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* Majority of Illinois voters favor gov’s recall
* Arbitrator urged for cable dispute
Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, said Monday he believes cable companies want to keep channels they own, such as Comcast’s Sports Net, Versus and the Golf Channel, on basic plans “because it’s cheap to run them. And then they charge us extra for the things that we would like to see, like the sporting events.”
He is proposing legislation to have an arbitrator decide where programming should be carried when independent channels compete with channels owned by cable companies.
Risinger said the cost of attending sporting events such as football games is out of reach for many families.
* Ameren electric rate hikes expected to be a tough sell
* Schools have homework to do, parent survey finds
* Editorial: 18 year olds entitled to run for office
* Roskam’s first year in D.C.
* Illinois’ Lauzen runs hard to the right
Russell and Green speculated that the entry of a Hastert-picked candidate will set up an eventual Lauzen victory by siphoning off Oberweis supporters and encouraging typically conservative primary voters to organize around Lauzen.
But Lauzen said he sees his formula for victory in the primary as simple, and he said the contest involves two issues: “performance versus promises and … I win campaigns.”
Still, Lauzen acknowledges that his biggest asset going into the primary — his far-right base of conservative diehards — could prove problematic in a general election with Foster, when heavy swing-voter turnout is expected in 2008 presidential election.
“Primaries are easy because people generally agree with you,” Lauzen said. “General elections: you need all the people you can get.”
* WurfWhile: Lauzen risks running too far right for general election
* Former Peoria councilman formally launches campaign to replace LaHood
* How taxes affect our bottom line, a close look at the numbers [.pdf]
* Ominous letters are baloney says Cook Co. treasurer
A new Cook County fee requires mortgage firms to pay $5 in order to pay your property taxes electronically.
But instead of paying that $5, mortgage companies are sending letters to thousands of homeowners indicating the firms “may” not be able to pay the property tax bill on time.
“It will be necessary to obtain the original real estate tax bill from you to ensure timely and accurate payment,” a letter reads. “We must receive your bill no later than (Nov. 16). If the tax bill is not received by that date, we may be unable to pay it by the delinquency date (Dec. 3) and the tax collector will impose additional fees for which you may be held responsible.”
That’s baloney, says Treasurer Maria Pappas.
* Report says taxing hospitals could net $241 million for county
A report released Tuesday shows that if the county’s 54 not-for-profit hospitals were required to pay property taxes, they could be forced to cough up as much as $241 million a year. But those findings are so heavily couched and compiled using incomplete data that the results were immediately ripped by hospital officials. The report also doesn’t make allowances for the appeals or court challenges to assessed values
* Tribune Editorial: Singing he recycling blues
* New idea to shave property tax hike
They’re calling it a “public safety assessment.” It amounts to a property tax increase of 40 cents per square foot on businesses with more than 5,000 square feet of commercial or office space in an area bounded by Congress, Halsted, Michigan and the Chicago River.
The concept is simple. Since it takes more equipment and manpower to respond to a high-rise fire or other downtown emergency than it does in the neighborhoods, downtown businesses should pay more for that service.
* Daley ‘trying’ to trim tax hike further
* CPS may limit military recruiters
* Ordinance makes sure people with strollers don’t get the shaft
* McLean Co. inmates sent nearly one hundred miles away
* Let’s say Thanks to the troops
posted by Paul Richardson
Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 6:42 am
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Before we got on the bandwagon beating up our favorite corporate entity we love to hate (cable operators), lets examine the Big 10 Networks.
What do we know about the broadcast fees and where the revenue goes. How much do they want to charge the cable operators and who gets the money? If it is to further enrich the schools and coaches and hangers on, then fie on them.
I for one only watch college sports incidentally, so I can say that I do not want my cable bill to go up to have this on my array of basic channels. Perhaps this is another arguement for a la carte programming.
It would seem to me that a substantial amout of the revenue generated by this venture should be dedicated to the kids who are being exploited by the television and sporting industries in the form of additional scholarships, stipends, long term health cost supplements etc. Too many people getting rich on the backs of these young people.
Comment by plutocrat03 Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 8:49 am
Plutocrat, I remember seeing that the Big Ten wants nearly $2.00 per subscriber and carried on the basic package. This would be the second most expensive channel on basic cable (ESPN is the most expensive, at around $4.00 per subscriber).
Comment by Anon from BB Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 9:35 am
I live in Cook County and I had no idea that there were 54 nonprofit hospitals here. Seems like an oversupply to me.
In any case, it seems highly like that these hospitals are not carrying their weight in the
free or reduced care department. But if they did, or if we could tax them, Stroger Hospital’s financial woes could be substantially reduced.
This would, of course, require planning and coordination far beyond the capacities of the Cook County Board. And a lot of those hospital CEO’s likely pal around with our celebrity pols just in case they get any hospital taxing ideas. Wealth looking out for wealth after all.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 9:40 am
I’ve been watching Lauzen stumble around for ten years. He just doesn’t know how to campaign very well, does he? He is too emotional and needs to listen. He might be someone with a lot of good ideas, but as a campaigner he is a turn-off.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 11:35 am
I could live without the Eastern Seaboard Programming Network too. $4!!Wow!
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 12:21 pm
Removing the property tax exemption for a non-profit hospital would be the first step on vertical, downward spiral for all non-profits. If hospitals lose the exemption, it wouldn’t take long before other non-profits would also lose. The result would be worse than the original problem the short-sighted county leaders are trying to solve. Nonprofit hospitals are not the reason the county has budget problems. There are budget problems because they can’t control spending, just like nearly every other tax-supported body.
Former Governor Jim Edgar made a remark one time in a budget address –”Not bigger government, better government.” The folks in Cook County, Daley Plaza and the 16th Floor at the JRTC would do well to adopt Edgar’s vision as well.
Comment by DC Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 12:27 pm
“Edgar’s vision” is an oxymoron.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 12:32 pm
Rich, yah need to add some boxers to your charity store with the caption “Morning Shorts” maye toss a few made up headlines in as well.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 12:37 pm
Excuse me, Maria, but what is “baloney” is your charging a tax to PAY your tax. What, you REALLY believed lenders would ante up five bucks for each and every one of their borrowers’ escrow accounts twice a year? Also baloney: calling a TAX a “fee.” How about taking some money from your “print everything in Swahili fund” to close the gap? Uhm, no, wouldn’t work … might be one or two Swalihi voters somewhere in Crook County. Maybe sell your “kiss all the ethnic voters’ butts” flags for the dough? Hmmmm … get the idea?
Comment by Snidely Whiplash Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 1:51 pm
DeWitt County is in Southern Illinois? The author of the “McLean Co. inmates sent nearly one hundred miles away” article needs to get out a little more.
Comment by Dauthus Wednesday, Nov 7, 07 @ 4:11 pm