Articles filed under Politics

• How to contact your legislator May 26, 2012 12:00 AM
  How to contact state lawmakers, May 2012
  

   
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  Senate targets former Oak Brook chief’s pension May 26, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Illinois Senate has approved legislation that would strike down a pension-sweetening law that boosted former Oak Brook police chief Thomas Sheahan's pension and left the town with a $750,000 debt as a result.
  

   

• Budget showdown looming in Springfield May 26, 2012 12:00 AM
  State lawmakers foreshadowed a showdown over the Illinois budget Saturday, starting to advance a schools spending plan that would cut schools more deeply than a Senate proposal. The House and Senate are supposed to agree to a plan by a Thursday deadline, in addition to trying to reform the state's complex retirement systems.
  

   

• How to contact your legislator May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  How to contact state lawmakers, May 2012
  

   

• Lawmakers: Cut regional school superintendents May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  Illinois lawmakers want to cut the number of regional school superintendents by 20 percent. They've passed legislation to trim the 44 regional superintendents to just 35. The Illinois House sent it to the governor Friday without a single "no" vote.
  

   
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  Bill inspired by Elgin school stabbing goes back to House May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Illinois Senate Friday approved legislation inspired by an Elgin case in which a teacher was stabbed, sending to the House a plan that would try to prevent school violence.
  

   
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  Edwards juror issue arises; case stops for weekendMay 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  The judge in the John Edwards trial abruptly closed the courtroom Friday to talk to attorneys about an issue with a juror and sent the panel home after six days of deliberations with a stern warning not to talk about the case. "All of your deliberations should take place while you are in the jury room and together," the judge said. "Don't discuss the case in small groups."
  

   

• Editorial: Put the skids on massive gambling expansion May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  Illinois has the worst pension funding gap in the nation, a multi-billion-dollar backlog of unpaid bills and Medicaid expenses that are skyrocketing. And what, a Daily Herald editorial asks, are our legislators voting on? Major gambling expansion. It's as if they think one big, shiny extinguisher will put out a four-alarm fire.
  

   
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  Noland refuses to bring eavesdropping bill to a vote May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  Legislation that would allow people to record the public activities of police officers has stalled, because the sponsoring senator opposes the House's changes to the measure. Sen. Michael Noland of Elgin won't call a vote for the so-called eavesdropping bill because he believes police should have wider powers to record civilians.
  

   
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  House approves $1 cigarette tax hike May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Illinois House approved a proposal Friday to raise the prices of cigarettes by $1 a pack. The proposal, approved 60-52, is part of a package meant to fill a $2.7 billion Medicaid funding shortfall. "It's a win for hospitals, it's a win for health care for the poor, and it is a win for the health of the people of Illinois," said Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, sponsor of the plan. But shop owners disagreed.
  

   
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  Pension debate: Higher school cost in, raised retiring age out May 25, 2012 12:00 AM
  As lawmakers appear to be stepping back from two proposals to cut teachers' pension benefits, a plan to have local school districts and community colleges take over the state's share of future retirement costs remains in play.
  

   
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  Editorial: Patrick Fitzgerald’s historic corruption fight May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Patrick Fitzgerald served longer than any previous U.S. attorney in Chicago, and a Daily Herald editorial says those who want clean government in Illinois may lament he will not stay longer.
  

   
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  Plastic bag recycling plan rejected May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Illinois House Thursday narrowly rejected a proposal to create a statewide recycling program for plastic shopping bags based on an effort already going on in Lake County.
  

   

• House plan would hike license plate fees for parks May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Illinois license plates would cost $2 more per year to help finance state parks under a plan the House will consider. The measure has been proposed as an alternative to a parks fee imposed by the Department of Natural Resources.
  

   
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  Gambling proponents looking for votes to override Quinn May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Despite Gov. Pat Quinn's harsh statement Wednesday Even before the plan is debated by the Illinois Senate, gambling expansion supporters already are counting votes to see if they could override a veto by Gov. Pat Quinn. "I would predict that we'll have the votes to override the veto," said state Rep. Lou Lang, a Democrat from Skokie.
  

   
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  Batavia woman can't be sued over steamy online hoaxMay 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  A Batavia woman can't be sued for creating more than 20 fake personalities online to foster an Internet relationship with a California woman, who spent $10,000 on gifts for her phantom love, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled today.
  

   
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  Is funding gap a factor in the 6th District race?May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  GOP heavyweight Peter Roskam is rolling in campaign dough while his Democratic opponent Leslie Coolidge's war chest could use a little help. But does money mean everything in this 6th Congressional race? "I don't think we'll ever have as much money as Peter Roskam," Coolidge said. "Even if we were very successful in fundraising, I assume he'll have help from the Republican Party; we need to make up for that in grass roots."
  

   

• Cook County could get Medicaid reprieveMay 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  As part of a greater package deal to try to cut the state's Medicaid costs, Illinois lawmakers Thursday sent Gov. Pat Quinn a plan that could let Cook County enroll 100,000 more people in the program in 2014 to try to save the county money.
  

   
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  Biggert continues to clash with GOP on domestic violence bill May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  Congresswoman Judy Biggert's first attempt to include language in domestic violence legislation that would ensure protection for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and undocumented immigrants failed. On Thursday, she met with a group of local domestic violence experts to try to find ways to get those protections back into the legislation, which will likely end up in a conference committee. This push marks a significant break from the GOP party for Biggert.
  

   

• Plastic recycling plan fails by one vote May 24, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Illinois House Thursday narrowly rejected a proposal to create a statewide recycling program for plastic shopping bags based on an effort already going on in Lake County.