Health & Fitness

Pork with that casino, Senator? Campaign 2014: GOP in disarray; Plus: Madigan/Cullerton in cartoon duel: Your Reboot Illinois Daily Tip-Off

The Illinois Senate passed a bill to greatly expand gambling in Illinois. A generous serving of pork in that bill may have made it more appetizing. Also, a look at disarray in Illinois GOP leadership.

CAMPAIGN 2014 The Illinois Republican Party in November got a shellacking that resulted in veto-proof majorities for Democrats in the Illinois House and Senate. That had never happened before. Whether that was cause or effect, GOP state party leadership now is in a period of disarray and internal fighting that reached its peak this week with the resignation of Chairman Pat Brady. All this happens with primary season just around the corner in what promises to be a hotly contested race for governor. Can Illinois Republicans regroup in time? What happened to the party that occupied the Executive Mansion for 26 years? Does it matter? We take a look in our Campaign 2014 Scorecard

CASINO WITH A SIDE OF PORK How do you make a massive gambling expansion bill more palatable to lawmakers? You serve it with a nice $6.5 million side of pork, of course. Reboot's Madeleine Doubek explains on her blog. Click the pig to learn more.

 

DUEL OR DRAMA? Is there a real political duel going on over pension reform between House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, or are the two longtime allies merely playing to the gallery? Chicago Tribune cartoonist Scott Stantis proves again that the pen is mightier than the butter knife. Click the image to see the whole cartoon.

Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

PENSION PUSH There's no greater threat to Illinois' well-being today than the skyrocketing pension costs that grow by $17 million a day. Now is the time to keep the pressure on lawmakers in Springfield as they head into what could be a few weeks of intense negotiation to find a real solution. Let them know you expect action that will fix this situation. Add your name to our pension petition.

LAWSUIT TAX "The 'hidden lawsuit tax' is the cost of litigation which is built into the cost of every item we purchase, and is a hidden consumption tax on consumers," writes Travis Akin of Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch. It costs everyone $857 a year, and could be reduced in Illinois with lawsuit reform. Akin explains in an op-ed today.

Find out what's happening in Palatinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DAILY TIP-OFF The two competing pension reform bills in Springfield -- backed by the two most powerful members of the House and Senate -- are in the Illinois news spotlight today. Senate President John Cullerton is preparing to pass his bill Thursday. It will save the state only one-third of the savings promised by House Speaker Michael Madigan's competing bill, but Cullerton says it's better because it was drafted with help from unions and therefore won't be the subject of a lawsuit if signed into law.

Not so fast, says the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. "The legislation may be less draconian than the bill sent over last week by the House of Representatives, but it still fails the test of constitutionality. If our organization sits back without a fight and allows changes to the spirit of our state’s laws governing enforceable contracts, then no agreement will ever again be safe from arbitrary dissolution under the law.” So it looks like a court battle no matter what. We link to The State Journal-Register's story in our Daily Tip-Off section.

Yesterday the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board rejected the Cullerton/union bill as ineffective because it saves the state so little -- $46 billion vs. $150 billion in the Madigan bill. Today it's the Chicago Tribune's turn: 

"Again, Cullerton's plan just doesn't save enough. People are living longer. There's no reason government workers should be retiring as early as age 55 and collecting 75 to 80 percent of their final pay — plus cost-of-living adjustments — for the rest of their lives.As for the constitutional arguments: Madigan is confident the Illinois Supreme Court would see the state's emergency situation and uphold his changes.

"It's a risk to send Madigan's plan to the courts, yes. A greater risk: passing Cullerton's plan and calling it a day."

Another big political story involves the upcoming sentencing of former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. on charges he misused hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds. Chicago Sun-Times Washington reporter Lynn Sweet has excerpts of letters from friends and colleagues of Jackson asking a judge for leniency. “Jesse is worth saving and I know he can continue to have a positive impact on the lives of others as he has with my colleagues and me," reads a letter from the head of the Congressional Black Caucus.

We've got links to these and other Illinois reform news stories in the Daily Tip-Off section of our website.

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