“Let’s consider either salary cuts or freezing salaries until the national average ($33,596) catches up to what we pay Illinois legislators,” she suggests.

BGA V. PRECKWINKLE The Cook County Board under the Stroger dynasty had a pretty miserable record on all things in the realm of good government. So when Toni Preckwinkle was elected board president in 2010 on a reform platform, hopes were high for a change in operation under the new regime. But the Better Government Association now is suing the county board to get the names and qualifications of those rejected from consideration for appointed county commissions and boards. These appointees often decide how taxpayer dollars are spent, so it's important to know how the Preckwinkle administration decides who it chooses and who it turns down.

In his weekly column, BGA President and CEO Andy Shaw laments the administration's decision to only partially fulfill his organization's Freedom of Information Act request. "Preckwinkle promised to reform county government, but sometimes she hasn’t walked the walk," Shaw writes. You would not believe how often governments in Illinois attempt to use the Freedom of Information Act as a shield against open government. Actions like the BGA's in this case can send a strong message to public officials throughout the state that FOIA is meant as a window to let in sunshine, not a door they can lock at their whim. Read Shaw's column here.

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STREAMLINING COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT  Last month, Shaw wrote about some fairly crazy personnel dealings in the office of Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough. It was a reminder to him, and us, of the need to combine offices to improve efficiency and discourage the bad behavior that comes with the political clout of an elected office. (Be sure to read it if you missed it. It's an egregious example of "only in Illinois" political culture.) If you agree with Shaw, sign our petition here and demand that Cook County government be streamlined and de-clouted.

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REBOOTING BATAVIA Want to learn more about Reboot Illinois and its mission? If you're in the western suburbs, you'll get a chance this week. Come hear from editor Matt Dietrich, Chief Operating Officer Madeleine Doubek and Director of Digital Strategy Anthony Knierem at 7 p.m. Thursday in Meeting Room A of the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31 and Wilson Street) in Batavia. We want to hear your thoughts on improving Illinois' government, state finances, schools and business climate. Sign up here.

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STEALTH TAXES With April 15 two weeks away, income taxes are on our minds. And with debate raging over the Illinois income tax increase that is supposed to expire in less than two years, income tax generally dominates the tax conversation in Illinois. But the Illinois Policy Institute's Scott Reeder in his column this week says Illinoisans needs to be more aware of the taxes they usually don't even know they're paying. These are the ones tacked on at the gas pump, on your hotel bill and in a lot of other places. It's an area where Illinois fails miserably in the transparency department, says Reeder. Click here to read the full column.

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MORE ON TAXES (IN A PICTURE!) With the April 15 tax deadline two weeks away, we offer a look at how Illinois’ state income tax compares with those of our neighbors. Take a look at our infographic.

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DAILY TIP-OFF It's looking like the racial aspect of the closure of 53 schools next fall in Chicago is going to alternately simmer and boil from now through the 2013-2014 school year. Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn today plays a game of "let's pretend" based on the many arguments both sides have thrown back and forth at each other throughout the arduous process that led to the final decision on school closings. 

Zorn's column carries insights that we suspect soon will be relevant in school districts across the state. A sample: "Let's pretend the teachers union would be agreeable to closing any schools, no matter how depopulated or academically blighted and that its concern for students is the only concern that's genuinely expressed. But while we're at it, let's also pretend that the charter and school-privatization movement isn't contributing to the struggles of conventional public schools." 

At the other end of the state, the Southern Illinoisan of Carbondale notes the scheduled closing of that town's Illinois State Police crime lab and says that, once again, job-strapped southern Illinois is being hit with another government reduction. The region still is smarting from prison closures that included the Tamms "supermax" facility, which was a major employer in southwestern Illinois. Writes the Southern: "(W)e can’t help but wonder: Why have we become the forgotten Illinoisans?"

And if you own a retail business in Illinois, you will be interested in a renewed effort by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin to get a federal law passed that will require online retailers to collect sales tax just like brick-and-mortar stores must do. There's even a verb now to describe the practice of customers coming to stores to try out merchandise then leaving to order it online and avoid paying sales tax: showrooming.

Links to these and other reform news stories can be found in the Daily Tip-Off section of our website.

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NO FEDERAL BAILOUTS As Illinois continues to struggle under its dire financial problems, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk is concerned that his home state and others might give up and turn to the federal government for a lifeline. No way, says Kirk. He's introduced a resolution to prohibit bailouts of states that created their own financial problems. We've created a petition where you can show your support for Kirk's effort. Click here and sign on.

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WE'RE HIRING! We are looking for a director of outreach to work with our partners both on social media platforms and in the communities. See the job description here.  Know anyone who would be a great fit? Pass on this email! 

We're tired of Illinois government being a national laughingstock. Aren't you? Visit our website and make a difference.
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