RED ALERT A coalition of Illinois public employee unions has issued a "red alert" to members as a Dec. 3 pension reform vote looks likely. More on the progress and reaction here.
REMEMBERING JFK Mike Lawrence was a Knox College senior 50 years ago today. His career in journalism and public policy later would find him working with some Illinoisans who embodied John F. Kennedy's message of service. He remembers in an insightful op-ed.
BRAIN POWER Who cares if your college is prestigious. The question is: Is it smart? We answer that for Illinois colleges in today's Top 10 list of smartest colleges in the state.
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POLITICAL MATH There's real math and then there's political math. Guess which one Illinois uses for its state budget? Bill Bergman and Sheila Weinberg from Truth In Accounting explain here.
GLOVES COMING OFF The Republican candidates for governor gathered in Tinley Park on Thursday. This race is getting tough. More here.
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PIZZA TRUCE Remember last week when Jon Stewart called Chicago pizza a swimming pool for rats? Well, he admitted the error of his ways with help from Chicago deep dish scion Marc Malnati. Don't miss these videos.
SACCHARINE-FREE ZONE Editorial cartoons commemorating tragedies can get pretty syrupy. Not when the occasion is the JFK assassination. Here are some samples from three cartoonists.
PENSION ALERT While the unions try to warn lawmakers away from necessary pension reform, you should tell your legislators otherwise. Our Sound Off tool makes it easy. Click here and be heard.
INVITE A FRIEND Thanks to everyone who has forwarded this email to their friends and encouraged them to subscribe. The more of us there are, the more effective we are. If you know someone who is concerned about where Illinois is at and where it's going, forward this email to them. They can click here and subscribe. Copy me in when you forward it (editor@rebootillinois.com) and I'll make sure they get it. Together we really can make a difference and bring Illinois the government it deserves.
TOP 5 Here's what's in the headlines in Illinois today :
- 5. The “lite guv” position might no longer be the butt of jokes in Illinois. (Crain’s Chicago Business)
4. The Illinois Supreme Court delivered a blow to businesses that use a controversial practice to ease their sales tax burden in the state. (Chicago Tribune)
3. The ability to defeat Pat Quinn was one of the top topics at a forum of all four GOP gubernatorial candidates. (Southtown Star)
2. GOP candidates discussed how they would handle Michael Madigan if they were elected governor. (CBS Chicago)
1. The top four legislative leaders in Illinois announced they are making progress on pension reform. (Associated Press)
