www.gopillinois.com (2/15/07 News Clips page)

Thank you Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Executive Director John Tsarpalas for speaking at the January 20 TAPROOT Republicans meeting and for agreeing to speak at the March 14 Milton Township Republican Central Committee meeting.  Your GOPUSA Illinois Editor has lost track of the many many times over the years that he has stressed to IRP leaders and to IRP employees that Illinois Republicans should first learn of important IRP news not from the liberal Illinois news media, but from the IRP.  For example, Republican Precinct Committeemen like myself should first learn of important IRP news from their Republican Township Party Chairman.  Republican Township Party Chairman should first learn of important IRP news from their Republican County Party Chairman.  Republican County Party Chairmen should first learn of important IRP news from the IRP, from the Illinois Republican County Chairman's Association, and/or from IRP State Central Committee members.  Sadly, many Illinois Republican Precinct Committeemen will first learn that Tsarpalas has resigned not from the IRP, but from the liberal news media (see articles below).  Sadly, that shows that IRP communications has broken down, again.  Sadly, yesterday, numerous IRP leaders and employees refused to respond to your GOPUSA Illinois Editor's request that they confirm or deny reports that Tsarpalas had resigned.  Sadly, tragically, by their actions, certain IRP leaders are making it increasing clear that they are RINOs and/or in the Combine's grip and that they care far more about the liberal Illinois news media than they care about Illinois Republicans.      

 

www.gopillinois.com (2/15/07 News Clips page)

Sadly, many of the same people and organizations who work against your GOPUSA Illinois Editor also work against Raymond True, against the Republican Assembly of Lake County (RALC), and against Jim Oberweis.  Few in Illinois work harder than True and the RALC to help elect candidates who can and will advance the IRP platform which is conservative.  Needless-to-say, your GOPUSA Illinois Editor is extremely disappointed with people and organizations that say that they support the IRP platform, but work against your GOPUSA Illinois Editor, work against True, work against RALC, and work against Oberweis.  It is sad how many accept and advance the Combine's definition of what is "divisive."

 

www.gopillinois.com (2/15/07 News Clips page)  

LIZ MARTINEZ: A lively exchange of questions and answers made for an interesting meeting!  Naperville Area Republican Women's Organization (NARWO) hosted a Candidate Forum at the Naperville Municipal Building.  Given the fact that it was Valentine's Day and the temperatures were below freezing, the turnout was really quite good.  Forty + attended the forum, including the candidates:  Mayoral race - A. George Pradel, Mary Ellingson and Doug Krause; City Council race - Dick Furstenau, Patricia Meyer, Darlene Senger and Grant Wehrli; Park District race - Roger Brown, Suzanne Hart and H. Tom O'Hale; and, Board of Education - Jerry Buch, Mike Davitt and Dan Denys.   While NARWO does not endorse candidates in a primary election, the forum was used as a tool to enlighten members and guests about municipal issues and where the candidates stand on them.

 

CHICAGO - John Tsarpalas is leaving his position as executive director of the Illinois Republican Party to take a new job as national alliance director for a Chicago-based government accountability group. State GOP chairman Andy McKenna said Wednesday that Tsarpalas will be joining the Sam Adams Alliance. The "primary aim" of the organization formed last fall "is to empower those who seek a more limited, accountable government, helping them to form freestanding, effective, and lasting networks in states across the nation," according to a letter from the chairman and president of the Sam Adams Alliance posted on the organization's Web site. McKenna said Tsarpalas is particularly good at the kind of grass-roots organizing the group does. Tsarpalas joined the state GOP in the summer of 2005, McKenna said. "I'm happy for him in the role he's taking," McKenna said, adding that Tsarpalas will leave in the next few weeks. His replacement has not yet been named.

 

The husband of Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth is being deployed to Iraq, where his wife lost her legs in a helicopter crash before making a bid for Congress.

Maj. Brian Bowlsbey, 39, a longtime National Guardsman who lives in Hoffman Estates, said he did not consider seeking an exemption to allow him to remain with his wife.

"It's not something that we're really eager to do, but it's part of the job and we've trained for it for 19 years," he said Wednesday. "If you believe in the United States you stay in and you keep doing it and you accept the risk.

"I knew, sooner or later, [I'd be deployed to Iraq], there just aren't that many [eligible] people, and I'm one of the only ones who haven't been and some of the Guard have been twice," he said. "It's going to be difficult and we've done some planning, although I want to emphasize, everyone has these life issues, everyone that deploys has them."

Bowlsbey is part of a Downstate transportation unit and will focus on advance planning and logistics. He will leave for training in Kuwait at the end of March and does not know when he will return. Most Guardsmen serve about 12 months in Iraq, he said.

A rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter Duckworth, also a major in the National Guard, was co-piloting in November 2004. While rehabilitating from her injuries a year later, she entered the campaign for the 6th District congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.). She lost to Republican Peter Roskam.

Shortly after the election, Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Duckworth to head the state's Veterans' Affairs Department. As a member of the Guard, she inspects the safety of ground and air units. Duckworth was traveling on business and unavailable to comment Wednesday.

"There's 150,000 soldiers in Iraq that need somebody to do this job that I'm being asked to do, so that's the mission I've got to do," Bowlsbey said.

 

Undocumented workers may not have visas, but they increasingly can have Visa cards.

Bank of America's announcement that it is offering credit cards to workers in the U.S. without a Social Security number drew sharp criticism from advocates of tougher restrictions on undocumented immigrants Wednesday and concerns from Homeland Security Department officials about identity theft.

However, the Bank of America credit card plan is merely the latest example in a growing national business trend of granting undocumented immigrant workers checking accounts, loans, mortgages and credit as their numbers increase.

Some companies have been issuing bank cards and loans to undocumented workers for years, often relying on individual tax identification numbers in place of Social Security numbers to process the applications.

