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2/22/2012
'This is an absolute nightmare': Quinn to close Murray Center in Centralia; 550 jobs at stake
Budget--State (8)
Cavaletto, John--State House, 107
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Jones, John O.--State Senate, 54
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Luechtefeld, Dave--State Senate, 58
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will announce plans today to close the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center in Centralia. His plan is to close the center by November 2013. The state-run facility employs about 550 people and has ab...
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2/22/2012
12th District candidate Rodger Cook releases tax returns, challenges others to do so
Candidates--Federal (13)
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Ethics, Campaign Reform, Transparency (12a)
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
Rodger Cook, a Republican running for the GOP nomination for the 12th Congressional District, on Tuesday called for all candidates running for state and federal office to release their tax returns to ensure transparency, clean up Illinois politics and deter financial conflicts of interest. "What we're talking about today is open government, transparency, accessibility," said Cook...
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2/22/2012
Cargo airline plans to link MidAmerica with China; St. Clair County committee OKs $550 million in bonds
Airports (4)
Two St. Clair County Board committees Tuesday approved a plan for the county to issue $550 million in general revenue "conduit" bonds to make MidAmerica St. Louis Airport the base for a planned air cargo operation that could include overseas flights. The county Economic Development and Finance committees each approved the bond issue on behalf Strategic Air Cargo Inc. of Chester...
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2/22/2012
Illinois Republicans against shifting pension costs to school districts
Pensions (70)
Sandack, Ron- -State Senate, 21
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Sullivan, John--State Senate, 47
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. • Illinois Republicans are calling a plan to shift portions of the state's pension obligation to local school districts a "recipe for disaster." Gov. Pat Quinn has discussed supporting a plan to pass the employers' portion of teacher retirement benefits, which has a $1 billion dollar price tag, on to the local school district...
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2/22/2012
Dwight among prisons targeted for closure by Quinn
Budget--State (8)
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Corrections (74)
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Disabled (47)
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Human Services (75)
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Mental Health (64)
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Prisons (74)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Cultra, Shane--State Senate, 53
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Forby, Gary--State Senate, 59
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Luechtefeld, Dave--State Senate, 58
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn will lay out a potentially painful budget scenario Wednesday that includes the closure of 14 state facilities and a reshaping of how many state agencies operate in downstate Illinois.
The governor, wrestling with rising Medicaid and employee pension costs, wants to close the Tamms Correctional Center in southern Illinois and the state's maximum-security pri...
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2/22/2012
HCC students to pay more in tuition, fees
Education--Higher (37)
NORMAL — Students at Heartland Community College will pay more tuition and fees beginning this summer.
The college’s board of trustees voted Tuesday to raise tuition and fees to $136 per credit hour. The cost had been $131 per credit hour.
Tuition went from $123 to $127 per credit hour, and student fees increased from $8 to $9.
Rob Widmer, Heartland vice pres...
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2/22/2012
GOP lawmakers rail on state pensions shift
Education--Elementary and Secondary (36)
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Pensions (70)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Cullerton, John--State Senate, 6
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Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
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Morthland, Rich--State House 71
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Sullivan, Jr., Ed--State House, 51
SPRINGFIELD -- Republican lawmakers Tuesday called on Gov. Pat Quinn and Democratic leaders to put the brakes on a plan that could shift state pension costs to local school districts and universities.
Calling the idea a "recipe for chaos," House GOP lawmakers said local school districts and universities cannot absorb millions of dollars in additional costs that would come with the chang...
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2/22/2012
Judge candidate takes aim colleagues for supporting opponent
Candidates--Judicial (27b)
BLOOMINGTON -- A candidate for the Republican nomination for 11th Judicial Circuit judge took aim at his colleagues Tuesday for their support of his opponent.
"I didn't know being a conservative Republican was bad when running for the Republican nomination for circuit judge," candidate Chris Gramm told an audience of local lawyers attending the McLean County Bar Association's monthly me...
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2/22/2012
McLean County Board hires lobbyist
Lobbyists (12a)
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Local Government (60)
BLOOMINGTON -- Three McLean County Board members questioned and voted against spending $7,500 to hire a lobbyist to monitor the Illinois General Assembly on county-related issues.
The agreement with Anderson Legislative Consulting Ltd. of Springfield ultimately was approved Tuesday by a vote of 15-3. Members George Wendt, Chuck Erickson and Ed McKibbin voted "no." Chairman Matt Sorensen...
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2/22/2012
National debt deserves to get more attention
Barack Obama
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Budget--Federal (9)
A lot of attention has been paid to Illinois’ out-of-balance budget — and rightfully so. But let’s not lose sight of the growing national debt.
Taxpayers are hurt by out-of-control government spending regardless of whether it’s the national, state or local government that’s picking their pockets.
As of Tuesday morning, the national public debt was $...
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2/22/2012
Some key changes for 2011 tax returns
Taxes, income (86)
BLOOMINGTON — Residents filing their federal income tax returns for 2011 will see an increase in standard deductions and exemptions, varied mileage rates and two extra days to file.
The 2011 federal standard deduction for a single person is $5,800, and married couples who file jointly will earn an $11,600 deduction. Additionally, the federal tax exemption for 2011 is $3,700 per in...
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2/22/2012
State OK’d local contract despite fraud
Ethics, Campaign Reform, Transparency (12a)
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Human Services (75)
SPRINGFIELD - A transportation business received $1.7 million worth of state work over two years even after a federal conviction for hundreds of thousands of dollars in state Medicaid fraud, according to an investigation released Tuesday. Administrators in the Illinois...
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2/22/2012
Candidate: Release those tax returns
Candidates--Federal (13)
MARION - Republican congressional candidate Rodger Cook is calling on candidates to provide more transparency before taking office by releasing their income tax returns. At a news conference Tuesday at Williamson County Courthouse, Cook released his and wife Kathleen's joint tax returns and called on fellow Republican Jason Plummer and Democ...
