State Rep. Julie Hamos will announce today that she is running for congress in Illinois's 10th District. She'll be running for Mark Kirk's open seat, who is challenging Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate. Democrat Dan Seals, who lost to Kirk twice, has been the subject of speculation, but hasn't made his intentions public yet. more ›

• Charges have been brought against the woman who abandoned her baby in a Wheaton yard last week.
• The Sun-Times investigates the use of "company cars" by employees of, ironically, the CTA.
• Chicago Public Schools are going into overdrive this summer to make sure students come back next fall.

18th District Illinois State Representitive Julie Hamos, is calling on state leaders, including Governor Pat Quinn, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, to enact $2,400 cap on individual campaign contributions. more ›

As we've covered before, the big losers in the passage of HB 429 in 2007 were out-of-state retailers looking to sell their wines to customers in Illinois. A bill introduced last Friday by state Representative Julie Hamos (D - Evanston) could restore the rights of those retailers to do business in Illinois. more ›

Update: The transit bill has landed on Blago's desk! The Senate approved the sales-tax plan, and now all we need is Blagojevich's signature to save 81 bus routes, 2,400 jobs and all of our sanity. [ABC 7, S-T] more ›

We're trying not to jinx it, but it looks like legislators might be solving the transit crisis, like, tomorrow. Mike Madigan agreed today to push for a Blago-backed plan that would use the State's share of the sales tax on gasoline in Cook and the five collar counties for the RTA. Even Daley's on board. Are we seeing a unicorn? Last week, Blagojevich endorsed Minority Leader Tom Cross's plan that would send around $385... more ›

Just as a cloud of gloom began to set in over the carless masses of Chicago, a ray of hope came as the State Senate has been called into session on Monday. While a spokesman for Senate President Emil Jones would only say that the session would include discussion of the "transit issue," Sen. John Cullerton, (D-Chicago) told Crain's that he thinks they are going to take up the same bill that Julie Hamos was... more ›

Bad news hit the Chicagoist offices late yesterday afternoon as word came through that SB572 — the bill that would have raised sales taxes in Cook County and the five surrounding "collar" counties, as well as the real estate tax in Chicago, to help fund regional transit — failed to reach a "supermajority" of 71 votes in the Illinois House. Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), sponsor of the bill, halted voting and placed it on the... more ›

On Wednesday, the Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved legislation that would enable the RTA to fund the CTA, Metra and Pace and prevent service cuts and fare hikes across the board. The Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved a transit funding and reform proposal by a 15-4 vote. The House is expected to convene to vote on the proposal next week. This bill comes after the RTA announced that a "doomsday" scenario... more ›

Hey, guess what? You'll never guess. It's just so out of the ordinary we'll just tell you, Illinois' budget is in trouble. The legislature's economic commission only expects $325 million in increased revenue for the state next year. This $325 million will not cover an expected $600 million increase in retirement costs let alone an $80 million (at least) bailout from the state for CTA. Blago's people say it's too early to tell since the next fiscal year doesn't begin until July, but that a prediction of $325 million is probably a bit low. more ›