While the Bush administration and many Democrats in Congress are seeking ways for illegal immigrants to gain citizenship eventually, critics of that approach argue that businesses are skating too close to breaking laws through a tacit amnesty that will encourage more illegal immigration and could pose security problems.

For University of Chicago finance professor Raghuram Rajan, the move for Bank of America was a "no-brainer." It helps the financial services sector by expanding the market and it provides needed services that make immigrants' lives more manageable, he said.

"Access to credit is really very important for the poor and underprivileged, and clearly illegal immigrants are part of that group," he said. "Not only are you drawing them into the fold, but you're making their life better and the life of others better because their money goes through the system."

People like Javier, an undocumented immigrant living in Chicago, have felt the impact of such programs. A Venezuelan native, Javier, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is illegally in the U.S., managed to secure a credit card from Capital One by providing proof of employment and his taxpayer number.

`Businesses believe'

"I've used my credit card to pay for car maintenance," Javier said in Spanish. "A few months ago, I needed to pay $400 to fix my car and I didn't have enough cash, so I paid part of it in cash and part of it on my credit card."

The card, as well as a Citibank account he uses to send money to family in Caracas, has been a blessing for the 53-year-old, who arrived in the U.S. in 2001.

"Here, businesses believe in immigrants," he said. "They know we come here with good intentions and with a desire to work hard."

But Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), a vocal critic of illegal immigration, suggested Bank of America's actions could be illegal and that its plan could be used by terrorists to finance their efforts.

"Clearly, Bank of America established this program for the explicit purpose of aiding and abetting illegal aliens," said Tancredo.

Other lawmakers welcomed the effort.

"First of all, I've been a member of the Financial Services Committee for the last 14 years--I can assure you that what they are doing is within the letter and the spirit of the law," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.).

The Department of Homeland Security, however, saw the bank program, which started in Los Angeles and may be expanded nationwide, as a security concern in the post-Sept. 11 era.

"At face value it's very problematic," said Russ Knocke, a department spokesman. "It seems to lend itself to possibly perpetuating identity theft, or even facilitating certain types of financial crimes."

As early as March 2001, Second Federal Savings in Chicago was helping undocumented workers get checking accounts, and has since offered loans to undocumented workers, as well as credit cards, according to Vice President of Operations Gonzalo Gradilla.

Gradilla, whose bank is located in the primarily Hispanic area of Little Village, said that since 2003 the bank has been offering loans to customers without Social Security numbers. To determine credit scores, the bank has had to develop its own system because credit bureaus require Social Security numbers.

As a result, the bank analyzes pay stubs, utility and gas bills and a host of other payment documents to determine credit scores. The mortgages are considered risky, and as a result cannot be sold onto secondary markets, as is often the case.

Like other banks, including Wells Fargo, Second Federal uses the IRS-issued individual taxpayer identification numbers to identify undocumented workers for its loans.

Second Federal was also one of the first banks in the nation to accept consular cards from foreign countries as identification. Several other banks have adopted the practice, according to industry analysts.

A vast market

According to a recent study by the Brookings Institution, immigrants spend $2 billion a year on check cashing facilities and pay another $2 billion a year to send remittances, mainly back to relatives. And though not all immigrants are illegal, banks have entered the field knowing there is a vast market to be tapped.

Undocumented immigrants represent a market of 12 million people to companies looking to expand in a fiercely competitive financial services industry. It could be quite lucrative, though economists could not estimate the potential dollars involved.

"Immigrants represent a largely untapped source of new business for the financial services industry because they have low rates of bank account usage," said Anna Paulson, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. "This was just a logical thing for businesses that were trying to grow and attract new business."

In 2005 Bank of America announced that it would allow people to send remittances to Mexico for free, a tactic used at other banks as well to compete with Western Union and to encourage clients to open accounts. Citibank has offered credit cards to undocumented workers for three years under both its own name and its subsidiary Banamex. Wells Fargo also offers home mortgages to workers without a Social Security number.

Now, for a fee of $99, clients in the controversial program at Bank of America receive a $500 line of credit. To be eligible, they must be Bank of America account holders for three months without any overdraft fees. After six months, the initial $99 is reimbursed if the customer is in good standing.

The Bank of America program began three months ago at five banking centers in Los Angeles and has since been rolled out to 51 locations in the surrounding area. The company said that the cards are not targeted for illegal immigrants. Others don't believe that.

"Its practical effect is an amnesty for illegal aliens," said analyst John Keely at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that favors strict enforcement of immigration.

Immigration advocates say it's fair, and that people working in this country deserve to be treated with dignity.

Economists, however, say that there are economic contradictions to the program. Some point to the irony that while it is illegal to hire undocumented workers, it isn't illegal to give them credit cards.

Rajan, the U. of C. finance professor, says that the Bank of America move, while economically sensible for illegal workers already in the U.S., could embolden more immigrants to come. "Doesn't that then make it much more attractive for people to cross the border illegally? We don't know the magnitudes of how much additional immigration this would encourage."

Banking rules

Under federal banking laws, banks may provide accounts to undocumented immigrants as long as the customer provides the following:

- Proof of identity

- Address

- Date of birth

- An individual taxpayer identification number, issued by the IRS to people who do not have a Social Security number for tax reporting purposes

Many banks accept cards issued by consulate offices of foreign governments as a valid form of ID.

A small but growing number of banks offer mortgages to undocumented immigrants.

Sources: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, The Brookings Institution

 

 

NEW YORK -- The United States and Britain ranked as the worst places to be a child among 21 wealthy nations, according to a report by UNICEF released Wednesday. The Netherlands was the best, it said, followed by Sweden and Denmark.

UNICEF's Innocenti Research Center in Italy ranked the countries in six categories: material well-being, health, education, relationships, behaviors and risks, and young people's sense of happiness.

