Chicago Current Main News Feed

Saying goodbye

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:22:00 -0500

I've taken a job as associate publisher of the Chicago Reader.

Though this is an exciting opportunity, it also means the end of the Chicago Current. I clearly can't serve both organizations at the same time, so the Current will cease operations effective immediately.

The Current's archives will remain available online.

Stroger backtracks on appointing campaign manager to zoning post

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:13:56 -0500

Todd Stroger has apparently decided he'd rather be seen as indecisive than patronage-happy.

Of course, it's always possible that the horse has already left the barn on both of those questions.

In any case, former Stroger campaign manager Vince Williams will not be appointed to the county's Board of Zoning Appeals.

Tuesday a.m. roundup

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:29:39 -0500

Friday roundup

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:51:12 -0500

$100k salaries the norm for O'Hare managers

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:00:00 -0500

Maybe the last time you traveled through O'Hare International Airport, you thought to yourself: This place is so clean, efficient and well-run that it must have dozens of mid-level managers, assistant managers and assistant deputy managers.

And they must all be making $100,000 a year or more, because they're so great at their jobs.

Turns out you're right!

My governor went to jail and all I got was this lousy T-shirt

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:20:02 -0500

The Illinois GOP today unveiled its new line of Blago wear, including T-shirts, tote bags, gym bags, mouse pads and shirts for your dog.

Given the virtually unlimited possibility for Blagojevich punchlines, the GOP seems to have fallen a bit short on the humor scale with these. But it'll still be fun if they try to sell them, along with cotton candy and peanuts, outside the trial.

Thursday morning roundup

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:05:00 -0500

Transit taking back seat to roads

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:41:00 -0500

Looks like motorists are thumping transit riders in this year's state capital budget.

Greg Hinz at Crain's reports that this year's I-DOT budget is the largest ever, thanks to a big share of $3.2B in new capital bonds.

Meanwhile, the CTA, RTA and PACE have got zip.

Remembering Kirk's tax break

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:03:00 -0500

I hate to rain on Rep. Mark Kirk's parade twice in one day. But, well, here goes... This 2008 story by the folks at Progress Illinois is worth another read now that Kirk is carping about U.S. Senate opponent Alexi Giannoulias' tax refund.

The upshot of the Kirk story: The congressman bought a house in 2001 and sought a tax freeze available to property owners who renovate their historic homes. It's a benefit that will never be available to most Illinois residents, and one that cut his taxes by thousands.

The coverage doesn't specify whether Kirk's historic house was made of glass, but you can draw your own conclusions.

Kirk's self-inflicted wounds

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:52:14 -0500

A few days ago, Mark Kirk seemed to have overcome his terrible decision to stonewall on inaccurate statements about his military record.

He gave a decent speech, and it should have been an opportune moment to move forward and focus on his campaign platform.

Except ... Kirk's continuing to stonewall.

Stroger under fire for campaign appointments

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:54:00 -0500

If you were worried Todd Stroger would slack off for the remainder of his lame-duck term as county board president, have no fear. He's at it again, seeking to appoint his former campaign manager to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

I realize there's not a ton of crossover between running a campaign and deciding zoning matters. That said, Stroger's re-election bid was one of the worst-organized campaigns I've ever seen.

It doesn't exactly instill confidence in the abilities of manager Vince Williams.

Tuesday a.m. roundup

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Quinn staff cashes in despite budget crunch

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:21:46 -0500

If anyone's got an idea as to how Gov. Pat Quinn could have handed GOP opponent Bill Brady a better set of talking points, let me know.

The Monday roundup

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:11:54 -0500

Illinois: The new California

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:14:54 -0500

How depressing is Illinois? Very, according to an article on the Illinois budget crisis that appeared Saturday in the NY Times.

If you've been looking for a nice, tidy summary of exactly how hosed we are, look no further.

It appears that we're even further up the creek than that perennial up-the-creek contest winner, California:

Now we know what Alexi was waiting for

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 16:03:00 -0500

Alexi Giannoulias

Several weeks ago I noted that Democratic Senate contender Alexi Giannoulias seemed to be following a curious strategy of delaying release of his personal tax returns.

If there were anything untoward in the returns, I argued, it would make sense for Giannoulias to release them earlier rather than closer to the election.

But what would make the most sense of all? Releasing the tax info on Friday afternoon preceding a holiday weekend, when no reporter on earth is going to spend time digging through it.

Living wages and TIF dollars

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:59:00 -0500

Bernard Stone

More on the Walmart front: Alderman Bernie Stone's pushing for a revival of the proposed living-wage ordinance, and the Reader interviews a labor historian who raises the possibility that the retailer will seek TIF money to build out new stores.

On one hand, helping one of the largest corporations in America doesn't seem to be a wise use of tax dollars. On the other hand, why should Walmart be excluded from the city's TIF bonanza -- nobody else is.

Aldermen unanimously pass new gun law

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:23:20 -0500

Chicago City Council this morning approved a new gun ordinance with record speed.

As I mentioned the other day, you can expect legislation to proceed at breakneck pace when the council meets on Friday before a long weekend.

If you were hoping this would be the end of Daley v. NRA, think again -- gun advocates are already pledging to challenge the new ordinance.

10 percent ain't half bad

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:19:00 -0500

Making the rounds this morning is a Sun-Times story about a new inspector general's report that says some Cook County managers fail to discipline subordinates because they don't know how.

But looked at another way, the report finds that 90% of the managers surveyed do have the skills to discipline their workers. It's only 10% that pose a problem.

And 10% is not bad. Management guru and former G.E. chief Jack Welch famously planned on firing the worst-performing 10% of his workforce each year.

Friday morning roundup

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:00:00 -0500