(Chicago, IL) – March 5, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today their eight appointments for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Board. The appointees from Quinn are Carmen Lonstein, Ron Powell, Bob Reiter and Becky Strzechowski. Emanuel’s are: Roger J. Kiley, Jr., Dan Hynes, Frank M. Clark, Jr. and Julie Chavez. … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — June 10, 2010. Despite going up early with his own television ads in the Chicago media market, ads from a GOP governor’s group, and relentlessly bad budget news from Springfield, State Senator Bill Brady‘s campaign against Governor Pat Quinn has stalled, according to a new poll. Fortunately for Brady, he has stalled … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — April 26, 2010. Another day, another jobs program gets rolled-out by Governor Pat Quinn. Today, Quinn unveiled the Put Illinois to Work program, an anti-poverty program aimed at building a healthy workforce by putting 15,000 unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents back to work. “The program will also assist in building a workforce … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — March 1, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn yesterday announced that a series of protections for consumers provided by the new Cemetery Oversight Act take effect on March 1, but the new regulatory beast created by the law may force hundred of small cemeteries out of business. The Act, which Quinn signed into law … Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — February 22, 2010. The Illinois budget crisis monster is claiming another victim: local schools. From Amanda Reavy at the Springfield State Journal-Register: Illinois state government’s backlog of bills associated with kindergarten through 12th grade schools totals about $725 million, according to Carol Knowles, spokeswoman for Comptroller Dan Hynes. The backlog consists of … Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) – February 16, 2010 – A southern Illinois lawmaker is pushing legislation allowing community colleges to borrow twice their current limit. The proposal backed by State Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton) would allow the state’s 41 community colleges to increase their borrowing limit from 75 percent of the taxes permitted to be levied for … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — February 8, 2010. State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) is putting in his “two cents” and is recommending that Scott Lee Cohen‘s replacement be drawn from among those candidates who ran for Lt. Governor in the Democratic primary. According to a post on Fritchey’s Facebook page today: Now that Cohen is resigning the … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) February 8, 2010. Comptroller Dan Hynes has extended an olive branch–and a chance for victory in November–to Governor Pat Quinn. Hynes has signaled that he is willing to consider the Lt. Governor’s post if it is offered, according to Dave McKinney at the Chicago Sun-Times: A source in the Hynes camp told the … Continue reading
January 24, 2010. A new poll in the 2010 Illinois Democratic primary for governor has Governor Pat Quinn’s lead over Comptroller Dan Hynes shaved to 4 points. Continue reading
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are hoping Governor Pat Quinn uses his State of the State address for solutions instead of stumping. Continue reading
(Springfield, IL) — January 8, 2010. Pharmacies, nursing homes and other medical institutions that provide Medicaid services in Illinois are seeing an increase in wait time for payments from the state. In past years, 45 business days was the maximum time period a Medicaid provider had to wait for state reimbursement, but now it can … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — December 30, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn yesterday announced an overhaul of the Illinois Department of Corrections’ prisoner early release program to undo the political damage that the early release of 1,718 inmates—which included violent prisoners and repeat drunk drivers–who served, on average, 37 days but some as little as 11 days, had … Continue reading
Just ahead of Illinois AFSCME Council 31′s endorsement decision in the Illinois 2010 Democratic primary for governor, the state’s largest union is taking a swipe at Governor Pat Quinn’s refusal to open up Illinois juvenile justice centers in St. Charles and elsewhere to WBEZ radio reporters. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — December 9, 2009. On the first anniversary of former Governor Rod Blagojevich‘s arrest, Governor Pat Quinn today signed into law a campaign finance bill that imposes Illinois’ first-ever contribution limits in Illinois. “This new law requires politicians to be more candid, open and accountable than ever before. It is a crucial and … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — December 4, 2009. Three important unions yesterday endorsed Comptroller Dan Hynes’ candidacy for governor, giving the Hynes campaign a crucial boost. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1546, and the International Brotherhood of the Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers Local 1—representing approximately 40,000 … Continue reading
Yours truly, the editor of THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER will appear today morning at 8:00 a.m. on “Mornings with Ray Hanania”, a lively new radio show in Chicagoland. Continue reading
Governor Pat Quinn and Dan Hynes slugged it out at their first joint appearance at a candidate forum in Rock Island on Thursday night. Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — November 13, 2009. Americans are pissed. Incumbents are in trouble. And Independents are breaking towards Republicans as the 2010 elections approach. It’s morning in America–circa 1994. Approximately 2/3rds of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. At least 9 out 10 say economic conditions in the country are fair or … Continue reading
(Princeton, NJ) — November 11, 2009. Republicans have surged passed Democrats as the 2010 congressional elections loom, according to a new Gallup poll. Not good news for national–or Illinois Democrats. Registered voters in Gallup’s new poll on the generic congressional ballot for the 2010 House elections has Republicans besting Democrats 48% to 44%, after being … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — November 6, 2009. Illinois Democratic lawmakers State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Deputy House Majority Leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie), and State Senator Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) today endorsed Governor Pat Quinn in the Illinois 2010 Democratic primary for governor over Comptroller Dan Hynes at a press conference on Chicago’s North Side. Hynes, a constituent … Continue reading
(Chicago, IL) — November 5, 2009. Illinois 2010 Democratic governor candidate Ed Scanlan of Oak Park is currently leading all Illinois 2010 Republican and Democratic and Green governor candidates in the Web “eyeballs” race, according to a new survey of candidate Web sites. Utilizing Alexa Internet’s Web traffic monitoring tool, THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER submitted the … Continue reading