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2/22/2012
Gov. Quinn to outline cuts
Budget--State (8)
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State Facilities/Buildings
Forby, Gary--State Senate, 59
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Luechtefeld, Dave--State Senate, 58
SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Pat Quinn will lay out a potentially painful budget scenario Wednesday that includes the closure of 14 state facilities and a reshaping of how many state agencies operate in downstate Illinois. The governor, wrestling with rising Medicaid and employee pension costs, wants to close the Tamms Correctional Center in Southern ...
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2/22/2012
Editorial: Quinn’s day to act on newfound toughness
Budget--State (8)
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Pensions (70)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
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State Facilities/Buildings
Gov. Quinn likes to say it’s “time for a rendezvous with reality.”
On Wednesday, we’ll learn just how familiar he and reality have really become.
In his annual budget speech, Quinn has no choice but to make good on recent forceful statements that he is ready to confront and solve the biggest fin...
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2/22/2012
Quinn’s day to act on newfound toughness
Budget--State (8)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Gov. Quinn likes to say it’s “time for a rendezvous with reality.” On Wednesday, we’ll learn just how familiar he and reality have really become. In his annual budget speech, Quinn has no choice but to make good on recent forceful statements that he is ready to confront and solve the biggest financial problems facing Illinois, problems that threate...
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2/22/2012
Gov. Pat Quinn: Close super-max downstate Tamms prison
Budget--State (8)
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Prisons (74)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
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State Facilities/Buildings
Cullerton, John--State Senate, 6
SPRINGFIELD — A super-maximum security prison in Downstate Tamms that human-rights groups contend is inhumane and a women’s maximum-security prison in Dwight face closure under a proposed spending plan that Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration described as “the toughest budget we’ve faced.”
The gove...
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2/22/2012
State House OKs property tax cap for suburban homeowners
Legislature (56)
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Taxes, property (87)
Eddy, Roger--State House, 109
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Franks, Jack--State House, 63
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Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
SPRINGFIELD — In a potential election-year gift to homeowners and businesses, the Illinois House Tuesday voted to block suburban governments from increasing property taxes when overall property values decline. By a 74-39 vote, the measure sponsored by Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) moves to the Senate, where it is expected to encounter stiff resistance from teachers unions,...
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2/22/2012
State House OKs property tax cap for suburban homeowners
Quinn, Governor (44)
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Tax caps (87)
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Taxes, property (87)
Eddy, Roger--State House, 109
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Franks, Jack--State House, 63
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Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
SPRINGFIELD — In a potential election-year gift to homeowners and businesses, the Illinois House Tuesday voted to block suburban governments from increasing property taxes when overall property values decline.
By a 74-39 vote, the measure sponsored by Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) moves to the Senate, where it is expected to...
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2/22/2012
Down and out in no time at all Greek debt debacle a lesson for U.S., Illinois
Budget--State (8)
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos arrived in Brussels Sunday night to beg for a $172 billion financial bailout having, he said, "fulfilled all the requirements for the approval of the new program." He got his bailout, the second for his tiny Aegean nation in less than two years. But what brutal requirements they were. And the amount of the rescue deal may yet prove insu...
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2/22/2012
Bad news budget: Quinn to call for prison, health care cuts
Budget--State (8)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
SPRINGFIELD -- Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn will deliver a bad-news budget today, suggesting that Illinois close numerous prisons, mental health centers and social service offices, cut health care for the poor and shut down popular tourist sites for two days a week at times during the year.
Money for schools would remain essentially flat -- a better fate than the 9 percent c...
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2/22/2012
Quinn wants spending cuts but largely punts on key Medicaid, pension spending
Budget--State (8)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday will propose a new state budget that cuts discretionary spending, closes more than a dozen major facilities and actually leaves a surplus that can be put toward Illinois' backlog of unpaid bills. But the numbers in the $34 billion spending plan won't add up unless the General Assembly cooperates in slashing $2.7 billion in fiscal 2013 Medicaid sp...
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2/22/2012
GOP lawmakers urge Quinn to back off pension cost shift for local schools
Education - Educators/Administrators
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Pensions (70)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Cullerton, John--State Senate, 6
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Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
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Morthland, Rich--State House 71
SPRINGFIELD - Republican lawmakers Tuesday called on Gov. Pat Quinn and Democratic leaders to put the brakes on a plan that could shift state pension costs to local school districts and universities.
Calling the idea a "recipe for chaos," House GOP lawmakers said local school districts and universities cannot absorb millions of dollars in additional costs that would come with the change...
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2/22/2012
Quinn budget address envisions cuts, shutdowns, reshaping of how agencies operate downstate
Budget--State (8)
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Prisons (74)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
Luechtefeld, Dave--State Senate, 58
SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Pat Quinn will lay out a potentially painful budget scenario today that includes the closure of 14 state facilities and a reshaping of how many Illinois agencies operate downstate.
The governor, wrestling with rising Medicaid and employee pension costs, wants to close the Tamms Correctional Center in Southern Illinois and the state's maximum-security prison for women ...
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2/22/2012
Quinn budget address envisions cuts, shutdowns, reshaping of how agencies operate downstate
Human Services (75)
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Prisons (74)
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Quinn, Governor (44)
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State Police (84)
Luechtefeld, Dave--State Senate, 58
SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Pat Quinn will lay out a potentially painful budget scenario today that includes the closure of 14 state facilities and a reshaping of how many Illinois agencies operate downstate.
The governor, wrestling with rising Medicaid and employee pension costs, wants to close the Tamms Correctional Center in Southern Illinois and the state's maximum-security prison for women ...
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