Chicago mayoral candidate James Meeks says that the City’s contract system has to change. He only wants African-Americans to qualify under the Minority Business rules, and wants women out of the…

(If you like this story, come vote it up on WindyCiti…

State Sen. James Meeks identified some of the tough medicine he says city employees might have to swallow to solve a $20 billion unfunded liability in the city’s pensions if he is elected mayor.

The first change may be moving back the age new city employees could retire from 50 to 55.
“I think we need to move to a two-tier pension system,” Meeks said in an interview at his campaign headquarters. “I think the present employees need to pay more into the pensions.”
Read more at the Chicago Sun-Times
image Bishop College, Marshall …

from Greg Hinz Mayoral hopeful James Meeks is ripping a decision by a group of African-American community leaders to endorse Congressman Danny Davis for mayor — suggesting that it is overly focused on race. In a phone interview, Mr. Meeks…

Speaking at a City Club Luncheon, the Sun-Times Mary Mitchell declared (at around the 25 minute mark)
“if bill brady wakes up and he is not the governor  i think it is because he has really taken for granted that all he needs is a certain segment of the population to win this election and not doing enough to go out and court the minority vote to show he is able to understand the what the issues are outside of the communities of his own. I think he has done a …

Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks’ perpetual lament was “wait until next year.” Allies of embattled Chicago Mayor Rich Daley are utilizing a similar argument: “Wait until 2015.” They say: Don’t oppose the mayor in 2011. Instead, wait to run in 2015, when Daley will retire.

Hence, the legion of mayoral wannabes are in a quandary: Is Daley beatable in 2011? Is it worth the risk to oppose him?
If Daley commits to run in 2011 and to quit in 2015, then it behooves the politically astute contenders to take a …

Wearing crisp white shirts, black slacks and determination on their baby smooth faces, Leo freshman arrive at the venerable Catholic High School before 7 A.M. for an immersion course that prepares the entering class for their career at Leo.

At 7:15 A.M. Executive Secretary Natasha Adams, asked, “Mr. Hickey, did you see the student run past your office?” I had not paid much attention as kids are always running past my office on their way up to the second floor. “He was being chased by three men into the building.”
We …

You’re asking, aren’t school vouchers a Republican/conservative/libertarian core belief? You’d expect Democrats to kill it — and certainly many did their part — but why would Republicans join in execution?
The usual explanation is tempting.

Leading the House GOP opposition was one Rep. Roger Eddy, a double dipper from downstate Hutsonville. According to a Family Taxpayers Foundation database, Eddy gets $90,000 as a school superintendent, and his wife, Rebecca, a teacher in one of his schools, earns $40,000. That’s in addition to the $68,880 plus per diem he receives as a state …

As soon as 11AM today, the Illinois House could vote (or against) to for school vouchers.

Rallying calls coming from everywhere
Chris Robling at the Illinois Review
Catholic Vote Action
Illinois Family Institute

Perhaps one of Illinois’ most surprising political developments this year has been the ease with which a pilot school voucher program has moved through the state Legislature, to possible passage.

In Illinois and elsewhere, public school teachers’ unions and their allies in the Democratic Party have a winning record successfully fighting the vouchers, except for some notable exceptions, such as Milwaukee.
Now, the Illinois voucher bill, having slide through the state Senate and hurdled the usual committee obstacles in the House, is on the verge of passing, except for one major roadblock—Republican …

From William McGurn
Contrary to all the obituaries, hope and change and a new spirit of bipartisanship are alive and well in Barack Obama’s America. Just not in Washington.

In the state legislature of post-Obama Illinois, a largely white Republican Party is joining forces with reform-minded African-American and Latino Democrats. Together they are challenging two establishments: machine Democrats backed by teachers unions, and suburban and downstate Republicans mostly indifferent to inner-city issues.
The vehicle is an educational voucher bill that needs only the approval of the full Illinois house to land on the …