“For the first time ever, the City is providing the public with regular progress reports on where the City stands financially to ensure a more open and honest budgeting process,” said Emanuel.

Each quarterly report will detail progress made during that quarter on the major initiatives introduced as a part of the 2012 budget.

According to today’s report, the extra $50 million is due to increases in hotel, sales and commercial real estate taxes, among others.

The quarterly report will be available online at www.cityofchicago.org.

The trail, which will be the stretch of Interstate 57 between Exit 339 at Sauk Trail Road and Exit 358 at Wentworth Avenue, was an initiative of State Rep. Marlowe Colvin (D-Chicago).

“As Illinois observes Black History Month, I am proud to honor these men as an important part of Black history and American history,” Quinn said.

Formally known as the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of black pilots to ever fly for the U.S. military. The unit flew more than 15,000 combat sorties during World War II. By the war’s end, the pilots had earned more than 900 citations, including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

In addition to Colvin, State Senator Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider and Markham Mayor David Webb joined Governor Quinn at the dedication.

In the Dec. 7, 2009 explosion, quartz particles and other debris blew across Interstate 90 and killed a truck driver who was struck by the flying debris at a nearby tollway oasis.

Under terms of the settlement, NDK, a Japan-based company, cannot resume operations until the Illinois Office of State Fire Marshal inspects and certifies all machinery used at the site for manufacturing synthetic crystals.

In addition to the $39,000 civil penalty, NDK must pay a $5,000 in reimbursement to both Boone County and Illinois Hazardous Waste Fund.

“This plan puts public safety at the forefront, with rigorous protections in place to ensure this facility is in proper working order before it goes back online,” Madigan said.

“The explosion in 2009 led to the death of an innocent bystander and the release of crystalline material,” said Courier. “We needed to take the necessary actions to protect the public.”

For the rest of the story, visit Page Two. You will need a subscriber password to access the post.

Some changes are happening at THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER. For starters, this publication will begin to publish some “subscriber only” content for which you will need a password. The password for the remainder of February is: … .

To get a password, please enter your e-mail address at the upper right of this page. The subscription is free.

You can begin to use that password at our new “This just in …” page. This page will feature some timely political news tips that get tossed over our transom.

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David Ormsby

What does it means?

It means nearly $3 million more each year for the Chicago’s cash-starved treasury.

In Chicago’s submission to the U.S. Census Bureau, Emanuel has presented 66 census blocks covering 23 wards which he estimates may contain as many as 1,160 additional housing units and as many as 2,350 additional people. Actual, breathing people.

“The accuracy of the Census is of critical importance for its role in determining federal funding distributed to our city,” said Emanuel.

The census bureau has a program that gives state and local governments the opportunity to challenge 2010 Census housing unit counts.

The City stands to gain as much as $1,200 per year in federal funds over the next ten years for every additional person added to its count. A gain of this size in population could result in an increase in federal funding by $2.8 million annually.

The census bureau estimated that Chicago’s population stood at 2,695,598 in 2010 or a 6.9% decline since 2000.

Other cities, like New York City, Houston, Miami, Des Moines, Detroit, Nashville, and Washington, DC have taken similar action.

Will Emanuel next announce that he has found more voters, too?

To submit press releases or confidential news tips, email davidormsby@davidormsby.com.

Illinois Democratic state representative candidate Paula Basta recently violated both.

On Valentine’s Day, Basta, who is challenging appointed State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) in the March 20, 2012 Democratic primary for the seat previously held by now-48th Ward Ald. Harry Osterman, rolled out a 178-word legislative ethics plan or about seven tweets worth. That plan called for, among other things, the scraping of a state law that permits elected party leaders to appoint lawmakers when a vacancy occurs.

“When a vacancy occurs, allow voters to fill that vacancy rather than letting party bosses make their own appointment,” Basta states in her plan.

The problem?