The finding that the children in the richest countries are not necessarily the best-off surprised many, said the director of the study, Marta Santos Pais.

The Czech Republic, for example, ranked above countries with a higher per capita income, such as Austria, France, the United States and Britain, in part because of a more equal distribution of wealth and higher relative investment in education and public health.

Some of the wealthier countries' lower rankings were a result of less spending on social programs and "dog eat dog" competition in jobs that led to adults spending less time with their children and heightened alienation among peers, Jonathan Bradshaw one of the report's authors, said in London.

"The findings that we got today are a consequence of long-term underinvestment in children," said Bradshaw, who is also professor of social policy at University of York in England.

The highest ranking for the U.S. was for education, where it placed 12th of 21 countries. But the U.S. and Britain landed in the lowest third for five of the six categories measured.

The United States was at the bottom of the list in health and safety, due mostly to its high rates of child mortality and accidental deaths. It was next to last in family and peer relationships and risk-taking behavior.

The U.S. has the highest proportion of children living in single-parent homes, which the study defined as an indicator for increased risk of poverty and poor health, though it "may seem unfair and insensitive," the report said.

"But at the statistical level there is evidence to associate growing up in single-parent families with greater risk to well-being--including a greater risk of dropping out of school, of leaving home early, poorer health, low skills and of low pay," the report said.

The U.S. was close to the bottom of the scale for children who eat and talk frequently with their families.

Britain had the highest rate of children involved in activities that endangered their welfare: 31 percent said they had been drunk at least twice by age 15--compared with 11.6 percent for the U.S.--and 38 percent had had sex by that age.

Canada had the highest rate of children who had smoked marijuana by age 15--40.4 percent--compared with 31.4 percent in the U.S. Japan ranked the worst on "subjective well being," with 30 percent of children agreeing with the statement, "I am lonely,"--three times higher than the next highest-scoring country.

Children in the Netherlands, Spain and Greece said they were the happiest, and those in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands spent the most time with their families and friends.

Because of a lack of internationally comparable data, the study did not address children's exposure to domestic violence, both as victims and as witnesses, and children's mental and emotional health.

The report acknowledges that some of the assessment scales have "weak spots."

The study, for example, measured relative affluence by asking whether a family owned a vehicle, a computer, whether children had their own bedroom and how often the family traveled on vacation. Some of the answers might depend on the quality of public transportation and real estate prices, making the average child in New York's affluent areas seem equal to one in a less developed country because of the constraints of city living.

The authors wrote that as the first attempt at a multidimensional overview of children's well-being in rich countries, it is "a work in progress in need of improved definitions and better data."

But they say it is nonetheless a first step in providing benchmarks for comparing countries and highlighting poor performance in otherwise rich nations.

"All countries have weaknesses to be addressed," said the study's director, Santos Pais.

Child welfare in industrialized world

Overall rankings from the UNICEF report on 21 industrialized nations.

1. Netherlands

2. Sweden

3. Denmark

4. Finland

5. Spain

6. Switzerland

7. Norway

8. Italy

9. Ireland

10. Belgium

11. Germany

12. Canada

13. Greece

14. Poland

15. Czech Republic

16. France

17. Portugal

18. Austria

19. Hungary

20. United States

21. Britain

Other countries surveyed with insufficient data to be included: Australia, Iceland, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovakia, South Korea, Turkey.

 

That liability translates to roughly $8,800 owed by every man, woman and child in Illinois.

The biggest part of this crushing debt is the $41 billion we owe for pension benefits for teachers, university faculty and staff, and other state employees.

To avert or minimize this financial implosion that could cut funds for our elementary schools, cause universities to raise tuition even higher, threaten our public safety and the security of our prisons, we need to take difficult steps today. If we don't, the state's bills will continue to grow.

Just as with our own credit card bills, the longer you wait to pay, the bigger the bill becomes with added interest. but there is a big difference between your family's credit card and the state's borrowing: You and your family will be stuck with your bills, while Gov. Blagojevich and his allies won't be around to pay the state's bills later. Your children and grandchildren, however, will be.

As the ranking Republican spokesman on the Senate's pension committee, I have battled the administration's actions that have jeopardized our financial security by putting off funding for pensions. The governor's most fiscally irresponsible pension scheme allowed the state to forgo $2.3 billion in payments to the pension funds in 2006 and 2007. This pension raid allowed the governor to "live large" with a bigger budget for a couple of years, but eventually that bill -- plus lost interest -- will come due.

It's clear that the pension raid that allowed the recent spending spree is coming back to haunt us already, with steep pension funding increases required in each of the next few years. Under current law, our pension payments grow by more than $600 million from this year to next.

Some would argue that the answer would be to cut our pension benefits for teachers and other state employees. But, it's hardly fair to teachers to force them to pay for the governor's excess spending out of their retirement funds, and the Illinois Constitution won't allow us to cut benefits for people now in our state pension plans.

Fixing the problem will require some difficult decisions, but I believe it can be done. I am introducing legislation to begin to resolve the problem by establishing a new pension plan for all newly hired teachers and state employees.

The new plan would be a ''defined contribution'' plan, similar to the 401(k) plans offered by many private businesses. This new plan would replace the existing ''defined benefit'' plan that guarantees retirees a lifelong annual benefit equal to a certain percentage of their final salary. Under a defined contribution plan, both employee and the state would contribute a set percentage of salary to the employee's account, and the account would be invested at the direction of the employee. Upon retirement, the employee would enjoy the final account balance.

My idea is backed by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, which is the business group predicting our financial implosion, and I am certain that taxpayers will support this idea as well.

Other legislators and civic leaders may have other ideas to reduce our pension bills, and I am eager to work with them to craft a solution. What we cannot do is simply continue to spend like tomorrow never comes.

