The union also wants a reduction in merit promotions -- from 20 percent to 16 percent -- and a 5 percent cap on the number of officers who can be detailed out of their assigned units, to prevent manpower at district stations from being depleted. more ›

Just days after giving his budget address to state legislators, Governor Pat Quinn challenged critics to come up with some solutions of their own. "It's easy to chirp about making a budget better," the governor told the Tribune editorial board. "If you've got a better plan, you'd better lay it out now because we are in a crisis." Quinn acknowledged that his plan to raise taxes and cut state spending may cost him politically, but he's also counting on honesty paying off at the ballot box. "My hunch is that people will rather have a governor that levels with them and sometimes delivers information that may not be easy to hear about, but is absolutely essential for the well-being of our state and the common good," Quinn said. "Most political consultants would say don't do what we're doing, I suppose, if you're just interested in your personal election future. But here I am." more ›