* Stories about the governor’s press conference yesterday represent a study in truly stark contrasts. It’s days like this when I’m reminded how lucky we are to live in the Internet Age, not back in the days when most of us were confined to one newspaper and the local TV and radio.
* Let’s start with the Associated Press, which has a noticeable Blagojevich spin in its story…
State troopers have quietly started helping Chicago Police fight crime. That follows a noisy war of words in recent weeks between Governor Rod Blagojevich and Mayor Richard Daley about the possibility of cooperation. State police made several arrests yesterday in the city and tracked the movements of a handful of gang members.
Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent says he’s worked closely with Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis to develop a plan of cooperation. Weis says he is “very happy” to have the help.
* “Very happy,” eh? The Tribune isn’t so gushing…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich produced his plan Thursday for state troopers to give Chicago police a hand, but the city’s top cop said it’s not going to free up any more officers to patrol the streets. […]
Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis said most additional Illinois State Police efforts will be focused along the Dan Ryan and Eisenhower Expressways that the state long has patrolled: “It’s going to help overall law enforcement in Chicago, but it really won’t free up any more Chicago police officers,” Weis said. […]
The administration plans to use Chicago-area troopers rather than shift officers from Downstate, according to State Police Sgt. Brian Ley.
* And how does one define “Chicago-area troopers”? The Daily Herald explains…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is siphoning state police out of the suburbs to concentrate on crime in Chicago.
Under his plan to beef up Windy City security following a rash of violence, Blagojevich has moved one “team” of state troopers from the Elgin-based second district to Chicago. The troopers make up one of two teams that normally roam the suburban area targeting gang problems and roads with high fatality rates.
In addition, two similar teams that roam the Chicago and Cook County suburban region will now be confined to city limits, said state police Lt. Luis Gutierrez.
* The press conference was about the governor’s new idea to put cameras on expressways and interstates to pay for more state police officers. CLTV takes the traffic angle…
A traffic nightmare on the Kennedy Expressway this afternoon, much earlier than rush hour. The reason? Well, there was a press conference. […]
Gov. Rod Blagojevich was there to tout a new plan to install state highways to get drivers to slow down. Well, seems it worked. Traffic was delayed an hour in each direction on the Kennedy Expressway because everyone slowed down to see what was going on there.
* ABC 7 went with “Big Brother”…
Cameras, cameras and more cameras…Big Brother is not only watching on Chicago street corners and highway work zones, but if Governor Blagojevich gets his way, the interstates will be camera ready to snap speeders.
* The only House member to show up for the press conference had her say on NBC 5…
State Rep. Elga Jefferies, a Democrat from Chicago, also threw her support behind the idea.
“This program is going to kill two birds with one stone. It’s going to curb the crime and help save lives on our highways,” she said.
Jefferies lost her primary race in February and is likely in need of employment. Rep. Ken Dunkin, the governor’s usual Chicago House guy, must’ve been otherwise occupied.
* The Sun-Times made this point…
The governor will have to convince the General Assembly, which has opposed many or most of his other proposals, to approve his plan.
* Lee Newspapers expounds on that point…
Don’t expect to see cameras catching speeders on Illinois interstates any time soon.
Although Gov. Rod Blagojevich called Thursday for installing cameras in high-accident corridors across the state as a way to improve traffic safety, Illinois lawmakers have shown an aversion to similar programs in recent years.
In May, the latest effort to allow a handful of downstate communities to install cameras at intersections was defeated in the Senate after it had narrowly been approved in the House.
* And the NorthWest Herald editorializes…
First, Blagojevich has openly stated that the cameras would be a source of revenue – up to $50 million a year. The goal of such enforcement should be improved safety, not a way to cash in.
Second, we doubt that the cameras will be used appropriately and fairly. The governor’s office said that the cameras only would be used to catch speeders going at least 80 mph. Would that be written into the legislation? Would that pledge hold 10 years from now?
Remember that seat-belt violations were to be ticketed only if violators were pulled over for another offense. Now motorists actually get pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt. Give an inch, government tends to take a mile.
I love this country.