News-Gazette Editorials

Friday, November 20, 2009

Court fight over Ryan's pension

He's back – maybe not in body, but certainly in spirit.

George Ryan, the imprisoned former governor, was a strong presence in the state capital Wednesday. Ryan's lawyer, another former governor, Jim Thompson, argued before the Illinois Supreme Court that Ryan, despite his corruption convictions, is entitled to a state pension.

Taxing experience

The cheaters got caught this time.

The continued recession has taken a heavy toll on tax revenue paid to the federal government, but Internal Revenue Service officials have managed to find a new revenue stream – one that will please the ordinary taxpayer.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Second look at nuisance issue

Dealing with public nuisance issues can be a real nuisance.

Irresponsible landlords and tenants can cause a problem not only for their neighbors but for the city in which they're located as well. That's why the Urbana City Council recently took up a proposed "chronic criminal nuisance ordinance."

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Theater project moving foward

Another chapter in the renovation of the Virginia Theater in downtown Champaign will soon be written.

The late Michael Carragher, a successful entrepreneur, loved the Champaign's parks and the Virginia Theater so much that he left nearly $1 million to the park district to use for the theater's renovation.

New York trial looming disaster

The U.S. Justice Department is creating its own alternative universe in equating acts of terror with routine violations of criminal law.

President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have bought themselves a snootful of trouble with their inexplicable decision to try the architects of the 9/11 terror attacks at a federal court in New York City.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Taxpayers take sucker punch

The Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, which the state acquired by foreclosure, is scheduled to be auctioned Dec. 14, but the state will probably not come close to making from the sale what it lost in this arrangement.

Next month, if all goes as scheduled, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias will pull the plug on one of the state's longest running political scandals.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Quinn takes leap of faith

Illinois' governor took a gamble last week when he authorized releasing prisoners ahead of schedule.

Gov. Pat Quinn officially rolled the dice late week, taking a chance with his political future and the public's safety.

After review, release the report on shooting

The public is getting closer to answers about a controversial police shooting.

It's been more than a month since Illinois State Police initiated an investigation into the fatal police shooting of a 15-year-old Champaign youth following a call to police about a burglary in progress.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Cracking down on crime

A basketball player played basketball for fun in the summer. Oh, the horror.

Some things never change, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the regulating body of Division 1 college sports, is one of them.

Back to school on new FOI law

Illinois' Freedom of Information Act is getting a sharper set of teeth.

Playing the role of tutor, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is overseeing an extensive effort to educate public officials in Illinois about how to comply with the new Freedom of Information law that goes into effect Jan. 1.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

What's the point of voting?

The people of Illinois need to take government back from their self-serving elected officials.

County clerks throughout Illinois are gearing up for the Feb. 2 primary election, which will be followed by the November general election.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Politics, policy cross paths again

Is the popularity of veterans transferable to politicians? Alexi Giannoulias hopes so.

There's an old adage that good policy is good politics, and, to a degree, it's true.

No petition fight for the primary

There's a welcome cease-fire in the political warfare over candidate petitions.

Champaign County Clerk Mark Shelden breathed a sigh of relief this week as he continues preparations for the Feb. 2 primary election.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Health care bill forges ahead

With President Barack Obama leading the charge, national health care legislation passed out of the House and is headed to the Senate.

In a triumph of political strength and resolve, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend passed health care legislation that will, if adopted by the Senate, have a dramatic impact on the life of every American.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Notice law is a political football

Ill-advised judicial intervention in the notification law involving minors seeking an abortion has made a hash out of a commonsense law.

Illinois' on-again, off-again parental notification law involving minors seeking an abortion is off in Cook County but on in the rest of the state.

Each party claims a win

Last week's off-off-year election produced lots of questions but few certain answers.

There weren't many elections held last week, but they were hard fought.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Giveaways won't lift economy

The Cash for Clunkers program was a clunker, according to a media analysis.

The taxpayer-financed Cash for Clunkers car sales incentive program proved – as if it was in doubt – that people will line up to accept money the federal government is giving away.

Former health district official finally held accountable

Two years after the scandal broke, the former head of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has been indicted.

Better late than never. It was beginning to look as if local authorities simply wanted to forget that Vito Palazzolo ever ran the local public health district.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Champaign school system is on its own

At long last, the consent decree governing the operation of the Champaign schools has come to an end.

U.S. District Court Judge Joe Billy McDade finally drove a stake through the heart of the civil rights consent decree, accepting a settlement negotiated by lawyers for the school district and the plaintiffs.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Notification not yet the law in Illinois

Parents can still be shut out of the process if their minor child seeks an abortion.

