OMG goofy shots of gov candidates

OMG! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS OUR 2014 CAMPAIGN SCRAPBOOK: You just know campaign season is in full swing when it's easy to find some goofy shots of the candidates for governor. If you haven't checked them out, you don't want to miss these and you'll be sharing them with your friends! We've got candidates with clowns and mascots, candidates struggling with the technology and, it's fair season, so you'll be sure to enjoy our shot of a candidate, a rabbit and a fair queen.There's surely more where these came from so when you find them or shoot them, send them our way to comments@rebootillinois.com and we'll keep loading up the scrapbook.

AND WE WANT YOUR VISION OF WHAT'S GREAT: We want your vision of what's great about our state! Enter our "Why is Illinois Great" photo contest today. Are you here because of someone? Do you love a particular tourist attraction? What's your favorite haunt you can only find in Illinois? Snap a pic and send it in!  Get your family, friends and social networks to vote for your shot. You could win a $500, $250 or $100 gift card! You'll find all the details about the contest here. We can't wait to see what you've got that inspires you about staying and working for a better Illinois.

WHO WILL BE FAIREST? The Illinois State Fair opens in Springfield tomorrow with the traditional twilight parade. Then, next Wednesday and Thursday are the also-traditional political days at the state fair. I offer a glimpse of what's happening on political days at the fair in a 2014 campaign blog today. Let's just say I'm not anticipating a whole lot of love and hugs flowing across the fairgrounds this year. Click here to read more about it.

WHAT'S TAXING YOU? And if you're heading to political days at the state fair next week, be sure to sign up for our tax debate. We'll be exploring the possibilities for Illinois' income tax post-2015 at our tax forum in Springfield on Aug. 15. Join us and the Citizens Club of Springfield as progressive tax advocate Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability and opponent Ted Dabrowski of the Illinois Policy Institute discuss the pros and cons of implementing a progressive, sliding-scale income tax system in Illinois. Find out how much might come out of your wallet soon. 

TIME FOR A TAG DAY? Our state politicians will miss at least one more paycheck as the next hearing on the lawsuit between Democratic legislative leaders and the governor isn't until mid September. So how much are the politicians missing? And how does their pay compare to others? Get all the details from our infographic here!

5 OF OUR REFORM FAVORITES Here's our one-stop shop to the best news and views on reform topics from around the state. You'll find links to and summaries of these and many more in the Daily Tip-Off section of our website.