NAPERVILLE SUN

Supreme Court justice's daughter charged with drunken driving - Nick Fawell
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/258127,6_1_NA15_DUI_S1.article

Ann S. Banaszewski, 45, a Wheaton resident, was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. Monday at Gamon Road and Longfellow Drive after a witness reported seeing a possible drunk driver near 2030 S. Naperville Road, according to a police statement.

Banaszewski's three children also were in the car, a 1996 Ford Econoline van. At her request, the children were dropped off by police at a family friend's home while Banaszewski was taken into custody, Wheaton Deputy Police Chief Tom Meloni said.

In addition to the drunken driving count, Banaszewski was charged with endangering the life of a child. She was processed on both charges at the Wheaton Police Department and was released on a recognizance bond.

Meloni would not reveal the children's ages but did say they were all younger than 17.

Mary Gall, region administrator for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said driving drunk with a child increases the severity of the incident exponentially.

"DUI crashes are devastating in all cases," she said. "You can just imagine that's just aggravated when you're talking about a child. A parent who would be responsible for their own child's death - that would just be devastating to them."

Gall said instances such as this are why child endangerment laws exist.

A man, who did not identify himself, answered Banaszewski's door Wednesday and said, "We have no comment."

Calls to Banaszewski's home were not returned Wednesday.

The DuPage Circuit Court clerk will set Banaszewski's court date.

Scalia has served on the Supreme Court since 1986, when he was nominated by President Reagan. He has nine children.

DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Naperville Sun blasts Naperville Area Republican Women's Organization Candidates Forum

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/258125,6_1_NA15_FORUM_S1.article

A candidates forum for the upcoming city, Park District and school district races was hosted by the group Wednesday night - but it appears not all the candidates were invited.

As of Wednesday afternoon, all three mayoral hopefuls and all six City Council candidates had confirmed they would attend the event. However, only three of five Park District candidates and three of nine School District 203 board candidates had confirmed. Not one of the seven Indian Prairie School District 204 candidates was listed.

NARWO President Liz Martinez said there's a logical explanation.

"The mayoral candidates and those running for City Council - that was easy to know who they were," she said. "It was more difficult to know who was running for Park District and the boards of education. Even once we knew who they were, finding them was yet another issue.

"But I believe they have all been invited now," Martinez said Wednesday afternoon.

However, that was not the case with incumbent Park District Commissioner Ron Ory, one of five candidates vying for three seats.

Ory has been a commissioner for 12 years and is listed in the phone book. He did not receive an invitation to the event at his home or at Park District offices.

"If they were trying to contact the candidates for the Park District, I would have thought they would go to the secretary of the board or the person who collects the (election) packets," Ory said.

Lynne Bandyk, Park District executive administrative assistant, said no invitation for Ory or any commission candidates had been received, nor had NARWO made contact about the event.

"They haven't gone out of their way to extend an invite to a few folks," Ory said.

But it appears the group did make a concerted effort to reach some candidates.

Park District candidate Suzanne Hart, who is also listed in the phone book, said she received a call from a NARWO member the last week of January asking her to participate in the forum.

In the past the organization has hosted similar forums for state and county government candidates; this was to be its first venture into nonpartisan local elections.

Martinez said NARWO may make candidate endorsements after the Feb. 26 mayoral primary, but added that is not the purpose of the forum; rather, it is for education.

Tom Wronski, chairman of the Naperville Township Democratic Organization, said members of his group have been asked to help several local candidates and while they may so on an individual basis, it won't be done at an organizational level.

"It's a nonpartisan election and we believe people can and should choose their own representatives in terms of their own neighborhood concerns," he said.

DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrat and RINO efforts to bring poverty to the suburbs less successful in Naperville

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/258331,6_1_NA15_POVERTY_S1.article

While poverty rates in Chicago still far eclipse those in the suburbs, the summit's 2007 Report on Illinois Poverty found that DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will and suburban Cook counties fueled poverty growth in the Chicago region since 1999.

There are now 25 percent more suburban residents who live at or below the poverty line than there were six years ago, while Chicago saw an 8 percent increase in poverty rates.

Cook County's poverty rate in 2004 was at 15 percent and rates in surrounding counties were in the 5 percent to 7 percent range, with DuPage at 6 percent.

According the study, two in five of the Chicago region's poor live in the suburbs.

Meanwhile, Naperville's poverty rate sits at 2.5 percent, according to a 2006 Census report. The city also boasts a median household income of $88,771 - far greater than the Illinois median of $50,260.

But Naperville is an exception to the study's findings, which point to statewide increases in income disparity and an increase in poverty in 87 of Illinois' 102 counties.

The study also found that 436,270 Chicago-region residents are defined as living in extreme poverty by earning less than half of the poverty line - a population more than three times the size of Naperville.

Poverty is no longer just an urban problem, said U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, who is co-chair of the Poverty Summit. The Hinsdale Republican also serves as ranking member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.

"Poverty continues to be a challenge, whether it is in the urban, suburban, or rural areas of Illinois," she said. "I'm especially interested in working to increase access to affordable housing for those who need it. I also plan to work in Congress to ensure that homeless kids get the education they need to break out of the bonds of poverty."

The increase in suburban poverty is due to rising housing and transportation costs, lack of adequate health insurance, manufacturing job loss, an increase in teen birth rates in the collar counties and inadequate income support programs, the study found.

Sid Mohn, president of Heartland Alliance, which convened the Illinois Poverty Summit, called for improved and expanded programs in 2007 for low-wage workers, the unemployed and people unable to work.

"Poverty is growing in Chicago's neighboring suburbs and towns and is no longer just an urban problem," he said. "Poverty is a statewide problem, and state and local leaders must work together to take the necessary steps to reduce poverty in every corner of Illinois."

