The Capitol Fax Blog » Holiday shorts

Monday, May 28, 2007

This will be the extent of the blogging today unless something major happens. The list, as always, was compiled by Paul Richardson. We’ll reopen comments on Tuesday…

* Rich Miller: Poll shows most Illinoisans support tax swap for schools…

As you probably know, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has flatly ruled out an income- or sales-tax hike in exchange for a property-tax cut and more money for education. House Speaker Michael Madigan has said there isn’t sufficient support in his Democratic caucus to pass an income- or sales-tax hike.

But there’s a recent poll out that shows the public disagrees with both politicians. The poll showing majority support for a tax-swap plan also seems to be right in line with previous surveys. In addition, the poll found strong opposition to the governor’s super-controversial gross-receipts-tax plan.

The survey, conducted independently by the Glengariff Group, found that about 57 percent of Illinois voters support a so-called “tax swap,” while just less than 28 percent oppose it.

* Foreclosures still raging in Chicago area - Defaults could nearly double in ‘07 as pain spreads across region

* Debating the governor’s Illinois covered plan: Pro vs. Con

* Lawmakers ponder long-term moves on electricity market

* State’s internal investigator’s balk at ethics proposals

* Tribune Editorial

A pension for George Ryan?: Nothing? State records indicate that in January, the pension system returned to Ryan the $235, 508.58 that he had contributed to his retirement account. His lawyer must have forgotten that windfall. It didn’t come up Wednesday.

* Retiree knew his bills were too high, but ComEd said ‘everything was fine’

ComEd spokesman Luis Diaz-Perez said the utility’s records only go back two years. “If he can show bills going back further than that, we’ll adjust his account,” Diaz-Perez said. “Mr. Krystyniak’s suspicions were correct. We had a situation known as ‘reverse meter condition,’ and I don’t know why previous technicians didn’t realize the problem. I wish I could tell you why it wasn’t detected.”

* Tribune Editorial: Behind the wheel, safely

* Agencies, cities get money for paratransit

* Parks want a share of grant money

* Illinois-Indiana working on toll road proposal

* State receives names of sex offenders using MySpace; more here

* House to decide hotel tollway leasing

“We’re not going into the hotel business,” said Sen. James DeLeo, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the measure. “This does not allow the authority to enter into the hotel business. It’s allowing them to lease for hotels.”

* Student loan agency may aid bankruptcy borrowers

* Brent Manning: Former DNR chief making his way back to Springfield

* Congressman Hare is a freshman but no rookie

* Lynn Sweet: Duckworth eyes second House bid

* Carol Marin: As a leader, Stroger can’t hack it

* Sun-Times Editorial: Let pets do lunch at outdoor cafes

* What if you don’t pay up on parking tickets

Revenue from parking has increased since at least 1999 — $77 million that year, compared with $160.3 million in 2006 — even as the number of tickets written has decreased, according to the city Revenue Department.