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* Proposed law targeting Drew Peterson may get another chance - Measure would allow judge to consider hearsay testimony if a witness’ disappearance is caused by illegal means

* Are you addicted to public access television?

“AT&T apparently believes game shows and sitcoms deserve good quality and speedy delivery but not for civic information and emergency alerts, which are being sidelined into an application that is not like the commercial channels,” said Barbara Popovic, of CAN-TV, who met with lawmakers Wednesday to share her concerns.

* Atty. Gen. Madigan says ComEd rubbed out clean-coal bill

— The office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan accused Commonwealth Edison Co. of killing state legislation that would have eased the way for a new generation of coal-fired power plants designed to operate cleanly.

The bill, which would have required utilities to purchase up to 5% of their electricity from clean-coal plants like one proposed for Downstate Taylorville, fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass the House on Saturday.

* Rezko jury locked on one count

* Rezko verdict could be near

* No vacation? Blame a Democrat

* Time for another property tax hike?

Five months after getting hit with the largest property tax increase in Chicago history, homeowners and businesses are facing another $40 million increase — this one for the Chicago Public Schools.

* State health bill could bring in $51 million a year for Cook County

* NIU’s Cole Hall renovations in jeopardy

* Eyes high, head low in bid for Olympics

* BP has prospective buyers for former refinery site

* Bill over land near airport ready for Blagojevich’s desk

* Bill seeks to shift gears on teens’ weekend curfew for Safe Rides program

* Bill opening free transit rides to disabled people awaits governor’s OK

* Cullerton appeals removal from ballot

* IDOT mowing again, will resume carcass removal soon

* Poshard calls on Illinois leaders to reach agreement on construction bill

* Construction bill’s demise draws fire from all sides

* Guv bats budget ball back to lawmakers

* Gov optimistic about reaching budget deal

* Hannig: Budget can be managed

* Governor wants lawmakers to reconsider budget

* Legislature punts on budget

* Blagojevich says legislature must trim $60 billion budget plan

* Illinois budget battle may continue post session

* Demos happy with budget; Repubs differ

* Illinois Budget Imbroglio

* That’s no budget; it’s a poorly played political game

Who’s making threats now? We have always known that Madigan wields tremendous power in Springfield. We always thought he tempered that power with good sense and a commitment to public service. Now, he just sounds vindictive.

* Governor: State budget is unconstitutional

* Another Showdown Over State Budget On Horizon

* Unbalanced state budget may stem from trust issue

* Earmarks largely absent in state spending plan

posted by Kevin Fanning
Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 8:19 am

Comments

Good to see that Fran Eaton still has a working imagination.
Gas prices all the fault of taxes? I thought it was because oil goes for about $140 a barrel (due in large part to Middle East conflict) and at the same time, oil companies are making record profits.
But no, Fran tells us, it all because of those taxes and because the U.S. won’t destroy Alaska for a short term gain.
I often wonder what color the sky is in Eaton’s World.

Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 9:12 am
Drilling in ANWR wouldn’t destroy Alaska. ANWR is less than 1% of that state.

Comment by PhilCollins Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 10:22 am
With regard to the price of oil, a significant — but under reported — factor in the price spike has been the severe devaluation of the dollar under the current Whitehouse.

Record borrowing from China to fund the Iraq Invasion has driven the buying power of US currency into the tank — which further compounds the pain at the pump.

– SCAM
so-called “Austin Mayor”
http://austinmayor.blogspot.com

Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 10:41 am
I thought that the reason oil prices differ so much around the world is that governments treat it different as to taxes and subsidies. Isn’t that largely responsible for difference in price, not the cost of getting it out of the ground and ready to
use.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 10:52 am
It is extremely haughty of the US to declare our nation off limits to energy exploration and extraction (including some “green” forms of energy), manufacturing, and all those nasty things that an affluent society would rather not do itself, and export these “problems” to other countries where “those” people will have to deal with the issues instead of us. Sooner or later, the “affluent society” mentality will come back to bite us, and I think that time is now. Sure, we’re in a global economy and every nation has something to bring to the plate in trade, but any nation that ignores its self sufficiency and tries to outsource everything is at a disadvantage in that economy.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:04 am
Kudos to SCAM for pointing out the most important, least offered reason for the spike in oil prices.

I am pointing out by way of informing and not criticizing that Fran Eaton’s nonsensical blather was linked in morning shorts last week. It’s the same column.

Comment by JonShibleyFan Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 11:09 am
JS-

It’s part of the story, for sure. And EU taxes have been 100% or more of retail for quite some time (leading to current equivalent prices of around $8/gal on the continent), while the US fuel taxes are actually declining as a percentage of the price as it goes up (at $2/gal, the fed/state tax load was about 50c or 25% and at $4/gal, the fed/state tax load is about 62c or 15%). Repeal of any gas taxes here will create an additional problem of replenishing a federal highway trust fund that is currently spending more money than it is taking in. BTW, there is much complaint about high petrol prices in the EU, and the calls for tax repeals are at least as loud over there as they are here.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 2:02 pm
Let’s not forget the oil speculators. They role is being talked about everywhere. Jail em’ all.

Comment by Disgusted Tuesday, Jun 3, 08 @ 6:31 pm