DAILY HERALD

DIERSEN HEADLINE: Marni Pyke reports on Democrat and RINO success in attracting people who want government assistance to Chicago suburbs 

Poor among plenty - Marni Pyke 

For the first time in history, more poor people are living in the nation's suburbs than in the cities. Soon that may be true in the Chicago area; the number of those living in poverty in the collar counties has risen dramatically since 1999.

More and more suburban residents are barely scratching out a living, a report on Illinois poverty indicates.

More than 386,000 people in the collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will and suburban Cook are among the have-nots, the study by the Mid-America Institute on Poverty of Heartland Alliance indicates.

And the number of those in need in the suburbs grew by 25 percent between 1999 and 2006, a rate that surpasses Chicago's rate of 8 percent.

"Poverty is a reality, not an urban phenomenon," said report researcher Amy Rynell of Heartland Alliance, a Chicago-based charitable organization.

In Illinois, the numbers of the poor come to 1.48 million, while in Chicago the tally is 573,486.

Heartland uses federal guidelines to define poverty as one person earning less than $10,210 a year or a family of four with an income of less than $20,650.

Experts say the poor are seniors, people with disabilities, domestic violence victims, young adults trying to make it on their own, single-parent families, new immigrants, individuals with health problems, and the unemployed.

They're also people with jobs, say social workers on the front lines.

"They're working hard, holding down two jobs and trying to find child care," explained Victoria Bran, director of the Rolling Meadows Police Neighborhood Resource Center.

The Illinois report echoes a national study by the Brookings Institution that found - for the first time in history - more of America's poor are living in the suburbs than in cities, a total of 1.2 million people in 2005.

Suburban poverty tends to be invisible, a phenomenon Chicago native Bran noticed.

"You come out to the suburbs and see the large homes and properties," she said. "You don't always see the other side."

But it's a reality Winfield resident Laticia Nunes experiences every day.

The mother of three children ages 1, 3 and 5 years carefully looked through items Wednesday at the free-clothes closet at the People's Resource Center in Wheaton.

She picked up a tiny pair of boots and another of shoes to help keep her kids warm.

"I come here when it's necessary," Nunes said.

DuPage charitable organizations such as the People's Resource Center and the homelessness prevention agency Public Action to Deliver Shelter, or PADS, have noticed their numbers climbing. The cold snap and blizzards of late have contributed to the crisis, officials said.

PADS of Elgin Executive Director Dennis Hewitt has also seen an increase in people using the agency's emergency overnight shelters.

Spqr Harris, a 20-year-old taking classes at College of DuPage, is sleeping at DuPage PADS shelters until he gets back on his feet.

"It's not all homeless and lazy," Harris said about PADS clients. "Every person has their own situation."

Harris, who gets around by public transit, preferred the frigid temperatures of last week to Tuesday's snowstorm.

"It's kind of rough. I fell into a puddle yesterday," he said.

As she did the numbers, Rynell said she was concerned the number of impoverished people ages 18 to 29, such as Harris, comes to 330,000 across the state, which can reflect a vicious cycle of poverty.

Other findings were that nearly 24,000 households a month use food pantries in Kane, Will, DuPage, Lake and McHenry counties and that a growing number of people in the Chicago region are paying more than one-third of their income toward rent.

State officials, meanwhile, say that in spite of the grim news, employment is increasing. Between 2005 and 2006, the unemployment rate went from 5.4 percent to 3.9 percent, Illinois Department of Employment Security economist Norman Kelewitz said.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says yes, maybe more people have jobs, but they're not necessarily well-paying jobs.

"Incomes are not rising and the cost of living continues to go up," he said. "Costs for education, energy and health care are continuing to go up."

That's a sentiment shared by Maureen Murphy, association division manager at the Lake County branch of Catholic Charities.

The agency serves between 25,000 and 27,000 people a year and has noticed a dramatic increase in need.

Job losses and a high cost of living are hurting Lake County residents, Murphy said.

"If you work for a minimum wage in Lake, you have to work 133 hours a week to afford a two-bedroom apartment.

"People are trying to stay afloat, but they need extra help," she said.

Darlene Marcusson, executive director of Lazarus House in St. Charles, which assists the homeless, contends the haves must take some responsibility for the plight of the have-nots.

"I appreciate being able to go to Wal-Mart and buy a case of water for $4, and that's the problem. It means someone is working for $8 an hour instead of $18 an hour," Marcusson said.

Heartland's report calls on the Illinois General Assembly to cut the numbers of the poor, assist with affordable housing and expand job training programs.

Second science textbook flagged  Dist. 203 board member Jim Caulfield objects to sexual topics - Melissa Jenco

http://www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=281271&cc=d&tc=nap&t=naperville

A science textbook is once again creating a stir in Naperville Unit District 203.

School board member Jim Caulfield says he objects to a book awaiting board approval because it contains “politically driven inaccuracies” in the way it addresses contraception and abortion.

“It’s got nothing to do with censorship. It’s got everything to do with what’s a world-class education and this … is on its face misinformation on politically controversially topics,” Caulfield said.

Staff members have recommended the book, “Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology,” by Elaine Marieb, for advanced high school science classes. They want to purchase 140 copies for $10,425.

The school board is scheduled to vote on the book along with several dozen others on Tuesday.

Caulfield said it’s the board’s responsibility to carefully review textbooks before voting.

“To me, that’s more than getting a list from the administration and approving them. … It’s more than judging a book by its cover … (or) judging by its title.”

In particular, he’s troubled by the way the science textbook combines discussion of RU-486 abortion pills with contraception and he doesn’t agree with the book’s assertion that the pills have few side effects.

“If death is not a side effect, then that may be right, but the New York Times, which is an abortion rights-supporting newspaper, reported that six women died after taking it,” Caulfield said.

He also said the book’s discussion of the morning-after pill credits abortion provider Planned Parenthood and dehumanizes the life involved by referring to it as a fertilized egg.

