REPUBLICAN RESOLVE “We’re in desperate need of a two-party system just to restore some accountability,” said one attendee of Monday night's Republican candidate forum at the Parthenon in Chicago's Greek Town. Of course, that's what Republicans were saying four years ago as they headed into the 2010 election. The four Republicans competing in the March 18 primary told their Chicago audience that Springfield is broken, and each explained why only he is the right choice to fix it. John Giokaris was there and sums up each candidate's pitch.
PROCRASTINATING PENSIONS.... AGAIN? The General Assembly gathered in Springfield last week and did approximately nothing on the pension problem. They head back again next week for Week 2 of the annual fall veto session. But, really, what's the hurry? Almost one-fourth of all state-generated revenue now goes into pensions (it was under 5 percent in the late 1990s) and it'll go up to 30 percent in five years. Madeleine Doubek gathers her seven favorite recent pension observations from politicians, media and others on her blog today. Among them, from Pat Quinn's budget spokesman: "It’s only safe to bet on inaction.”
INCUMBENT PROTECTION PROGRAM In the last general election, only 42 percent of incumbents had opponents. Only 10 of 194 races could be considered close. This is what happens when political leaders get to carve the state up into legislative districts tailored for the election security of their members. Longtime Statehouse reporter Scott Reeder and current Illinois Policy Institute journalist in residence gives more reasons why Illinois voters should get on board with an effort to take map-drawing power away from the party bosses. There's no bigger reform than this one. Read Reeder's column here.
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LEAVE CRIME BEHIND There's nothing funny about gun violence, even in a cartoon. The Chicago Tribune's Scott Stantis has a biting commentary in this cartoon.
BRAND NEW! We've always provided links to important stories about Illinois in this email. Today we debut a new feature that gives you links and a little context for the Illinois news stories of the day. From continuing problems for Chicago commuters with the CTA's new Ventra fare card to a study that says Illinois will build deficits even it if extends its income tax increase to a terrific cartoon in Crain's that captures Mayor Rahm Emanuel's pension predicament, your daily news update is here.
Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
4. Opinion: It appears we have "scaredy-cats" running amok in Springfield. (Northwest Herald)
3. For the first time in three years, gas prices per gallon have dropped below $3 in southern Illinois. (State Journal-Register)
2. After the original vendor was swamped with phone calls from Ventra customers, Chicago Transit Authority is paying up to $245,000 to a new vendor to help with calls. (Chicago Sun-Times)
1. A new study predicts that state deficits will grow even if the tax hike is made permanent. (State Journal-Register)
