- No labor of love. The New York Times reports that some fiscally challenged states around the country are challenging the political and collective bargaining clout of the public employee unions in an effort to reduce salaries and pension benefits. Illinois apparently hasn’t gotten the memo yet.
- School scandal? Sun-Times reports the IG for Chicago’s Board of Education has uncovered $800,000 in questionable spending by two former school board presidents, including Rufus Williams and the late Michael Scott.
- Parking barking. Two candidates for Chicago mayor want to overturn Chicago’s wildly unpopular parking privatization deal, but Greg Hinz writes on his Crain’s blog that one of the first critics of the deal, former city IG and new BGA Board member David Hoffman, says that cancellation of the contract could leave taxpayers on the hook to repay the billion dollars the city got upfront on the deal.
- Light and lively. Civic activist and mega-blogger Kathy Posner has an interesting take on some new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, including a ban on monkey purchases. Quintessential Kathy.
What I’m Watching—Jan. 4, 2011