Gloria Schor Andersen, president of the local chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said she doesn’t believe the author is trying to be deceptive or push an agenda.

“I haven’t seen the textbook, but I’m extremely concerned about censorship, and the biggest thing is it’s censorship of (District) 203 science teachers who picked that textbook and they probably chose it for a reason,” Andersen said.

While they may not agree on the book, both Caulfield and Andersen say they simply want science classes to be about science.

Jodi Wirt, associate superintendent for instruction, said textbook selection is a lengthy process that includes designing courses based on state and national standards and evaluating numerous books to help implement that curriculum.

Wirt said the committee choosing textbooks strives for material that is accurate and helps provide a valuable learning experience.

“The problem with that is everyone brings their own personal experiences to a text, so what might be considered (biased) by one person might not be considered a biased perspective to another,” Wirt said.

Textbooks are put on display at area libraries for 30 days for public review before the board votes on them. Residents traditionally provide very little feedback.

But this is the second time Caulfield has raised objections about a science textbook. In the fall of 2005, he proposed the board remove “Biology: A Guide to the Natural World” from the advanced high school biology classes.

At the time, he said the book took an unbalanced approach on topics including contraception, evolution and stem cell research.

The school board rejected that proposal 5-2 but did agree to create a policy that would give officials a heads-up when issues typically covered in sex education are addressed in curriculum or textbooks.

The school board will discuss the latest round of textbooks when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the district’s administrative center, 203 W. Hillside Road.

DIERSEN HEADLINE: VERY SAD: Daily Herald promotes anti-Bush concert in West Chicago

http://www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=281328&cc=d&tc=wch&t=west%20chicago

DuPage group against war to sponsor first concert - Elisabeth Mistretta
For almost five years, they’ve rallied, carried protest signs, organized voters and held vigils.

This Sunday, though, they will use music to spread their message.

DuPage Against War Now will host the “Make Art, Not War” concert at Oasis Café in West Chicago.

Local hip-hop artists will pick up the mic and perform in the anti-war group’s first music-centered event since its inception in 2002. It will feature performances by Chicago-area artists Agents of Change, Twist, Two 1 and Either Way.

Amy Tauchman, co-founder of DAWN, said the all-ages show aims to draw in younger supporters who want to find a place of their own within the cause.

“Part of the point is for everyone to take responsibility for what is happening with our government right now,” Tauchman said. “One way to do that is to reach out to people in the language that they speak — hip-hop — and to reach out to the parents of these people.

“We also hope this event will inspire the other generations, even if they’re hesitant about the noise.”

The show will also feature displays of visual art, and DAWN members hope the event will inspire participants to contribute their time, thoughts and donations.

Since the organization’s inception, DAWN has sponsored protests and vigils, registered 7,000 new voters, initiated film festivals and hosted guests like activist Cindy Sheehan, whose son served in the military and was killed in the war.

In addition to the concert on Sunday, the group will host a screening of “The War Tapes” at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Glen Ellyn Library, 400 Duane St.

For details on the concert or the screening, visit www.d-a-w-n.org.

Millner and Ramey push to pull plug on West Chicago sales tax - Robert Sanchez
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=281454&cc=d&tc=&t=

Two state lawmakers are committed to lifting a quarter-cent sales tax in West Chicago, despite opposition from the DuPage County water group collecting it.

State Sen. John Millner and state Rep. Randy Ramey have introduced identical legislation in the Illinois Senate and House that would eliminate the DuPage Water Commission’s sales tax in West Chicago.

The supplier of Lake Michigan water levies the quarter-cent sales tax on a countywide basis to pay off its massive system of pipelines and pumping stations.

But city leaders have long argued the town shouldn’t be included because it has a multimillion-dollar plant that treats water drawn from underground wells.

“West Chicago will never be in the DuPage Water Commission,” Millner said. “So why should the residents from that area pay money to the water commission? It’s just not fair to the community.”

But water commissioners say the language of the law gives them concern, and they’re planning to voice their opposition to every state lawmaker from DuPage.

“I’m disappointed that they would move forward with the legislation when we didn’t have a chance to work together to resolve our issues,” Commissioner William Mueller said.

One major concern is West Chicago’s request that the commission return all the tax money it collected from the city since the water treatment plant’s January 2005 opening.

The money, estimated at more than $1 million, could help repay the loan West Chicago needed to build its plant.

But water commissioners are only willing to return the sales tax dollars collected since January 2006. And that offer is only good if the proposed legislation is approved this year.

Millner said he’d consider modifying the legislation to reach a compromise. Still, he believes West Chicago’s request is fair, especially when the water commission has so much surplus cash — more than $100 million — that it’s moving to slash water rates and give big rebates to its customers.

Ramey addressed concerns that the proposed legislation might lead to other municipalities, such as Warrenville and Wayne that don’t get lake water, wanting a similar deal.

The change, he said, only would apply to municipalities that have built and operate their own water system. West Chicago is the only DuPage city that’s done that.

In the meantime, Ramey says he understands why West Chicago is pushing for the elimination of the sales tax.

“If I’m paying for something I don’t use,” he said, “I would try to not pay for it.”

If political ethics isn’t an oxymoron in Illinois state government, it comes uncomfortably close.

The two terms just don’t seem to mesh, and even when state officials try to improve matters, nothing about the process seems to come easily.

Witness this week’s unveiling of the Illinois executive inspector general’s annual report.

The document from Inspector General James Wright lays some interesting statistics on the table. It tells us, for example, that the inspector general’s office last year received 1,278 complaints on such matters as fraud, misconduct, harassment or waste on the part of state employees in departments under the governor’s control.

It tells us that investigators found evidence to support 64 complaints. It informs us that as a result, 13 state employees resigned, were fired or are in the process of being dismissed. It lets us know that the inspector general — based on findings — referred six cases to the U.S. attorney’s office for possible prosecution.

