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* The Rockford Register-Star’s political coverage for the next few weeks will consist largely of reporter/columnist Chuck Sweeney traveling the state and talking to individual voters. His first stop was Galena.

* AP: State government is collecting more cash from gambling pursuits than ever before, a new report shows as talk of expansion plays a key role in the fall elections and beyond. More here.

* Mitchell: State mortgage law backfires on most vulnerable homeowners - “HB 4050 is a very bad law.”

* Zorn: Political claims + property taxes = big confusion

* NBC5: A Cook County Board of Review commissioner said on Wednesday she wanted an immediate investigation into Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s property tax assessment.

* HMO shunned pregnant women

* Gauen: With a month to go until the election, I am left with a sense that the only name on the ballot is, of all people, George Ryan.

* Tribune editorial: This race to the bottom–You’re just like George! No, you are!–means both campaigns think perceptions of corruption make candidates vulnerable this year. Historically, that hasn’t been as true in Illinois as in many other states. Illinois voters in the past have elected, and re-elected, all manner of known scoundrels.

* Rosemont casino figure pleads guilty to unrelated crime

* Teachers sue to stop funding of online school

* Privatizing rail service to Chicago draws â€˜zero interestâ€™ from Indiana governor

* Tribune: The Chicago City Council on Wednesday banned the sale and possession of air guns that resemble real firearms, taking action after the recent police shooting of a teenager who was carrying a “replica” BB gun.

* Tribune: Mayor Richard Daley, who last month vetoed Chicago’s “big-box” minimum wage ordinance [and who last week came out for a hard federal cap on minimums that state’s couldn’t exceed], announced Wednesday that he will back a bill in Springfield mandating a $1 increase in the statewide minimum.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 5, 06 @ 8:31 am

Comments

I liked Mary Mitchell’s column about the state mortage law change. The one thing she didn’t mention was which jerk was the primary sponsor of this piece of garbage that became law. The answer… none other than House Speaker Michael Madigan!

If it were not for the fact that the Republicans nationally are little more than hypocritical fascist wannabes, I would have abandoned the Democrats a LONG time ago over stunts like this.

Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Oct 5, 06 @ 9:08 am
Mitchell’s article was good but as fedupdem already stated, she neglected to note the sponsor of this “bad law” even when the interviewee gave her a great intro:

“Nobody held meetings in these areas. We were not informed, and we don’t know what fool came up with this,” she said.

Also, it would be interesting to know which lenders are staying in these areas and why. Are they not covered by this “bad law”? Also, who has an interest in these lenders that are staying?

Comment by CrunchyCon Friday, Oct 6, 06 @ 6:44 am