31 May 2005

Falling Poll Numbers Explain Latest Blagojevich Flip-Flop

By Rich Miller
If you're wondering why Governor Rod Blagojevich would flip-flop on his solemn vow to reform the state's massively underfunded pension systems, you don't have to look much farther than the most recent poll. A survey of 1,000 registered Illinois voters taken a week ago showed Republican state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka leading Democrat Blagojevich by almost 10 percentage points.
24 May 2005

Illinois Governor's Lack of Growth Comes Back to Haunt Him

By Administrator
I suppose the easy thing to do would be to follow everyone else's lead and write a column about Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's potty mouth. So much has been written about the governor's self-proclaimed "testicular virility" that you've probably gotten the point, however.
17 May 2005

Speaker Sends a Message to Trial Lawyers

By Rich Miller
Last year, House Speaker Michael Madigan sent a clear message to Governor Rod Blagojevich when he brought all of the governor's highly unpopular tax and fee hikes to the floor for up-or-down votes. The governor's bills all lost by overwhelming margins, and Blagojevich was forced to back down from his demand that Madigan pass his proposals.
10 May 2005

Rove, Business Interests Targeting Illinois AG

By Rich Miller
Illinois Republican leaders who attended a recent Will County retreat with Karl Rove were a little taken aback when the White House political guru talked excitedly about bringing Vice President Dick Cheney into Illinois to campaign on behalf of the Republican candidate for Illinois attorney general.
03 May 2005

Investigation of State Agency Could Bring Even More Intrigue

By Rich Miller
The scathing audit of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services that made such big headlines last week could be just the tip of the iceberg. The audit uncovered numerous problems at the agency, including some possible criminal activity, but inside sources say that there is much more to come.
26 Apr 2005

Chicago Transit Crisis Lands In Governor's Lap

By Administrator
Other than a handful of state employees, highway workers, Medicaid vendors, commercial-truck owners, and poor people, almost nobody out there in Voter Land has really paid much attention to the state's budget problems.
19 Apr 2005

Governor Should Keep Family Business Private

By Rich Miller
There's no violation of state law if a toxic-waste landfill is partly owned by one of the governor's in-laws, or even a nuclear-waste dump, for that matter. There's no problem with the law if a member of the governor's family owns stock in a regulated monopoly such as Commonwealth Edison or SBC.
12 Apr 2005

Democratic Leader Infuriates Unions, and a Republican Reaches Out

By Rich Miller
Harsh statements and public and private threats by Senate President Emil Jones over the past two years have prompted Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson to reach out to some labor leaders. Jones has been sharply critical of the construction trades unions, accusing them of freezing out African Americans and Latinos from apprenticeship programs and job sites.
05 Apr 2005

Governer's Gambling Proposal Might Be DOA

By Administrator
Governor Rod Blagojevich's proposal last week to more than double the number of gaming slots at riverboat casinos in Illinois will require an enormous amount of leadership to become a reality. Here's the rundown of the pitfalls: • Almost all gaming bills eventually become giant legislative Christmas trees, and then usually perish because of their gross obesity.
29 Mar 2005

Kimbell Challenges Schwiebert for Rock Island Mayor

By Jeff Ignatius
In the race for Rock Island mayor, challenger David Kimbell is hitting some popular municipal positions: better schools, lower crime, and lower taxes. But in terms of reconciling different components of his platform, he can't explain how he'd save the $1 million to $3 million he'd like to while still finding more money for police officers.

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