Morning Watch - December 6
Dec 06, 2012
Destination unknown: Proponents of a new fix to the state pension crisis say they aren't sure what the cost savings might be or if it could survive a court challenge, the State Journal-Register reports.
Labor links: Union workers reject the pension reform plan for not having labor input, the Trib reports.
Leadership lost: The Trib's editorial board applauds an attempt at pension reform and notes the bill comes from rank-and-file legislators, not General Assembly leaders.
Who's at the wheel? The Daily Herald's editorial board says the pension plan is a good start but doesn't address the issue of control.
Caught packing: State Sen. Donne Trotter, a candidate for Jesse Jackson Jr.'s vacated Congressional seat, faces felony gun charges after he was caught with a handgun and ammunition at O'Hare Airport security, DNAinfo reports.
Mayoral money: Rahm says $12 million in City Hall renovations will save taxpayers money in the long-run, as many departments will be able to move back into the building from rented space, NBC 5 reports.
Cuts confirmed: The Illinois House allows Gov. Quinn's prison cuts to stand, the State Journal-Register reports.
Smooth sailing: A survey from Public Policy Polling shows Sen. Dick Durbin with a 51 percent approval rating, signaling he will likely win re-election in 2014.
Crime wave: The Chicago Police Department beefs up security at funerals of gang members and begins treating them as "gang events," NBC 5 reports.
Gang patrol: Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy names the department's gang expert to head the South Side district, the Trib reports.
Standing verdict: Two law professors file a motion against Rahm's attempt to erase a jury's description of a "code of silence" in the city's police force, the Trib reports.
Beg and borrow: The Orland Fire Protection District plans to borrow millions of dollars and invest cash in a risky move to ease pension costs, the Trib reports.
New in the neighborhood: Capitol One Financial Corp. moves its office from the 'burbs to downtown, bringing 350 jobs, Crain's reports.
Hold the phone: Metra plans for a new ticketing system that will likely include smartphones, the Sun-Times reports.
Cell charge: The Sun-Times' editorial board hopes the legislature will take issue with the practice of cell phone companies "cramming" bogus charges into service bills.