News for December 2004 - Illinois Issues

News December 2004

Judge rejects business fee
A Cook County trial judge struck down a fee increase for Illinois companies that Gov. Rod Blagojevich proposed to fund workers' compensation system improvements and boost the state’s coffers. Cook County Circuit Judge Patrick McGann ruled that the fee hikes were unfair — and illegal under the Illinois Constitution — because they arbitrarily targeted businesses while fees for other consumers went unchanged. Douglas Whitley, president of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, which brought the suit, says lawmakers should stop targeting businesses to pay for the general operations of state government.

Illinois Issues, December 3, 2004

Bush re-elected
President George W. Bush won the popular and the electoral vote by a secure margin. Unofficial reports indicate Bush beat Democrat John Kerry with 51 percent of the ballots cast and nailed 274 electoral votes. The Massachusetts senator won 252. To win, 270 votes were needed. Kerry opted not to wait for a count of provisional ballots in Ohio, the last big state Bush won. Kerry was the victor in Illinois with 55 percent of the vote.

Illinois Issues, November 3, 2004

OBAMA SWEEPS
Bean knocks Crane out of the U.S. House
Republicans widened their majorities in Congress, but the Democratic contingent from Illinois is now in the majority by one seat. Because Barrington Democrat Melissa Bean defeated the longest-serving U.S. representative, Phil Crane of Wauconda, in the northwest suburban 8th District, 10 of the state’s 19 representatives are Democrats. And Barack Obama’s resounding defeat of former ambassador Alan Keyes, an import from Maryland, means Illinois will have two Democratic U.S. senators. Republican Peter Fitzgerald left an open seat when he opted not to run for re-election.

Illinois Issues, November 3, 2004

Democrats hang on to Statehouse majority
As expected, state Republicans failed to wrest control of either chamber of the General Assembly away from Democrats. The GOP picked up only one seat in the House and another in the Senate, and the party was unable to pick off several Democrats who appeared vulnerable despite district maps drawn by their party. Come January, Democrats will have a 65-53 advantage in the House and a 31-27 edge in the Senate, plus one independent who breaks their way.

In the Senate, Republican Gary Dahl, a trucking firm owner from rural Granville, defeated Peru Democrat Patrick Welch, a senator since 1983 and top lieutenant of Democratic Senate President Emil Jones. Dahl captured 52 percent of the vote to Welch’s 48 percent, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The unexpected defeat of Cicero Republican Rep. Frank Aguilar at the hands of a virtual unknown, Cicero Democrat Michelle Chavez, dampened an already-modest GOP advance in the House, where Republican challengers knocked off two incumbents. Aaron Schock, a 23-year-old Peoria school board president, scored a 230-vote victory over Rep. Ricca Slone, a four-term Peoria Heights Democrat. In addition, David Reis, a Willow Hill Republican, toppled appointed incumbent Rep. William Grunloh by a 62-38 margin, ousting the chamber’s most conservative Democrat. Other appointed legislators, most of whom replaced appointees to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration, held off their challengers.

In deep southern Illinois, Sen. Gary Forby, a Benton Democrat, defeated Ron Summers by a 53-47 margin. Bradley Democrat Rep. Lisa Dugan beat Kankakee Republican Kay Pangle by the same margin and Rep. Careen Gordon, a Coal City Democrat, won 52-48 over Morris Police Chief Doug Hayse. Sen. John Sullivan, the Rushville Democrat who first won the traditionally Republican district two years ago, held off Quincy Republican Tom Ernst. Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican, carried 62 percent of the in her race with Woodstock Democrat Patrick Oiumet.

In the House, Chicago Republican Rep. Michael McAuliffe defeated that chamber’s dean, Ralph Capparelli, a Chicago Democrat. It was the only bout between incumbents. Capparelli refused to move after redistricting, but Democrat John D’Amico secured Capparelli’s old 15th district, so the McAuliffe win was a wash for Republicans. Targeted House incumbents also held onto their seats, including Woodstock Democrat Jack Franks and Glenview Republican Elizabeth Coulson.

Illinois Issues, November 3, 2004