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* Report calls for $8.8 billion to adequately maintain state transportation

* SIU educators sue over ethics training:

“We have no problem with the ethics law or the ethics training, but it’s ludicrous to suggest that highly educated people cannot grasp, within a few minutes, the nuances of a document prepared by a subcontractor hired by a state bureaucrat,” said Zeman, president of SIU-Carbondale’s faculty association.

* Political winds shift, taking marriage war with them

* Michael Scott named director of Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

* Closer look at 4 convicted Chicago politicians

* Daley keeping it low-key: “You have the Bears winning,” said Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th), a Daley ally. “Who is going to care about politics when we are in the Super Bowl?

* Editorial: Respect landowners, but don’t delay 3rd airport plan

* City seeks $4 million from contractor for over billing

* Texas joins “lottery-selling” crowd, complicates IL situation

* Abortion notification law on hold again; the Tribune’s take

* Tribune: 5 more great classroom ideas

* A look at the Cook Co. commissioners latest budget supplement proposals:

Cook County commissioners proposed a flurry of new taxes and fees Tuesday as they scramble to find money to stave off planned budget cuts for next year.
All of the proposals were sent to committee for further study, but commissioners will have to move fast if they want the new fees in place for the budget, which must be passed by the end of this month.

* Editorial: Don’t give towns counties their own cigarette tax

* Tillman foes mount stiff challenge

* Troutman hold up rival supporter’s project

* Chicago banks on selling assets:

Daley stresses the assets sold are not “core competencies” of city government, such as public safety and education. Actually, what competencies are core is debatable. Leasing - privatizing - some cities’ school systems probably would make them more competent. Perhaps the moral of Chicago’s story is that what government can shed, it should shed.

* Another view of Peoria residents’ Presidential reaction:

After the Bush entourage left, Journal Star reporters went in to ask diners and workers their thoughts. One guy said he was so nervous he couldn’t even remember if he shook the president’s hand. The next day, a waitress reported that people were “taking turns sitting in the chair” where the president ate his breakfast. Hardly seems ho-hum. I couldn’t help but wonder also if Ms. Bailey missed the hundreds of people lining the streets just to catch a glimpse of the motorcade rolling by, in weather cold enough to make you forget your toes.

posted by Paul Richardson
Wednesday, Feb 7, 07 @ 8:33 am

Comments

I too have taken the ethics test. Any intellegent professional could easily pass the test without reading the 80 pages first. How about making the test public so all can see what Illinois paid a subcontractor millions to create. The employee handbook issued at hire and periodically thereafter states all the same rules. This is all so ludicrous and it’s time all saw the document that is holding so many to the fire.

Comment by former state employee Wednesday, Feb 7, 07 @ 8:55 am
I read the “marriage wars” article. It was small minded, insulting and so biased and stupid it was embarrassing to even finish reading it. It lacked even a modicum of respect for the people being reported on. It was taunting and juvenile.

“Journalistic” crap unworthy of print.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 7, 07 @ 8:59 am
Ouch VM. Don’t hold back now.

Comment by Paul Richardson Wednesday, Feb 7, 07 @ 9:07 am
Too many subjects at once. If the pols of all generations and all parties had any ethics, then we would not be discussing nine tenths of this material and the transportation system would be better than it is in Never, Never Land. Sorry, I did not mean to bring up images of the locomotion of crocodiles, pirates and especially the use of fairy dust. If I were younger, I would probably say “My bad.” but I find that phrase particularly loathsome.

Comment by i d Wednesday, Feb 7, 07 @ 11:24 am
Rich,
The Peotone airport link is broken. Thanks

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 8, 07 @ 8:06 am
I worked at the Illinois EPA for 35 years and the only differences between the guv’s much touted ethics rules and the Agency rules that we had adhered to for most of my career were that the governor’s rules were less restrictive and if strictly adhered to would have violated our existing ethics policies. No one familiar with the Agency ruels needed to bother reading the instructions for the ethics test and could complete it in minutes.

Comment by Skirmisher Thursday, Feb 8, 07 @ 8:40 am