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John Maitland
The Bloomington Republican announced heôll resign his seat in the state Senate at the end of April. Maitland, who suffered a stroke in November 2000, had already decided not to seek re-election. A family spokesman says the senator believes the schedule during the last weeks of the spring legislative session would make it difficult to continue his rehabilitation. A grain farmer, Maitland became known as an expert in agriculture and school funding issues. He represented the 44th District in central Illinois for nearly a quarter of a century. He was named assistant majority leader in 1993. McLean County GOP Chairman Mike OôGrady is expected to name Bill Brady of Bloomington to replace Maitland. Brady, who served in the Illinois House from 1993 to 2001, won the Republican nomination in the March primary.

Illinois Issues, March 27, 2002

 

News March 2002

Ryan orders °permanent layoffsô
Gov. George Ryan ordered layoffs of 1,000 employees in the departments of corrections and human services in response to a budget shortfall his office now estimates at more than $1 billion. The order for the April and May layoffs came after a circuit court judge blocked Ryanôs plan for an unpaid one-day furlough of union workers. The union argued its contract requires the state to bargain furloughs. Meanwhile, the state also filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Illinois State Labor Relations Board. The complaint: The union contractôs doesnôt say the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31 can seek court action to block management decisions.

Illinois Issues, March 27, 2002

 

To find out more about the Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan primary victories and other related information:
local primary results by county:
http://www.elections.state.il.us/elecinfo/pages/localtotals.htm
campaign spending: http://ilcampaign.org/

Illinois Issues, March 21, 2002

Ryan might review death cases
Gov. George Ryan implied in a speech in Oregon that he would review the cases of the stateôs 159 Death Row inmates. Ryan, who could commute those inmatesô sentences, imposed a moratorium on executions two years ago in response to problems in the Illinois death penalty system. Since 1977, when the current capital punishment law took effect, 12 people have been executed, and 13 others were released from Death Row. Meanwhile, a report is due out this spring from Ryanôs commission on the death penalty.

Illinois Issues, March 7, 2002