Clout Street

Foster, Oberweis clash on bailout package

Posted by James Kimberly at 9:30 p.m. Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster on Monday defended his vote for the $700 billion bailout package against criticism from Republican opponent Jim Oberweis, who said it would have dire long-term consequences for the...

Aldermen want to give divorcing homeowners a break

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 9:15 p.m. In a rare case of aldermen defying Mayor Richard Daley, a City Council panel voted today to approve an ordinance that would prevent the city from collecting real estate transfer taxes when properties...

Health care at issue in Senate debate

Posted by Rick Pearson at 9:08 p.m. Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Steve Sauerberg clashed over the nation’s health care crisis Monday, with the Democratic incumbent accusing the family practice physician of proposing an end to government-backed insurance for the...

Aldermen question city on airport concessions

Posted by Hal Dardick at 2:12 p.m. Aldermen criticized Aviation Department officials today for not properly tracking about 450 leases at the city's two airports. Ald. Edward Burke (14th) also questioned Commissioner Richard Rodriguez about why the city has gone...

Mayor's airport lease deal discussed but no vote today

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 6:50 a.m. UPDATED at 9:18 p.m. Aldermen discussed Mayor Richard Daley’s $2.5 billion plan to lease Midway Airport to a private operator today but delayed a committee vote on the plan until tomorrow. Aldermen said...

County health board forwards budget plan

Posted by Hal Dardick at 9:15 p.m. Although the 2009 budget recommendation for Cook County’s massive public-health system wasn’t listed on the Friday meeting agenda, the new independent board overseeing the system approved a spending proposal that includes a $70...

Unions reject mayor's furlough request

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 8:58 p.m. Labor leaders said Friday they rejected the Daley administration’s request that unionized city workers take one unpaid furlough week each year for the next four years to help balance the city budget. Mayor...

Judge orders rewrite of Nov. 4 referendum question

Posted by Monique Garcia at 7:55 p.m., UPDATED at 9:25 p.m. Illinois voters must be given a new, neutral version of the Nov. 4 ballot question asking whether the state needs to change its Constitution, a judge ruled Friday. The...

New law requires computer techs to report child porn

Posted by Ray Long at 3:42 p.m. Computer technicians will have to report to local police if they find child pornography on a customer’s computer under a new law signed today by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The child pornography provision amends...

Forest preserve commission pays $5 million to wronged workers

Posted by Hal Dardick at 6:30 p.m. The Cook County Forest Preserve Commission on Thursday authorized paying up to $5 million to dozens of maintenance workers seeking back pay and lost wages after being improperly laid off in late 2002....

North Shore congressman piling up campaign cash

Posted by Susan Kuczka at 1:10 p.m. U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) said he raised another $850,000 over the summer as he continues to pile up cash in a rematch race against Democrat Dan Seals. The fundraising totals Kirk's...

Aldermen 'still in dark' on budget fixes

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 4:30 a.m.; updated at 12:15 p.m. Aldermen who attended a closed-door briefing at City Hall this morning said mayoral aides gave them no new information about how the Daley administration plans to attack a $420...

Aldermen may grill on potential CTA fare hikes

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 4:35 a.m. Chicago aldermen are calling public transit officials in Thursday and they may grill them about potential fare increases despite a recent sales tax increase meant to improve their bottom line. CTA President Ron...

Schaumburg seat race grows heated

From today's print edition: 56th District race grows heated between incumbent Paul Froehlich and challenger Anita Forte-Scott Candidates trade barbs over unpaid taxes, charges of opportunism By Jeff Long Chicago Tribune reporter October 2, 2008 The race for Schaumburg's seat...

County to look at chemical-spewing companies after Trib report

Posted by Hal Dardick at 5:01 p.m. Cook County government would look at companies spewing the most chemicals into the air to find "potential remedies" under a resolution proposed Wednesday. The proposal came in response to "Chicago's Toxic Air," a...

Cook County to refund sales taxes to new retailers

Posted by Hal Dardick at 3:20 p.m. Months after raising the county sales taxes by a percentage point, the Cook County Board on Wednesday approved partial rebates to retailers that expand or build new shops. The sales tax rebates will...

Proposed ban on texting while driving gains steam

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 11:21 a.m. A City Council committee today unanimously passed a proposed ban on sending text messages while driving in Chicago. The measure is likely to come up for a final vote at the Oct. 8...

City cabbies want 16 percent fare hike

Posted by Dan Mihalopoulos at 8:58 p.m. A group of Chicago taxi drivers is poised to petition City Hall for a 16 percent fare increase. The recent dollar-per-ride surcharge has meant reduced tips for drivers, said Prateek Sampat, spokesman for...

Kirk says he doesn't know if Palin qualified to be president

Posted by Susan Kuczka at 7:30 p.m. North Shore Republican Rep. Mark Kirk has been fighting off attempts by Democratic rival Dan Seals to paint him as a key supporter of President Bush and on Tuesday the four-term congressman worked...

West suburban congressional candidates clash on abortion, ethics

Posted by James Kimberly at 5:45 p.m.: The two candidates for a west suburban congressional seat mixed it up on abortion and ethics Tuesday, with Democrat Jill Morgenthaler accusing her opponent of harboring extreme conservative views and Republican Rep. Peter...