• CRAIN'S BLASTS BLAGOJEVICH IN ENDORSING TOPINKA
• GOVERNOR SEEKS TO INCREASE MIN. WAGE, AGAIN
• VOTERS DON'T RANK RATE FREEZE VERY HIGH
• BLAGOJEVICH APPOINTEE PLEADS GUILTY
• RUTHERFORD CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES TELEVISION BLITZ
• EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK: Chicago Tribune - "If the bosses get away with this"

CRAIN'S BLASTS BLAGOJEVICH IN ENDORSING TOPINKA

In an unusually blunt and to the point editorial, Crain's Chicago Business endorsed Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka for Governor and explicitly stated why they did not believe Governor Blagojevich deserved a second term.  Crain's started the editorial firing with both barrels:  "Gov. Rod Blagojevich, has presided over an administration of unparalleled venality, and for that reason alone we cannot endorse him."

Crain's concludes by saying, "In sum, Gov. Blagojevich has disgraced himself and the state.  Nothing he may have accomplished in office can erase that taint or entitle him to another term...Ms. Topinka, on the other hand, has managed a long career in state government without acquiring the ethical baggage Gov. Blagojevich has picked up in four years as governor."

Additionally, Topinka keeps racking up editorial endorsements from around the state in her bid to unseat incumbent Governor Rod Blagojevich.  In addition to the Chicago Tribune, Topinka added the State Journal-Register, the Daily Herald, Decatur Herald & Review, Quad City Times, Belleville News Democrat, the Mattoon Journal Gazette and the Charleston Times Courier.

From the Decatur Herald & Review:  "Republican challenger Judy Baar Topinka has a detailed plan to lead the state forward. She has a budget rescue plan that includes no tax increases, a property tax freeze and paying the state's bills on time.  The people of Illinois deserve a governor who has a plan. In this election, Judy Baar Topinka is the best choice."

From the Belleville News Democrat:  "We don't want to just tell you why not to re-elect Blagojevich. There are many solid reasons to vote for Republican Judy Baar Topinka beyond the fact she is not Rod.  ...she's a bright, knowledgeable politician. Her motto for this campaign is, "Common sense. Straight talk. Hard work." That pretty well sums her up."

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GOVERNOR SEEKS TO INCREASE MIN. WAGE, AGAIN

Standing with Mayor Daley and other Chicago politicians on Saturday, Governor Blagojevich announced that he will seek an increase in the Illinois minimum wage during the upcoming Veto Session of the General Assembly.  The immediate increase would be $1.00 to $7.50 an hour and then the minimum wage would be pegged to the rate of inflation.  The federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.

Blagojevich pushed for a raise in 2003 to the current $6.50 an hour but now says that costs have continued to rise and there is need for an additional bump.  The Governor's Office says that the move would help 500,000 people in Illinois.  The Topinka campaign supports an increase in the federal minimum wage because of the adverse affects such a unilateral move would have on Illinois jobs.  Topinka's campaign said that an increase in the federal minimum wage levels the playing field and reduces the risk of job loss in Illinois.

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VOTERS DON'T RANK RATE FREEZE VERY HIGH

In a policy issues poll released last week, Illinois voters rank a utility rate freeze near the bottom of the top nine concerns they voiced.  At the top of their list are the old stand-bys, "education funding, "balancing the state budget", and "health care".  The new Research 2000 poll asked voters to rank the top nine state issues.  Freezing utility rates ranked 8 out 9 scoring only 5% amongst respondents.

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BLAGOJEVICH APPOINTEE PLEADS GUILTY

Stu Levine, who has been a political insider for many years, pled guilty on Friday as part of his plea agreement with the US Attorney's office.  Levine is considered a key witness in the burgeoning "pay-to-play" scandal involving Governor Blagojevich and his closest advisors and campaign fundraisers.  Levin's plea agreement runs 58 pages and details numerous schemes that he and other insiders launched to fleece Illinois taxpayers for millions of dollars.

Levine's plea agreement includes numerous mentions of Tony Rezko, Blagojevich's top fundraiser and confidant.  Rezko returned to Illinois 10 days ago to be arraigned on numerous charges of public corruption stemming from the ongoing investigations.  Levine also indicates that "Individual B" was heavily involved in the kickback plans.  "Individual B" is believed to be Chris Kelly another Blagojevich friend and fundraiser.

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RUTHERFORD CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES TELEVISION BLITZ

State Senator Dan Rutherford, GOP candidate for Secretary of State, has launched a TV ad in his bid to unseat incumbent Jesse White.  Rutherford, along with several news outlets, have questioned the number of White family members that are on the state's payroll.  The PI has followed this story in depth.  

Check out the TV ad here.

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EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK: Chicago Tribune - "If the bosses get away with this"

"Remember how Chicago's Democratic bosses lied to voters earlier this year? Remember their assurances that John Stroger would return after his stroke to lead the Cook County Board? Once the deadline for other candidates to file papers for Stroger's seat passed, the bosses did what they'd plotted all along: They put Stroger's lightweight son, Todd, on the ballot to cement their control of county jobs and contracts. But it turns out that wasn't the end of their disdain for voters--especially African-American voters."  Read the whole thing...

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