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* County Board set to try again today to lower sales tax rate

After months of watching the volley between a majority bloc of county commissioners trying to roll back the tax and Board President Todd Stroger opposed to the giveback, the game may end today.

Commissioners supporting the rollback have called an emergency meeting this morning for the sole purpose, they hope, of slashing the sales tax a half-penny on the dollar.

* City’s parking ticket revenue plummets

Revenue collected for parking ticket fines was off on average nearly $1 million a month between May and August 2009, compared with the same time in 2008. This comes as the city is trying to fill a $520 million budget hole.

* McPier jobs to be cut by 20 percent

* Judge Holderman …

Earl Dunlap, the head of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, is expected to go to federal court on Tuesday to seek approval to dismiss 230 workers at the chronically troubled facility.

All of the workers will be eligible to re-apply for their jobs. The best will be rehired. Those who have a college degree and get rehired will get a bump in pay.

* Judge orders Chicago Public Schools to discuss transfers with Fenger students

* Bensenville accepts $16 million to stop fighting O’Hare expansion

* O’Hare Modernization Has One Less Obstacle

* Barrington Hills dark skies debate

* A call for an end to leaf burning

* FBI watched Studs Terkel for decades, file shows

An FBI file released to a New York media outlet shows the agency kept watch on the late Chicago author Studs Terkel for decades.

* Madigan sues South Holland auto dealer

* Illinois sponsors Alzheimer’s disease conferences

* Study: Injured uninsured more likely to die in ER

posted by Mike Murray
Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 8:40 am

Comments

The revelation about the FBI keeping a file on Studs Terkel brings shame to our country. What a disgrace.

Comment by Just a Voter Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:07 am
Great FAX today. I can’t stop laughing!

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:10 am
For a change I agree with Bill. Great CapFax. BTW, why in the world did Miller release that poll? Umm, 12 percent for the elected office holder is not exactly impressive.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:14 am
Excellent move on Dunlap’s part. The needs of the patronage bureaucracy at the Detention Center have taken precedence over the Center and the welfare of its residents, all minors, for decades–decades of machine Democratic rule, I would note.

It’s unfortunate that in order to get high-quality
work, even merely competent work, out of these
public employees, the reform director of the center had to battle endlessly against the bureaucracy and, finally, seek court intervention.

Unfortunately, as we have seen again with our accidental governor, saving a large, expensive and largely unaccountable, public bureaucracy is one of the highest priorities for Illinois Democrats, regardless of the bureaucracy’s mission or the impact on its consumers.

Comment by cassandra Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 9:21 am
Just a Voter, I understand your point, but the idea that the FBI thought they had to tail Studs to find out what be was up to is hilarious.

They could have sat down with him any time at Riccardo’s or Billy Goat, bought him a martini, had a cigar, and he would have talked their ears off for hours.

Whether your agreed or disagreed with him, the man was fearless.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 11:17 am
Stroger Tax rollback passed, 12-5!

Comment by SweetLou Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 1:45 pm
injured and unisured more likely to die in ER…..we needed a study for this? those who do not get regular medical checkups risk their own lives because an emergency gets worse withotu the regular care. we need to reform the system. the docs are not at fault.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 17, 09 @ 5:35 pm