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* Governor calls VA ordeal an ‘unbelievable thing’

* Lawmakers say politics is behind anti-violence program

* Coalition tells Stroger: Skip this sales tax hike

* Stroger at the heart of tax debate

* Foes organize against sales-tax hike; more here

* CPR: Cook Co. deficit tops $300 million

* McNulty: Reporters stay above fray in museum fight

* Ald. Reilly uses foe’s book to sway colleagues; more here

* Field museum asks for more green

* City plan takes aim at resident’s’ illegal hotels

Burke gets a lot of legislative ideas from New York City, and the crackdown he introduced at Thursday’s City Council meeting was no exception. The Big Apple has launched its own crackdown against “illegal hotel conversions” after residents complained.

Burke’s ordinance would require short-term renters to buy $400-a-year city licenses and secure $300,000 worth of general liability insurance. Violators would face fines as high as $100 a day.

* U of I’s alumni group’s conservative curriculum plans are blasted

Conservative commentator Robert Novak said Thursday that his Washington colleagues were stunned to learn that a University of Illinois alumni group was setting up an organization to encourage and finance conservative studies on campus.

They asked, “Capitalism and limited government at a public university? How can that be?” Novak, an Illinois graduate, told about 250 people gathered for the launch of the Academy on Capitalism and Limited Government Fund.

Some U of I faculty members fear that the group’s plans to raise money to pay for classes and research on free-market capitalism and limited government would create an undue conservative political influence on campus. They also complain that the new group was formed without faculty input.

* Friday Beer Blogging: Return to Schwelmer edition

posted by Paul Richardson
Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 8:37 am

Comments

I have to say, Ald Brendan Reilly is turning out to be an impressive person. He is doing much better thne i expected for being a rookie and taking on Dailey.

Comment by Ghost Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 8:45 am
The McNulty piece is interesting in that the Tribune has refused to cover the Chicago Latin School-Lincoln Park scandal, which is real and is happening. At this point the assumption is that the VIPs at the Tribune are part of the Latin School community and, therefore, don’t want the facts to be broadcast – that the Latin School has been given complete control over a section of a city park and that they can turn it into a revenue-raising site for their own coffers. Oh, and that the Park District officials lied to the public about this (which is documented in published meeting minutes). One wonders if the Trib’s coverage of CCM is a diversion tactic.

Comment by Where's the 4th Estate when you need them Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 8:47 am
Chicago super surveilance seems like an interesting new bit as well…maybe even a QOTD
http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/17133.asp

Comment by Ghost Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 8:51 am
I worked with Brendan in the mid 90’s and he’s definitely a bright, smart and capable leader. We worked for different legislative leaders but he always struck me as someone who was interested in doing what was right, not just what was politically acceptable.

Did the Governor learn a new number? Sounds like he’s practicing for the 725,000 sweepstakes. Someone should mess with his talking points much to the degree like they did with the “Ron Burgandy” character on the movie Anchorman. Come to think of it, the Governor would be a great news anchor - he can memorize scripts and smile nicely into the camera. I wouldn’t let him do much investigative journalism, though. I don’t think it would help the networks during sweeps week.

Comment by DC Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 8:55 am
fyi…most of you probably don’t have a WSJ account, but it has a prominent article today on ActBlue, and focuses on Daniel Biss’s campaign for Elizabeth Colson’s seat.

Comment by Greg Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 9:11 am
Oops, sorry guys. Just got the Capfax email. Obviously the article has been noticed.

Comment by Greg Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 9:20 am
Did anyone remind Blago that he cut funding for the LaSalle Veterans Home.

Comment by 6'2" Yeti Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 9:31 am
4th Estate at 8:47–you are correct, sir, ab initio.

Comment by Smithers Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 9:43 am
Time to add up the potential taxes again and not get distracted by fights over how to use the city’s parks. Sounds like the neighbors of both Lincoln and Grant Pks are more than capable of fighting their own battles.

RTA sales tax….25 or .50?
Todd’s tax-2.00
Chicago property taxes….??
Suburban property taxes….?? depends on the suburb.
Other taxes?

Pluck, pluck, pluck…..

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 10:00 am
Reilly’s been buttonholing aldermen … “I’m still working through the head-count … ”

Was a time an alderman didn’t have to lobby on an issue in his own ward.

Comment by Hugh Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 10:26 am
Yes, Hugh…I think it was two weeks ago before this cluster—- started!!

Someone’s going to lose and I suspect it won’t be the 2d Ward’s most famous resident.

Comment by Mayor's Row Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 10:54 am
“…a University of Illinois alumni group was setting up an organization to encourage and finance conservative studies on campus.”

So will this be a for-profit corporation, competing in the free market, or will it be a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) like Campus Greens?

Comment by Squideshi Friday, Sep 28, 07 @ 11:31 am