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Illinois

* Hastert to decide on re-election

* States win points with sales tax holidays

* New deal for electric rate relief

* Coal power plant has funding, officials say

* Racetrack industry gambling on OTBs

* Daley may promote environment chief

* $300 city-wide parking permit gets few takers

Only 53 real estate agents and home health care providers have bought the new stickers — even after the city clerk’s office reached out to health care and real estate dealers’ associations to make certain they were aware of the parking perk.

Chicagoans already were bracing for an array of post-election tax increases to close a $217.7 million gap in the mayor’s 2008 budget. Now, the gap is closer to $220 million.

* State is moving unclaimed property auction online; more here

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias announced Monday the state’s first eBay auction of unclaimed property.
“Using the Internet, we’re going to conduct a virtual yard sale,” Giannoulias said. “That’s what eBay — with its 241 million registered users — brings to the table.”

The items are among forgotten or abandoned property left in safe-deposit boxes. The state puts it on sale after officials try to reach the owners for at least nine years. Until now, an annual auction has been held at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, where a preview of the Internet sale is being held.

* Illinois GOP to host straw poll

posted by Paul Richardson
Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 7:38 am

Comments

Any word on how the CMS2 have fared? Are they back to work and if so, under what circumstances?

Comment by one of the 35 Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 10:42 am
Well great, a new deal nailing down rates with Ameren. Not as good as the one Blago let the deadline blow by, but better than the next one. Will he manage to sign it by Friday, the “new” deadline? Or will he again screw the taxpayers? His slow reading has already cost taxpayers millions in electric costs. And about that “complicated” 1400 page budget . . . Learn to read faster gov, you might begin to appear intelligent instead of a buffoon.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 12:54 pm
Why is the State going to pay fees to eBay for an online auction when it already has an online auction site for surplus property? http://ibid.illinois.gov
aside from the usual “My idea has to be better than anyone else’s” that is….

Comment by Duston Tuesday, Aug 14, 07 @ 4:31 pm