Basta was among 20 individuals who sought to cozy up to the “party bosses” to win the appointment to Osterman’s seat in May 2011. Nothing seemed unethical to the long-time lesbian activist at the time.

What changed? She lost the appointment to Cassidy. There’s the hypocrisy.

Now, there is, in principle, democratic merit to Basta’s idea of allowing voters to choose a replacement lawmaker in a special election if a vacancy occurs. But the real world problem is money. Elections cost taxpayer money. Lots of money.

While Cook County per vote cost data is scarce, DuPage County taxpayers, for example, paid $4.57 per vote in the 2008 primary and $5.54 in the general election. And in 2009, a special Democratic, Republican, Green primary election for Rahm Emanuel’s former House seat brought out 4,952 and 7,778 voters in two North Side wards, the 44^th and 45^th respectively, which would nearly equal voter turnout in a state house district. And 7,535 voters in those two wards turned out for the special general election.

At $5 per voter, a special primary and general election for a state house lawmaker could cost taxpayers $101,325. And in 2011, four Cook County lawmakers left the House early. Under Basta’s plan, local taxpayers would have been stuck with a bill of more than $400,000 for four special elections. Granted, these are rough numbers. But you get the idea.

Meanwhile, under the current law that authorizes vacancies to be filled by appointment, the cost to taxpayers is: zero.

Cassidy is facing voters 10 months after her appointment. They will quickly render their verdict on her appointment. Basta’s hypocritical and costly “ethics” plan is not worth a tweet.

“It is important that our Agriculture agency is led by someone who understands the key role of agri-business in our economy,” Quinn said.

Flider served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2003 through 2011, sitting on the House Agriculture & Conservation Committee, the Energy & Environment Committee and the Ethanol Production Oversight Committee.

“Bob has a thorough understanding of the issues facing agriculture and agri-business, and he will be a strong advocate for all the state’s agricultural sectors as Director,” said Chris Olsen, Vice President of Community and Government Affairs at Tate & Lyle, a global agri-business with operations in Decatur.

The Illinois Senate must confirm the appointment.

“Right here in Illinois, Mars is manufacturing Snickers, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers and it is only fitting that we celebrate this Valentine’s Day with Mars,” said Quinn, who toured the factory.

Mars recently invested $48 million in its Chicago-based factory, which has been in production since 1929, to create a new line of products and to hire 65 employees to work on a new manufacturing line. Mars’ Chicago factory employs approximately 250 people and manufactures about 25 million candy bars a day, like 3 Musketeers, Mars Bars, Milky Way and Snickers.

There was no word on whether Quinn obtained a personal gubernatorial stash of Snickers in order to stock his desk at the governor’s mansion.

Mars donated candy to children at the nearby Shriners Hospital for Children, loading up the governor with heaps of candy who went to visit children and hand-delivered Mars candy valentines.

Happy Valentines Day, Illinois.

“Our citizens must always have a role in keeping our government honest and ethical,” said Quinn.

Sponsored by State Senator Annazette Collins (D-Chicago), the measure, dubbed by Quinn as the “Lincoln Amendment,” would grant citizens the means to enact ethics reforms to local governments, school districts, and the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government by gathering 8% of the total votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election.

Based on the 2010 results of 3,729,989 votes cast in the governor’s race, for example, a statewide referendum would need 298,399 signatures. Not a simple task.

The Lincoln Amendment would be limited to changes that establish and enforce ethical standards, including campaign finance reform, conflict-of-interest voting, pay-to-pay abuses, patronage abuse, and misuse of taxpayer funds, says Quinn.

Currently, voters may only propose, by popular initiative, amendments to the Illinois constitution that deal with the structure and procedure of the General Assembly. If the legislature this spring approves Quinn’s plan, voters could push through a referendum on a permanent change to the Illinois Constitution during the November 2012 general election.

“I am proud to sponsor this amendment, which will allow people to be even more involved in their government, and I would like to thank Governor Quinn for his support of ethics in government,” said Collins.

Bread and circuses.