Leader limits? Sun-Times calls for the Illinois General Assembly to put campaign cash limits on the legislative leaders who exempted themselves from last year’s first-ever campaign finance reform in Illinois. Those leaders spent $15.4 million on 19 legislative races last fall. SouthtownStar columnist Phil Kadner says the cynic in him doubts that anything will change, with or without the limits, but he professed a perverse pleasure in watching the leaders squirm.
- Indiana integrity index. Northwest Indiana Times calls for the “creation of a new culture of ethics” in northwest Indiana following the Ethics in Government conference last Friday in Munster. BGA proudly participated in the conference at the request of the Shared Ethics Advisory Commission, which is a model for an inter-governmental approach to ethics that we’d be wise to replicate here in Illinois.
- Contemplating cuts? Mike Sneed’s lead column item in the Sun-Times reveals that Illinois Republican leaders are proposing a 20 percent cut in state spending over the next few years so the recent income tax hike can be eliminated.
- Picture this. Also in the Sun-Times, news that Chicago’s 911 center is the first in the country to encourage callers to send photos and videos via cell phone to help inform emergency response strategy, including evidence in cases.
- Ramsey returning? The Trib reports that mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has glowing words of praise for Philly’s top cop, Charles Ramsey, as a possible replacement for ex-Chicago Police Chief Jody Weis. Ramsey was a frontrunner for the top job here years ago and left for Washington and then Philly after he was passed over in favor of a long shot named Terry Hillard, who is now the acting boss until Emanuel picks a permanent superintendent.