Good data, as far as it goes. But it doesn’t go far enough.

What sorts of misconduct led to dismissals? In what departments did these employees work? Who were they? Not their names, of course. But were they rank-and-file employees? Supervisors? Department heads? Which departments experienced problems large enough to merit referral to the Justice Department? If that sort of information were included, the report would give residents a better idea of how well ethics laws are working.

Ideally, the inspector general’s report would more closely resemble the annual public access counselor report from Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office. This document lays out raw numbers, but carries additional punch because it also provides specific examples of how Freedom of Information laws were violated.

Wright has suggested for some time now that laws governing his office be updated to make his work more transparent. Some state legislators, including Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, and Sen. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican, agree. They are among those working on such fine-tuning as making more information available through Freedom of Information requests or releasing additional information even without special requests.

One other flaw in the law, as currently written, is that the inspector general may refer cases to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s highly touted ethics commission only under very narrow circumstances. How narrow? According to the commission’s annual report, not a single case was referred to it last year.

The commission has been handled oddly from its inception. After talking up its importance, Blagojevich delayed making his appointments to the panel for more than half a year after lawmakers voted to establish it. He eventually made quality appointments, including attorney and author Scott Turow, but now the group has little to do because of the tight restrictions on which cases can actually be sent its way.

The whole idea behind creating the commission three years ago was that its independent members would be able to review and act on complaints free of any political filter that might interfere if the matter was handled strictly by the department or agency in which the problem occurred. But the commission can’t very well serve that role if it never gets to see any complaints.

Well aware that their empty calendar is not what anyone envisioned, members of the commission set forth their own set of good ideas in their latest annual report. Among them:

•Any case of employee misconduct serious enough to draw a three-day suspension or more should automatically go before the commission.

•The commission should have a role in approving penalties.

•The commission should have a larger oversight role in ethics training.

Good ideas, all, and ones that lawmakers need to put into effect before another legislative session goes by.

ILLINOIS POVERTY SUMMIT

DIERSEN HEADLINE: Blagojevich administration causes poverty to increase in 85 percent of Illinois Counties

http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/search.jsp?searchtype=full&option=headlines&criteriadisplay=show&resourceid=3402915

Poverty Increases in 85 Percent of Illinois Counties  Illinois' Future Threatened by Meager Income Gains for Poor and Middle-Income Families, High Young Adult Poverty, and Persistent State Budget Problems, According to New Report

Eighty-seven of Illinois' 102 counties have seen an increase in poverty, according to a report released today by the Illinois Poverty Summit. Nearly 1.5 million Illinois residents live in poverty -- more than the population of the entire city of Philadelphia, the fifth largest city in the nation.

The report illustrates that many Illinois workers cannot make ends meet. Between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, income increases for low- and middle-income families fell far short of keeping pace with inflation. The poorest fifth of families in the state saw their average income increase approximately $145 per year, from $14,969 to just $18,032 during that two-decade period. Middle-income families saw their average income increase from $41,179 to only $50,032, around $420 per year. Looking ahead, 43 percent of new jobs through 2012 are projected to pay less than $23,650 -- not enough to help families meet basic necessities.

"Every Illinoisan must be ensured the human right to a life free from poverty. Yet, we undermine this right every day in Illinois -- the poorest Illinoisans continue to grow poorer and far too many hardworking low- and middle-income families face serious struggles just to make ends meet," said Sid Mohn, president of Heartland Alliance, the convener of the Illinois Poverty Summit. "In 2007, our state leaders should improve and expand critical programs for low-wage workers, the unemployed, and people unable to work in order to provide better paths toward self-sufficiency."

The report also paints a bleak picture for the future of Illinois' economy. More than 330,000 young Illinois adults ages 18 to 29 are living in poverty -- the highest poverty numbers for that age group in the Midwest. Severely hindering the competitiveness of Illinois' future workforce, approximately 18 percent of Illinois young adults do not have a high school diploma -- second only to Indiana as worst in the midwest. Exacerbating these problems are the quick fixes used to address the state's budget shortfalls, which result in a weakened human services infrastructure, unmet service needs that continue to grow, and deepening public debt.

"Our state's fiscal challenges threaten our ability to reduce poverty statewide. We must work together to expand important programs that support working families," said State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana).

The 2007 Report on Illinois Poverty documents how Illinois families are experiencing significant hardship. Some of the findings include:

-- Illinois children are 53 percent more likely to be poor than working age adults. Rural child poverty in the state rose 26 percent from 1999 to 2000. Nearly 68 percent of poor children live in families that worked in the last year.

-- Lack of adequate health insurance causes health and financial hardship. More than 430,000 working age, insured Illinoisans incurred health costs not

covered by insurance in 2004 that totaled one quarter or more of their annual earnings. Nearly 55 percent of Illinoisans ages 18 to 64 in extreme poverty completely lack health insurance compared to 16 percent of those not in extreme poverty.

-- Assets such as homeownership often keep families financially secure, yet troubling disparities in wealth exist in Illinois. Illinois renter families have a poverty rate of 28 percent compared to a poverty rate of less than 4 percent for Illinois families who own their homes. White Illinois households have a 515 percent higher median net worth than minority households.

-- There are 57 Illinois counties on the 2007 Poverty Watch or Warning lists. These counties are failing in key areas and need to determine where improvements can be made to combat poverty. County-specific data are available in the report's appendix.

"The economic success of our state hinges largely upon the strength in our communities. Creating an environment which is inclusive to investment and the creation of jobs, in combination with initiatives designed to address those truly in need should be a priority for the General Assembly in 2007," said State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon). "Achieving these goals without the complicated and confusing 'red tape' that too often accompanies government action is vital."

