Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Gov. Pat Quinn give his fifth State of the State address on Wednesday afternoon. What do you think should be his top priorities over the next year? Tell us in the comments' section.
Gov. Pat Quinn voiced his support for gay marriage in Illinois, a minimum wage hike and tougher gun laws during his State of the State speech Wednesday afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Associated Press has posted the full text from Quinn's State of the State speech. Here are some of the highlights: Quinn also spent much of his speech touting his accomplishments during his term as governor, such as cuts to Medicaid and ethics laws that have been passed, according to Crain's Chicago. Quinn has said he will run for re-election in 2014. If he does, he is expected to have an opponent in the March 2014 Democratic primary. Quinn has gotten low approval ratings in recent months. A Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling survey …
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The state's credit rating recently was downgraded because of an unfunded pension liability of $83 billion.
Illinois' inability to deal with its pension problems led Standard & Poor to drop the state's bond rating this week, the Washington Post reported. The state's unfunded pension liability has surpassed $80 billion, WGN TV reported. The TV station reported that $12 million is added to that liability every day. The Chicago Tribune reported that Illinois has the second worst credit rating of any state in the country. Only California is worse and Standard & Poor believes that state is headed in the right direction. The Tribune reported that Illinois is not – noting that the unfunded pension liability is on track to hit $93 billion by next summer. The Tribune reported that Quinn has been pushing for reforms, but the legislature has been unable to…
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Abby Goldberg of Grayslake is now taking her environmental fight against plastic bags to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Governor Quinn: Don't let big plastic bully me! That is how 12-year-old Abby Goldberg of Grayslake titled her online petition against plastic bags. As of June 30, the petition has collected 152,376 signatures from around the country. And the numbers keep growing. The petition states: "Once again, big corporations are trying to use big government to control the rights of citizens in towns all over America, but this time you can help me stop it!" It continues to talk about how she wanted to get a ban of plastic bags approved for her hometown, but then faced a bigger fight: "My friends and I were making great progress, until the oil and chemical industry pulled a dirty trick to kill my campaign; these lobbyists used the politicians that they…
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Illinois lawmakers are again looking to expand gambling options in Illinois.
Illinois lawmakers are considering plans to add more casinos as the state continues to grapple with budget woes. The latest proposals would place casinos in Danville, Rockford and Waukegan. Another proposal would allow for slot machines to be operated at race tracks like Arlington Park, the Alton Daily News reported. The bills are sponsored by Terry Link (D-Waukegan) in the Senate and Lou Lang (D-Skokie) in the House. Gov. Pat Quinn has called the legislation to, once again, expand gambling in Illinois "a distraction." Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing for a Chicago casino. A Chicago casino is something that officials in the city long have sought. As far back at 1993, Mayor Daley proposed an $800 …
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Rep. Kent Gaffney releases statement following Gov. Quinn Budget address.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Following Governor Pat Quinn’s annual budget address to the Illinois General Assembly, State Representative Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) claims the Governor’s budget spends $550 million more than the previous fiscal year while offering outlandish ideas for cuts in state spending. “We have heard for days that the Governor will roll back spending to FY08 levels, but this budget spends $3.5 billion more than in FY08,” stated Gaffney. The Governor is proposing to shift pension costs on the local school districts. “This plan does nothing to reduce the $83 billion in unfunded pension liability and shifts that State’s burden onto local schools. This plan would ensure layoffs and property tax increases. This proposal is unacceptable.” …
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Chicagoland news to talk about: Lake Zurich police continue to investigate deadly hit and run.
Jobs and economic development will be the focus of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address that he will give today, Wednesday, at the capitol in Springfield. “That's foremost on the minds of everyday people in our state," Quinn said Tuesday in Chicago. "We have to have robust economic growth and jobs in order to be a good state." The address begins at noon. A Palatine woman died in Will County possibly from exposure after her car became stuck in a ditch. Norma C. Kienker, 88, worked as a homemaker and volunteer most of her adult life. It was a little more than six months ago when Gabriella ‘Gabby’ Drozdz was hit and killed by a still unidentified motorist as she and two friends walked to Alpine Fest about 9:15 p.m. Friday July 22, …
Monday, October 10, 2011
Chicagoland news to talk about: Should Dan Hampton have gone to the White House?
The "location, location, location" rule of success in real estate apparently held true last year for the sale of homes located close to a METRA train line, according to a survey by RE/MAX Northern Illinois. Even though the market is down, RE/MAX's research shows that the market is not as bad for home sales along a METRA line. A group of 18 elected officials have put their "John Hancocks" on a letter to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn opposing his September move toward closing seven state facilities, including the Tinley Park Mental Health Center. The center treated 2,000 patients last year, according to the letter, and employs 207 employees. Quinn's proposal to close it is part of a plan to cut state spending. He blamed the move on state …
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Chicagoland news to talk about: Tyson recalls 131,300 pounds of ground beef.
Illinois prisons and mental health facilities are already overcrowded and Gov. Pat Quinn plans to close several facilities due to budget constraints. Employees and communities impacted by the impending closures are worried about what will happen to the people living in the closing mental health and jail facilities. The state is considering housing the inmates in gymnasiums. One correctional officer recalled when the state tried housing inmates in gyms in the ‘80s: "I can't tell you the numerous fights, inmate assaults, and staff injuries when this did take place," Randy Hellmann said. Times are tough for restaurateurs and one suburban businessman is hoping his customers will rally behind him and help him keep his pizza place open. The …
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
During community input at the regular Cary School District 26, three residents expressed concerns about civility, class sizes and the blame game.
Cary residents and parents spoke out at the regular Cary School District 26 Board of Education meeting on Aug. 22. Charlie Sedivec, of Cary, spoke during Community Input at the Aug. 22 Board of Education Meeting I was born in Cary 56 years ago. I spent most of my life in Fox River Grove but now I live back in Cary for the last several years. Over the past few months and longer than that of course, I’ve been reading the papers, there hasn’t really been a good word said about the Cary School System. In particular, the individuals that make it up and that run it on a day to basis and I would certainly like to see cooler heads prevail than what have been coming out of the last couple of meetings. I think on both parts of the board, parts of …
Paul Shafer
3:45 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
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