Humpday Political News Roundup
By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 29, 2007 4:30PM
It's been another spring week of wacky weather here in in the Windy City. And just like the sunshine, our elected leaders have been coming out to shine. Let's take a look back at some of the more notable events thus far:
Black Business Group Doesn't Like Blago's Tax Plan. The Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), a group representing African-American businesses has reviewed the governor's proposed budget plan, and they've given it what they term a "thumbs down." President Hermene Hartman told Crain's Chicago Business, “We appreciate the governor’s desire to close corporate loopholes” in the existing tax structure. “But making all business pay for the loopholes when we didn’t benefit from them is a mistake.” This shouldn't come as a surprise, as businesses around the state have expressed similar sentiment, with one group even launching a TV ad downstate.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez Gets Out of the Kitchen. In a press conference Monday, Gonzalez appeared at the Dirksen Courthouse with "mediocre" federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald in what was supposed to be a fifteen-minute Q&A session. But when reporters started asking questions about the firing of eight federal prosecutors but the Bush Administration, Gonzalez cut it short, thanking the press and walking out a scant 90 seconds in.
The Toddler Gets the Cold Shoulder. Cook County Board President Todd Stroger showed up for jury duty Monday to a "chorus of bitter whispers." After riding the elevator with all the other regular folk, and sitting through voir dire, he was dismissed, but not before being paid $17 for his time. He plans to give the check back to the cash-strapped county.
No Free Rides on the South Side. Yesterday 21st Ward Aldermanic candidate Leroy Jones criticized a new "pilot program" that will come to a vote by the full council soon. The ordinance, which would create a new non-profit organization to provide free transportation for life to seniors who donate their car to the program, would start in a contiguous stretch of the North and Near North Sides, downtown and the Near West Side. Jones said, "I am shocked that the South and West Sides were excluded from the pilot program. Shouldn't we be putting the seniors who are most in need of transportation programs first?"
Image via trials_and_turbulations.