April 21, 2010

Democrat lawmakers killed legislation sponsored by Sen. Radogno to limit Illinois’ Seniors Ride Free program to the state’s lowest-income seniors, and allow all senior citizens to ride at half fare. Radogno said the measure could have saved Illinois $50 million annually, which would forestall service cuts and rate hikes on all riders.

“This is one more example of why state government is nearly bankrupt. There is no reason why a senior citizen making $150,000 a year should ride the Metra free-of-charge, while a single mom making $22,000 a year pays to ride the ‘el’ to work,” Radogno said.

The senator explained that House Bill 4654 would have tied the free rides for seniors program to the same qualifications that are in place for the state’s Circuit Breaker program. Citizens who are 65 or older living in a one-person household with an annual income of $27,610 or less, or a two-person household that brings in less than $36,635, would  have qualified for free transportation on Metra, PACE and the CTA.

Radogno noted that even if a senior citizen exceeds the income limits for a free ride, they would have only been required to pay half price for the fare.

Read more: $50 million in cost-saving ‘means testing’ for Seniors Ride Free rejected by Democrat lawmakers

 April 16, 2010

This week, the Illinois General Assembly returned to Springfield after a two-week break to address district issues. Lawmakers resumed legislative work, including what State Sen. Christine Radogno said was a contentious vote on the pressing issue of redistricting reform.

The Senate advanced the highly debated Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment (SJRCA) 121 to change the way legislative districts are drawn in the state. The measure was opposed by Senate Republican lawmakers who said that the

SJRCA 121, proposed by Democrats, would continue to allow legislators to draw their own map, which can be passed by a simple majority. If a redistricting plan fails to be approved by the Legislature and is signed into law by the Governor, then legislators have another opportunity to draw their own districts with the House and Senate each getting the opportunity to draw its own map. If lawmakers still could not agree on how to gerrymander the state, a “Special Master” would be appointed to draw the map. If the Special Master’s map is rejected by a court, legislators would then have yet another opportunity to draw their own districts.

Read more: This week in the Illinois Senate: Redistricting, Pension Reform

March 16, 2010

The day after the Illinois Senate approved a partisan redistricting scheme, the Daily Herald newspaper blistered lawmakers who had previously committed to the paper that they would instead support non-partisan reforms.

Declaring that “…Democrats backed a plan that still leaves the fox in charge of the henhouse” the Daily Herald warned: “As lawmakers head out to the campaign trail, we hope they won’t try to pretend this is a vote for reform. The people aren’t stupid.”

The editorial pointed out that nearly a year ago, more than 40 state lawmakers of both parties completed a Daily Herald survey in which they pledged to support a non-partisan system of drawing legislative district maps. Instead, six Senate Democrats voted in favor of a partisan redistricting plan that was advanced by Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) over a non-partisan plan developed by the League of Women Voters of Illinois and supported by a broad coalition of reform groups.

Download the full editorial.

April 16, 2010

For a few hours during the week, Illinois had an $85,000-per-year canoe and kayaking “czar.”

Governor Quinn appointed a long-time campaign and policy advisor, Claude Walker, to the unadvertised and newly-created position to promote canoeing and kayaking in the state. The position, in the state Department of Natural Resources, was created in the midst of one of the most severe budget crisis in Illinois History. Quinn has threatened to cut millions from state schools and plans to balance the state budget by borrowing nearly $5 billion dollars.

Once the media got wind of the story, the Quinn administration abruptly reversed itself, cancelling the position. Walker describes himself on a website devoted to promoting books he’s written, as “a spin-doctor, grassroots organizer, lobbyist, street-heat maestro, campaign spy and candidate.”