Illinois' parental notification law, passed in 1995 when Jim Edgar was the governor, was expected to go into effect this week. But the courts have intervened yet again.

Learning the hard way – once again

Public officials in Illinois just can't bring themselves to follow the rules.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn – Mr. Reform – has been remarkably quiet since his deputy chief of staff resigned under a cloud last week.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Ford moves out of the red

Rare good news for the domestic auto companies – Ford made some money.

It's unclear if the news released by the Ford Motor Co. this week was good for the overall economy, but it was certainly good for the beleaguered auto company.

Good numbers on equity committee

There are now plenty of applicants for the Champaign school district's new equity committee.

There's nothing like a little publicity to spur public participation.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pelosi's push wrong way to go

There is no good reason why members of the U.S. House have to vote immediately on lengthy, complex health care legislation.

It was bad enough when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi oversaw the drafting of the health care reform bill behind closed doors before she presented it to the public last week.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Reform bill not what it could be

Political reform in Illinois is a tough – bordering on impossible – sell to the Legislature.

How does one get Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to do the right thing, particularly when it might reduce his political influence?

Kudos for serving local community

A longtime volunteer in the local war on crime has received a major award.

When the FBI shows up, it's usually a bad sign.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

State's in hole, Quinn still digs

Another state borrowing bender could be just around the corner.

After borrowing the first $2.25 billion, it must get easier – the borrowing that is. Paying off the debt gets even harder.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Force policy must be fully aired

It'll be important to keep emotions in check when city council members in Champaign review the police department's policy on the use of deadly force.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant, so it's a good thing that the Champaign City Council will be reviewing the city's use-of-force policy in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old teen-ager.

What happened to the reformer?

Looking out for Rod Blagojevich's political pay-rollers could come back to haunt Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.

The longer Pat Quinn remains in office, the more it looks like his days as a self-described political reformer are over.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Health care effort an ongoing mess

The ongoing legislative wrangling over health care is not confidence inspiring.

Everyone knows that the legislative process is not for the squeamish. It's been compared to the making of sausage, and that may underestimate just how distasteful it can be.

R.I.P. Duke

Our animal friends only have one flaw – they don't last as long as we do.

The mood this week at the Champaign County Courthouse is more somber than usual – Duke the bomb-sniffing dog passed away after a brief illness at the age of 9.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Illinois has crazy election schedule

The politicians may like the idea of a Feb. 2 primary, but it's not in the voters' interests.

The aspiring candidates were out in force Monday, showing up to file their petitions for offices ranging from the U.S. Senate and governor all the way down to county board.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Timely reminder of what UI does

Don't kid yourself. The University of Illinois is one of the leaders in higher education.

Amid all the financial and political turmoil that's surrounded the University of Illinois in recent months, it would be easy to forget what a great educational institution it is and what kind of students the UI attracts.

They asked for it, they got it

The government has the right to limit the pay of executives at companies that accepted bailout money.

He who pays the piper calls the tune. Those who object to the Obama administration's announcement last week that it is ordering significant reductions in executive pay for a handful of private business institutions should review that old adage.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Talking past each other?

Preconceptions and misconceptions are dogging the debate over a fatal shooting.

In the aftermath of the death of 15-year-old Kiwane Carrington, perception counts.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Feel stimulated?

There's not much encouraging news about the economy, and it may be a while before things improve.

Even if some people try to ignore it, the financial news involving state government in Illinois just keeps getting worse.

Property seizure merits review

The power to seize property is a powerful police tool in the war on crime, but one too easily abused.

It's no secret that much of the public as well as virtually all of the law enforcement community likes the idea of seizing the tools criminals use in their trade and the profits they generate.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

An angry night at city hall

Sometimes listening can go a long way.

It was a long, but useful, evening Tuesday for city council members in Champaign.

Let sun shine in on tax records

A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate is setting a good example for his opponents to follow.

With the candidates for governor of Illinois stumbling all over each other, some people might forget there's a Senate seat also up for grabs next year.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Another one bites the dust

Another close associate of Rod Blagojevich has decided to look out for No. 1.

Monday was a happy day in Blago-world, the bizarre alternative universe occupied by indicted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Herman bows to the inevitable

University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman is the latest and probably the last casualty of the politicized admissions scandal.

The timing may have come as a bit of a surprise, but the news that Chancellor Richard Herman decided to resign was not.