Comment by Peggy SO-IL Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:34 am
What a shame if Shimkus’ district was eliminated. Then Springfield would only be carved up into two Congressional districts. Or would they still find a way to slice it “extra thin” into three? Why do the words “compact” and “contiguous” keep rolling around in my head?
Comment by girllawyer Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:37 am
God bless Commissioner Hansen, now entering heaven with his briefcase held together with rope. what a guy.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:41 am
Redistricting the right way would be an Iowa-type system, which Mike Madigan lied about bringing up last fall (after killing it in the Spring). Then let the chips fall where they may (including the vomit-inducing “safe Latino seat” — arguably the most contorted, ethnicly biased gerrymandering since the civil war.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:47 am
Peggy 10 years ago the smart money was that they would eliminate a Chicago district when Illinois was being reduced from 20 seats to 19, particularly since Blagojevich was leaving to run for governor, but then the census came back and showed population gains in Chicago while the population fell downstate and it was a downstate district that was drawn out.
The census could suprise again but most people expect the attrition to come from downstate again.
Comment by Scooby Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:51 am
I should clarify — their proposal would be fine with me, I just prefer Iowa’s (look at their map — it’s so un-partisan you’d think a elementary school child drew it).
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:52 am
People should look at the ILfairmap.com website. The Way the redistricting process is set up now is laughable. Something has to be done, and groups like the League of Women Voters, the Better Government Association, and the Illinois Chamber are pushing this grassroots initiative, but still need people to sign petitions in order to have a more fair system.
Comment by Redistricting the Right Way Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:57 am
You know what, I take it back — if you follow the link, they’re trying to get this on the ballot for a referendum in November. I’m all in! In fact I think I’ll volunteer to gather signatures –they need 500,000 by April 1.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 9:58 am
The big question is will Hynes support Quinn’s tax increase proposal?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:17 am
I attended an Illinois Assoiciation of Chamber of Commerce Executives legislative summit last month, and they had a presentation on redistricting plan and it all made a lot of sense. I would urge people to contact their local chambers of commerce if they want to learn more about it and see what their community is doing to get the ball rolling on signing petitions, volunteering, etc.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:25 am
It’s about time we changed the redistricting process here! How can something so essential be decided by a coin flip?!?! I’ll knock on doors and get some signatures for that…
Comment by La Ti Da Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 10:52 am
If the loss of a Congressional seat in Illinois is due to lack of population growth Downstate, the most likely target would be Aaron Schock’s district, not Shimukus’. Schock is the only Downstate district that does not reach to the state’s borders, making it a lot easier to squeeze into oblivion than the others.
Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 1:55 pm
I don’t recall exactly where I read this… but supposedly, the provision for breaking a redistricting commission deadlock by pulling a name out of a hat (or something similar) was written into the 1970 Constitution as a sort of “nuclear option” intended to motivate the General Assembly and/or the redistricting commission to get the job done on time. The framers of that constitution, supposedly, thought the GA and commission members would have enough sense not to let it come to that. Does that sound at all plausible?
Comment by Secret Square Thursday, Feb 4, 10 @ 2:13 pm