-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Additional story from Politico linked here with his statement. Comment: This is a huge loss. Sandack has been an exceptionally good spokesman for the sane minority in the Illinois House. Memo to Governor Rauner: Hire him as your communications guy. You need one.
As Chicago Public School principals contend with about $140 million less than they had to spend a year ago, the district said will accept formal appeals for more money starting Aug. 1.
Local transportation and rail officials will have to look for a new pot of money to untangle car and rail traffic on Chicago’s South Side after the federal government rejected a $110 million grant request.
Comment: How ’bout that? Another Crain’s editorial we agree with.
By: Mark Glennon* If a leading voice for Illinois Democrats and public unions on the legality of pension reform is correct, this is the consequence: No Illinois constitutional amendment, act of the United States Congress or Federal bankruptcy can ever, for eternity, reduce unfunded liabilities in our municipal and state pensions. Only voluntary trades made at the discretion of pensioners, which obviously can’t accomplish much, are permissible, he says. Statewide, those unfunded liabilities total $371 billion, according to recent data compiled by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and based on more accurate “market based” numbers.
Comment: A smart, nice guy, I’m told by people who have worked with him, but there’s been plenty of hot air in his financial initiatives.
A fearsome historic 115-foot wooden longship that crossed the Atlantic from Norway and is now bearing down on Chicago. They are upset that they were invited to make the harrowing three-month voyage to compete in next week’s Tall Ships festival at Navy Pier, only to be told once they arrived in U.S. waters that they could not sail on the Great Lakes without a $400-an-hour licensed pilot.
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday signed legislation from a bipartisan duo of suburban lawmakers geared toward cutting local government costs.
While seizures made in high-profile drug arrests sometimes garner publicity, the law permits vehicle confiscation in a wide variety of crimes, including first-degree murder, sexual assault, armed robbery, arson, drive-by shootings, smuggling and stalking.
Comptroller Leslie Munger is doing something to connect the dots linking contributions and contract awards. Wednesday she announced OpenBook, a page on her website that combines contribution information from the Illinois State Board of Elections with the comptroller’s accounts.
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