Nothing to see here. No video, anyway

If the Chicago cops recently indicted for sexual assault are convicted, they'll face four to 15 years in prison. That's the same sentence Tiawanda Moore is facing for trying to document her frustrations while reporting her own alleged sexual assault: Recording an on-duty police officer in Illinois is a Class 1 felony, the same class of crimes as rape.

[...]

Technically, so long as a person isn't physically interfering with an on-duty police officer, it's legal to record the officer in every state but Massachusetts and Illinois.

The Illinois Way

Remember that payroll tax reduction we got as a result of Obama "compromising" and the Republicans "winning"? Well, guess what? Da State Dat we live in has decided to take all dat money and then some! Allegedly, there's some hyooooooge budget hole (left by the departure of Bobby Jenks, no doubt) they have to fill, and Quinny's decided the only way to fill it is with more tax money. But just like the politicians in da beltway, dey felt that they shouldn't offend the rich by taxing them more. No, let's just regressively tax everyone more. Clearly they're trying to make Blago's comeback that much easier. And there Corporal thought he was moving AWAY from Taxachussetts!

If you didn't have enuff reasons to HATE him...

... News item: Blago names street for Cubs GM weeks after getting SWEPT out of the playoffs. Meanwhile, White Sox GM Kenny boy, who at least has a World(?) Series title for his troubles, is still waiting for an honorary street.

But how do you measure "most theatrically corrupt?"

Weisberg recognized that the "unmasking" of our governor "as a kleptocrat of Paraguayan proportion" finally gave Illinois "a real chance —its first in more than a generation — to defeat Louisiana in the NCAA finals of American political corruption."

Weisberg allowed that the Corporate Crime Reporter put Louisiana first in the nation for the period from 1997 to 2006 with 7.67 federal corruption convictions per 100,000 residents. Illinois, though its absolute numbers were bigger, managed only a 4.68 convictions ratio to finish "an embarrassing sixth. . ."

Over the past decade:

Sheer number of public officials convicted in federal courts of corruption -- Florida first with 824; Illinois seventh with 502.

Convictions per capita: the District of Columbia first with 66.9 per million residents per year. If you don't count DC (and the Virgin Islands and Guam), North Dakota first with 8.3; Illinois 22nd with 4.0.

A survey of journalists!!! Rhode Island first, Louisiana second, Illinois tenth. . .
~

Fung's property taxes: the Reader knows all, tells some...

There is upside here: 1. If the value of your place tanks, you should reap the tax rewards in a couple of years. 2. We might still have one newspaper, even if it only comes out once a week.

Cook County assessor James Houlihan and Senate president Emil Jones wanted to raise the exemption to $40,000 permanently. Madigan successfully insisted that it only be bumped up to $40,000 for a year, and that’s what was applied to your last tax bill. It fell to $26,000 for this tax bill, and next year it’ll drop to $20,000, the same as it was four years ago...

...your 2007 property taxes — the ones you’re paying now — are based on an assessment done in 2006, when the housing market was still strong. The impact of the current bust won’t be felt on tax bills until the next assessment, in 2009.

dere is annudder doomsday direkkly behind dis one (cont'd)

Chicago schools to Springfield: We need $180 million

News item: Chicago Public Schools officials said Thursday they need an additional $180 million in state aid to balance the fiscal 2009 budget. But they stopped short of threatening to shut schools, lay off teachers or take other severe steps if the money doesn’t arrive.

(Springfield to Chicago schools: go phokk yourselves... ed.)

but he's da gubnor -- he can do whatever he wants, or, dere is yet annudder YOOOGE delay directly behind dis one

Free rides offer could delay transit funding

CHICAGO - Gov. Rod Blagojevich never discussed a plan to offer free rides for senior citizens with the head of the Chicago Transit Authority before making the idea public last week, the CTA chief said Monday.

CTA President Ron Huberman said he was concerned Blagojevich's proposal could scuttle final approval of a mass-transit funding bill.

dere is annudder doomsday directly behind dis one

Daley won't use Skyway money for CTA

(AP) — Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says he won't use the $1.8 billion windfall he generated by privatizing the Chicago Skyway to give a boost to Chicago Transit Authority funding.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has suggested the idea of raiding Skyway funds for the CTA after twice coming up with short-term state funding fixes.

But Daley says it wouldn't be prudent for a city to sell assets to use them for its budget. Daley adds that if the governor wants to generate dollars for state infrastructure projects, he could follow the city's lead and lease the Illinois Tollway to a private contractor.

The problem of transit money has been on the legislative agenda for months. Transit officials say that without additional state aid, they'll be forced to make deep layoffs, service cuts and fare increases on Jan. 20.