For the first time, the report offers policy recommendations that state leaders should implement to begin addressing poverty and economic insecurity in Illinois, including:

-- Hold statewide legislative hearings to inform a plan to reduce by half the number of Illinoisans living in extreme poverty by 2015.

-- Expand transitional and vocational job programs to ensure that even the lowest-skilled workers and job seekers can obtain and retain employment.

-- Generate new funding for affordable housing by reforming the real estate transfer tax.

-- Expand the state Earned Income Tax Credit program so low-income workers can keep more of their earnings.

The report will be presented next month at the seventh annual briefing of the Illinois Poverty Summit, a bipartisan group that analyzes poverty trends in Illinois. The summit is staffed by the Mid-America Institute on Poverty of Heartland Alliance, a service-based human rights organization that provides housing, healthcare, human services, and human rights protections to the most poor and vulnerable people in our society.

The report, which includes county-specific data, can be viewed online at: http://www.heartlandalliance.org/maip/research.html

For more information: Ambar Mentor or Hugh McMullen, Valerie Denney Communications, Ph: 312-408-2580 x 25, Cell: 773-343-1481 (Ambar); Ph: 312- 408-2580 x 15, Cell: 740-707-7493 (Hugh)

Amy Rynell or Sid Mohn, Heartland Alliance, Ph: 773-336-6074, Cell: 773- 491-5475 (Amy); Ph: 312-660-1301, Cell: 312-209-1301 (Sid)

Source: Illinois Poverty Summit

CONTACT: Ambar Mentor or Hugh McMullen, +1-312-408-2580 x 25, cell,
+1-773-343-1481 (Ambar); +1-312-408-2580 x 15, cell, +1-740-707-7493 (Hugh),
both of Valerie Denney Communications;
or Amy Rynell or Sid Mohn, +1-773-336-6074, cell, +1-773-491-5475 (Amy);
+1-312-660-1301, cell, +1-312-209-1301 (Sid), both of the Heartland Alliance

Web site: http://www.heartlandalliance.org/maip/research.html

Former Gov. George Ryan, a Republican from Illinois, was convicted of fraud that ended his political career after one term in 2003. Ryan, 72, was indicted on 22 counts of mail fraud, racketeering, rent and other offences. Despite Ryan's indictment on corruption charges, University College of Law Professor Francis A. Boyle nominated him for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Boyle nominated Ryan several times for his efforts to reform the American death penalty system. As governor in 2000, Ryan declared a moratorium on the Illinois death penalty system. In 2003, before his departure from office, he changed the prison term of all 167 death row inmates to life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Ryan was contacted and congratulated by prominent figures like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Pope John Paul II for his reform on capital punishment. Boyle nominated Ryan for the upcoming 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

According to a press release from The Campaign to Support the Nomination of George H. Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize, "Francis A. Boyle has stated that, 'George Ryan is the beginning of the end of the death penalty in America.'"

Also nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize are Chicago Attorneys Karen Conti and Greg Adamski. Former Vice President Al Gore was nominated for his efforts to raise global warming awareness.

Since 1901, the Nobel Foundation has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to individuals and organizations for achievements in literature, physics, chemistry, medicine and humanitarian efforts. There are currently 167 nominees for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize according to the preliminary count received by Nobel officials.

More nominations are expected.

According to Nobelprize.org, to submit a proposal for the Nobel Peace Prize, the nominator must be a member of national assemblies, governments or international courts; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology; directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes; former recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize; and active or former members and advisors of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

In September 2006, Ryan was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for corruption charges. His sentence is still pending.

Despite his efforts to reform the death penalty, responses to his nomination are mixed.

"George Ryan's tenure in office contributed to Illinois' reputation as a haven for political corruption. That being said, I think Ryan should be commended for both ordering a moratorium on executions and commuting the sentences of all prisoners on death row," said Justin Cajindos, senior in LAS and president of the University's chapter of the College Democrats.

Cajindos doesn't believe that Ryan deserves to be awarded the Nobel Prize.

"Ryan being a convicted criminal argues against his worthiness as an award recipient," he said.

 

Losing candidate joins push to abolish comptroller's office - Failed Eric Potter 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Three months ago, Carole Pankau lost her election bid to
become state comptroller. Now, she's backing a legislative measure to abolish
the office, saying its functions don't require a separate elective position.

No, it isn't vengeance against the man who defeated her, Dan Hynes. In fact, he
has said that he generally agrees that Illinois doesn't need both a comptroller
and a treasurer.

Pankau, a Republican state senator from Itasca, said she has "supported this
concept for a long long time, even back in the mid-1990s."

She joins former Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and another failed comptroller
candidate, Sen. Chris Lauzen, in her call to eliminate the office.

In Illinois, the treasurer invests the state's money and the comptroller pays
the bills, but in many states, one office performs both duties. Pankau and Sen.
Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, are sponsoring a resolution to amend the state
constitution to merge both offices under the treasurer.

Hynes made his support of a merger part of his platform when he was first
elected comptroller in 1998. His opponent that year, Lauzen, a Republican from
Aurora, pushed forward a merger plan in 2000, which Hynes backed. That
resolution passed in the Senate but failed in the House.

Topinka estimated in 2000 that combining the offices would save taxpayers $3
million a year.

Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Chicago Democrat, opposes the concept of a
merger. "The treasurer feels that, more than ever, Illinois needs more checks
and balances, not fewer," Giannoulias spokesman Scott Burnham said. "Two
separate financial offices provide more accountability."

Hynes continues to support a merger, based on the savings it would provide to
the state. But his office said the proposed resolution is too blunt in simply
moving the duties of the comptroller's office over to the treasurer.

"You're looking at bringing a number of responsibilities together when you
merge (the offices), and you want to make sure that you're not eliminating
something important," Hynes spokeswoman Carol Knowles said.