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* Not wise to cut drug treatment dollars

We would invite the governor and lawmakers to ask judges, who value treatment as an alternative to imprisonment, what they think of these budget cuts.

* Candidates For Governor In 2010 Already Lining Up

* Patti Blagojevich’s new job

* Governor’s wife takes job with nonprofit agency

* Politically connected bidders set sights on big cleaning deal

* Home sales in Illinois decline 25% in 2nd quarter

llinois home sales dropped 25 percent in the second quarter, a real estate trade group reported Wednesday, and the median statewide price of a single-family home or condominium fell 6.8 percent from the year-ago quarter.

* Most of suburbs line up to support Chicago’s Olympic bid

* CPS students can soon use school IDs on CTA

* City cuts to hit all levels

Chicago has a $425 million budget gap that will require a “paradigm shift” in services the city provides, the way they are delivered and the number of employees and agencies responsible, top mayoral aides told organized labor on Wednesday.

In a closed-door meeting with 40 union leaders, Mayor Daley’s chief-of-staff Lori Healey, Chief Financial Officer Paul Volpe and Intergovernmental Affairs Director John Dunn promised that redundant layers of middle management would share the burden of employee layoffs.

* Daley gives ward supers raise while asking unions for sacrifices

“They are asking our people for concessions, yet giving their bosses a raise,” said Chicago Federation of Labor leader Dennis Gannon. “It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It’s just not rational.”

posted by Kevin Fanning
Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 9:08 am

Comments

(As Mrs. Lovejoy) But what about the wildflowers? Won’t someone please think of the wildflowers?

Comment by Vote Quimby! Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 9:13 am
That McCormick Place contract is where the rubber meets the road in Illinois politics. Big clout in all the bidders.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 9:25 am
Who’s actually paying Patti ? If this agency gets most of it’s funds from the state, aren’t we the taxpayers paying her salary ? Is this legal ?
Sounds like a good cause. Why doesn’t our first lady donate her time to a good cause instead of expecting a salary ?

Comment by Maggie Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 9:52 am
Can’t the GOPs(as in mopes) do anything themselves?
Capt Andy on the WMAY show this a.m. consistently refered to Blagoof as “confused” a direct heist from a D spokespersonage. Then VandaliaFrank claims Madigan and Jones are “enablers” and snatch and an ignoring of the facts that VFrank
“enabled” the now dead gamblingpaloza bill to get out the Senate.
Meanwhile VFrank and StatewideTom took a break from D-bashing to hold a private meeting at the Crowne Plaza with with Blagoof himself.

And just up the road IDOT workers are scurrying to hide an paper that shows they had to redo Dudley Rewrite State Far banner 3 times….hmmmm

Comment by 2ConfusedCrew Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 9:58 am
Its nice to see the Gov cut drug rehab progrmas favored by courts for helping petty criminals from becoming major criminals; but then give 360,000 for apples grown without pesticides to a school recieveing major fundraising support already from the cubs. Not to mention Blago use of money to get jobs for politically connected teenager in chicago. I see Blago has his priorties to “help?” the people firmly in line.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 10:07 am
In you face politics with da Mare of Chicago giving substantial raises to his patronage army chiefs (oops, I meant ward superintendents) raises while crying poor about everything else.

It is a reminder to all that he is all powerful. No individual or developer can stand in the way of Hizzoner.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 10:08 am
The entrance to Peoria on its south side at the intersection of I474 and Route 24 has a Patti Blagojevich flower garden that has not had attention for a couple of years now. Looks like it now fits the south side.

Comment by Chillimon Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 11:54 am
Maggie

Patti needs the job and steady pay check. Her hubby won’t be able to support them after Fitz is done.

Comment by Leave a light on George Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 12:44 pm
I could be wrong but didn’t Blago just cut the funding for CCIL? Now he puts his wife on their payroll? Something is very wrong with that.

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 12:50 pm
More important than her salary is whether Patti gets health benefits from her new employer.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 4:01 pm
I don’t see how CCIL could ever receive another nickle of State funding while Patti is on the payroll.

Didn’t Jayne Thompson give up all her law firm connections with anything having to do with state government, while her husband was governor?

If Patti is expected to raise enough funds to supplant all their annual state funding, she will be earning her paycheck.

Comment by Capitol View Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 5:00 pm
My money is on Elzie Higginbottom’s firm to win the battle of clouted bidders.

Comment by Independent Thursday, Aug 14, 08 @ 5:17 pm