Monday, July 30, 2007

Less than nine days left?

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State Comptroller Daniel Hynes says he only feels comfortable keeping his office in operation until August 8 if the state legislators and th...
Friday, July 27, 2007

Will this be worth it?

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Gov. Rod Blagojevich called a special session for Saturday morning to discuss another one-month budget, which would prevent the state from s...
Thursday, July 26, 2007

12-month budget buzz

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS The Senate moved a 12-month budget out of committee by an 8 to 4 vote along party lines. The budget proposes a 9...
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Revenue, health care and electricity rates

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The House and Senate advanced different pieces of legislation — a cigarette tax and a health care plan in the Senate and an electricity rate...
Tuesday, July 24, 2007

How do you spell relief?

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A long awaited plan for electricity rate relief was announced Tuesday by Illinois’ two major utilities. It’s expected to be discussed and po...
Monday, July 23, 2007

One of those weeks

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Monday’s events could set the tone for an action-packed but odd week at the Capitol. Strange bedfellows flew around the state to announce an...
Friday, July 20, 2007

Former corrections chief and contractors indicted

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BY BETHANY CARSON Donald Snyder Jr., former director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, was indicted on federal charges of receiving...

Budget negotiation update

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS Today’s leaders’ meeting focused on spending instead of ways to generate new revenue. There also was talk that el...
Thursday, July 19, 2007

Transit woes

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS As the clock ticks toward a possible government shutdown, Sen. Martin Sandoval said Thursday he wouldn’t support ...
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Tax talk

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It’s almost like we’ve come full circle. The spring session started with momentum behind talk of state tax increases to address funding for ...
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Electricity deal could come soon

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The Capitol is buzzing about a potential deal on electricity rate relief for Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison customers, who have bee...
Friday, July 13, 2007

Gov: No gaming without health care

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On Tuesday we learned that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was willing to delay his plan to provide health insurance for adults. That would help lawma...
Thursday, July 12, 2007

Gaming discussed without the governor

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The Senate is expected to recast its gaming bill that it originally approved May 31, the last day of the regular session. Now both Democrat...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Legislators: It's time to 'rock the system'

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS Bethany Carson contributed to this report Several legislators are asking Gov. Rod Blagojevich to convene a specia...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007

No need for Republicans, but what about Democrats?

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Despite more lawmakers’ comments that budget talks aren’t getting anywhere, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced an idea Tuesday night that he thi...

Session on guns called

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Gov. Rod Blagojevich ignored the concerns of some lawmakers and legislative leaders by calling a special session Wednesday that will focus o...
Monday, July 09, 2007

Iron out the differences

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Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the four legislative leaders and their caucus members can’t iron out their differences about budget priorities. But af...
Sunday, July 08, 2007

Numbers on the table

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS Finally, there’s a number on the table for the budget. Unfortunately, lawmakers still can’t agree on what the num...
Saturday, July 07, 2007

A leadership lunch

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BY DEANESE WILLIAMS-HARRIS There wasn’t any progress on the budget at the Capitol today, but lawmakers will be back at it tomorrow. Today’s ...
Friday, July 06, 2007

Resolution update

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As it stands, the Illinois House doesn’t support the governor’s proposal to lease the Illinois Lottery. On a non-binding resolution, six mem...