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Carol Ostrow News

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Criminal complaint lands Sangamon commission in hot water

By Carol Ostrow | Jan 4, 2017

Chatham resident Jewel Brant recently uncovered potential fraud and related misconduct in the village of Chatham and the South Sangamon Water Commission (SSWC), with both entities’ activities tied to tainted water delivery in the surrounding area.

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Tribune: Illinois residents aren't frogs, won't remain in Madigan's boiling pot

By Carol Ostrow | Jan 2, 2017

Invoking an old wives’ tale referring to ambivalent, “average” amphibians, the Chicago Tribune recently created an analogy between disinterested Illinois taxpayers and a hypothetical pot of frog stew to illustrate the state’s simmering fiscal status.

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Mendoza era begins on chaotic note during move-in time

By Carol Ostrow | Jan 2, 2017

Amid reports of missing property and last-minute changes in move-in plans, the transition between outgoing Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger and incoming Comptroller Susana Mendoza recently took on a testy tone.

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'Elevator speech' remains sore spot with Kennedy

By Carol Ostrow | Jan 1, 2017

Chris Kennedy does not appear to be a man who seeks the spotlight, as he coped with the GOP’s new digital ad linking him to House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) by eluding the topic — both on tape and afterward.

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Illinois GOP offers hotel deal, tickets for presidential inauguration

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 24, 2016

With hotel space for the presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington filling rapidly, the Illinois GOP is offering a limited special opportunity for guaranteed overnight accommodations and inauguration tickets at the official Illinois Republican Party hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

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State GOP says Kennedy not acting like a Kennedy after dust-up with reporters

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 24, 2016

Chris Kennedy may have the family name, but according to the state GOP, “he doesn’t act like it,” as he recently rejected reporters’ overtures in Chicago and simultaneously created a commotion in a downtown office building.

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Documents indicate Pritzker cloaked donations to Madigan

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 24, 2016

New concerns regarding potential gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker have surfaced following the exposure of cash contributions made from Pritzker-associated groups to Illinois House Democrats prior to November elections in amounts possibly as high as $200,000.

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New House speaker tops Policy Institute writer's holiday wish list

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 24, 2016

This year’s holiday wish list for all good Illinois state lawmakers ought to include a brand-new House speaker, an Illinois Policy Institute writer says, as constituents brace themselves for the speaker vote, set for Jan. 11 in Springfield.

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U.S. Census: Illinois losing more residents than any other state

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 24, 2016

Illinois experienced the largest population loss in the nation during a recent 12-month period, according to a recent U.S. Census report.

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Dems urged to stop suing for pay, start working on budget deal

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 19, 2016

Stating that the “Chicagoland 6” should just do their jobs, a regional publication has issued a definitive stance on the half-dozen legislators who recently sued the former state comptroller over delayed legislator-paycheck issues.

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Madigan Machine includes big-money players Kennedy, Pritzker

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 18, 2016

Emerging as big-money players in the perpetual Mike Madigan Machine are businessman Chris Kennedy, son of the late U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, and attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist J.B. Pritzker, according to recently released financial data.

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State GOP slams Scherer's distant, nameless endorsement of Madigan

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 18, 2016

For state Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur), name-calling is literally off the record — to the extent that she recently managed to carefully craft a commitment to cast her vote for House Speaker Mike Madigan without actually stating so overtly.

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Columnist: Let Illinois voters decide on term limits

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 12, 2016

Following an election year rife with accusations aimed at the “Madigan Machine” and other factions in Springfield, Chicago Sun-Times writer Mark Brown said recently that the time for term limits may have arrived in Illinois.

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Democrats suing over paychecks say it's about principle, not pay

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 12, 2016

In a last-ditch effort to dignify the delay in their paychecks from 2016, six state Representatives recently filed a lawsuit after Leslie Munger was defeated by Susana Mendoza, elected last month as new state Comptroller.

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Madigan nears milestone, faces opposition as he runs for 17th speaker term

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 5, 2016

After a year of many changes, something may wind up remaining as it has been for decades in the General Assembly.

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Watchdog group slams state's FOIA system as records request drags on

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 4, 2016

Alerted to withheld information, the Illinois consumer group Edgar County Watchdogs recently publicized its continuing concerns regarding a 4-year-old conviction of two local policemen whom the investigative outfit believes may have allowed another to escape justice.

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Report: State's pension debt soars 17 percent to $130 billion this year

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 4, 2016

Already struggling under a many-tiered fiscal burden, Illinois taxpayers are now confronting incontrovertible evidence of serious fiscal setbacks in their state as a new report this week revealed staggering amounts of pension debt and escalating red ink.

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Dems called on to end Madigan's reign as House speaker

By Carol Ostrow | Dec 4, 2016

“If America is two countries, Illinois is two states,” the Peoria Journal Star said recently in an editorial, censuring House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and attributing the state’s “abysmal” financial status to continued ineptitude and duplicity in the General Assembly.

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State House fails to override Rauner veto of automatic voter registration bill

By Carol Ostrow | Nov 30, 2016

Despite the Illinois Senate’s recent vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto on automatic voter registration, the State House failed to follow suit on Monday, resulting in a no-go for the legislation.

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Illinois' debt per capita ranks among 10 highest in U.S., at nearly $15,000

By Carol Ostrow | Nov 27, 2016

Ranking among the top 10 states for debt per capita, Illinois is exhibiting a continuously increasing amount of red ink per resident — particularly pension debt, as well as other calculated liabilities.