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* Pension funds may not cooperate on subpoena

Trustees for at least two city pension funds are considering stonewalling Chicago’s inspector general over a subpoena for records involving their investments with a company co-owned by one of Mayor Daley’s nephews.

The funds invested millions of dollars in DV Urban Realty Partners, founded by Daley nephew Robert Vanecko and Allison Davis, a mayoral supporter whose law firm once employed Barack Obama.

The police fund has committed $15 million to DV Urban Realty, which has drawn $5 million of that so far. The investment has dwindled as the economy has tanked.

Many officers and detectives are outraged by the investment, which they view as a political favor to Daley’s family. Officer Mike Shields was recently elected as a trustee on a platform criticizing the deal.

* Ill. officials OK $69M rate hike for Nicor

The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved a $69 million rate hike for Nicor Inc., which distributes natural gas to more than 2 million northern Illinois customers.

An ICC spokeswoman says it means about a $2 to $3 monthly increase for residential customers.

* CUB to Appeal Nicor Rate Hike

* Economy dips at slightly faster 6.3 percent pace

* More than 5.5 million are getting jobless benefits

* Chicago parking meters: City rushes to fix meters and bill the company that leased them

* Amtrak has stimulus funds heading to Chicago

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $1.3 billion for Amtrak projects nationwide. The money will go toward hundreds of initiatives, including modernizing train-repair shops, improving security at Amtrak stations and spending almost $91 million to rehabilitate damaged locomotives and train coaches and return them to service, officials said.

Some of the restored trains would be put into service in Illinois, where double-digit ridership gains have been recorded on many routes recently and seats often sell out.

Almost $50 million will be used to improve Amtrak’s Chicago maintenance facilities and terminal near Union Station, officials said

* Amtrak in Ill. to get $80 million

* Mortgage fraud probe snares Southland residents

* 30% of contracts may go to women, minorities

Minorities and women would be guaranteed a combined 30 percent of Olympic construction contracts — and at least 20 percent of Olympic Village units would be made affordable — under a community benefits agreement hammered out Wednesday.

The deal includes no guarantee of Olympic jobs for community residents.

* Police union may picket City Hall during Olympic visit

The FOP is thinking about conducting informational picketing April 2 to protest the Daley administration’s recent decision to pull an offered raise of 16.1 percent over five years. The union also is upset Mayor Daley came to Police Supt. Jody Weis’ defense after the FOP gave him a no-confidence vote last week.

* Olympic committee visit: Chicago police union may picket during IOC visit

* 2016 Olympics: Chicago faces controversy before big pitch

The extent to which the rancor may damage Chicago’s bid remains to be seen, with much depending on how the dispute plays out, said Robert Livingstone, producer of GamesBids.com, which this week ranked Chicago last of the four bids.

But, he said, “there will be negative repercussions, there has to be.”

* Chicago Olympic team practices for big game

* Mayor shouldn’t duck tough questions

* Where in the world is Mayor Daley?

* Atty. Gen. Madigan takes on Dish Network

* Scott Reeder — Books and guns, and politicians’ last wishes

* 2 inches of snow possible Saturday

* Peoria could be forced to raise taxes

posted by Mike Murray
Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:10 am

Comments

Question Of The Day Since today is Rich’s birthday, HOW OLD IS HE? Dad

Comment by Obamalac Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:13 am
Wow the mayors nephew gets a nice deal and blows over a million dollars in police pension fund money. The persons appointed to the police pesion fund by the mayor (he gets to make appointments) are now refusing to release information on how the deal came about how shocking. I bet Mayor Daley has no knowledge of this just like he didnt know about his other sons sewer deals or the hired truck scams or his brother helping to start HDO.

Comment by 10-96 Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:16 am
QOTD: 47

Comment by Anon Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:32 am
It looks like companies and towns in Chicago are getting stimulus checks but what about the People of Chicago? The People of Chicago are getting higher taxes. We are losing our homes, jobs, and all you do is raise our taxes. When are people of Chicago going to get a check?

Comment by Deeda Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:37 am
QOTD: 62

Comment by Deeda Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:39 am
===but what about the People of Chicago? ===

Do you not know about the tax cut in the stim bill?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:42 am
Where is the SEC in looking at the Chicago pension situation with Mayor Daley’s nephew? Where’s the Patrick Fitzgerald?

Comment by Steve Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:42 am
The tax cut is going to get washed out by all the other tax increases.

Comment by Deeda Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:46 am
Not sure whether these agencies fall within, or outside of the definition of a “public body” under FOIA. Since they are using government funds, and managed at least in part by government appointees, you would like to think so, but I am still not sure about this:

{According to subsection 2(a) of the Act, the term “public body” includes any
legislative, executive, administrative, or advisory bodies of the State, State universities and colleges, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees, or commissions of this State, and any subsidiary bodies of those public bodies, including but not limited to committees and subcommittees which are supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, or which expend tax
revenue, and also School Finance Authorities created under Article 1E of the School Code.}

If so, wouldn’t the AG be required to enforce the FOIA requests made to them, rather than subpoena enforcement in court?

Wouldn’t that be interesting to see the AG going after the public employee pension funds in Chicago in order to enforce open access to their records?

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 9:49 am
It is interesting Mayor Daley makes the appointments to this pension fund (the police get to elect one, the one who supports the probe) and then the people who the mayor appoints give the mayors nephew money from the pension fund which he immediatly squanders. I bet mayor Daley is out of town again on a private plane no less.

Comment by 10-96 Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 10:10 am
This standoff between the pension funds and the inspector general cries out for mayoral leadership. I’m sure Mayor Daley will live up to his lifelong commitment to open, honest government and resolve this conflict in the public interest.

QOTD: 45

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 10:28 am
minority and female participation in contracts should reflect the percentage of the population. 30% is too low.

QOTD: 47 Happy Birthday to a fellow fire sign baby.

Comment by Amy Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 10:34 am
How could a woman of my tender age have a son as old as some are claiming? LOL Happy Birthday Rich! Love, Mom

Comment by Once a Mom; Always a Mom Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 10:42 am
Happy Birthday Richard…..you old man

Comment by Doug Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 10:52 am
Happy birthday Rich, and many more. QOTD: 44? The beard makes you look older, and eerily similar to Joaquin Phoenix’s new “look.” BTW, that is who should play you in the Capitolfax movie…

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 11:13 am
Live video at noon: Gov. Quinn visits the SJ-R

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 12:06 pm
With all the potential protesting over Chicago’s Olympic bid, the thought has occurred to me as to whether there are similar objections toholding the Olympics in the three other finalist cities (Tokyo, Madrid and Rio). Is this merely a case that our open society and press allows for the protests here to be heard more clearly? I don’t know the answer to that question; I wish I did.

Comment by fedup dem Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 2:11 pm
Happy 40 something birthday!!!!

Comment by Shannon Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 6:37 pm
Happy Birthday big brother!

Comment by Darian Thursday, Mar 26, 09 @ 11:57 pm
The Olympic Committe doesn’t care about protests. They care about money, and lots of it.

Chicago would be a good choice for the TV package, because you could put events in real time for the lucrative U.S. market.

But with last year’s Beijing games as the new standard, Chicago doesn’t have a chance. You need a national government to bankroll it and issue guarantees. Chump change “promises” from the City Council and GA won’t do it.

It will go to Tokyo. They have the national government behind it, and the Japanese will spend lavishly (they’ve got the savings) to put on a show that will compare favorably with the one their ancient Chinese rivals hosted.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 27, 09 @ 7:39 am