Fire Fighter Neil Anderson up with New Video in 72nd House District

House Republican Candidate Neil Anderson is a member of the Moline Fire Department.  He also was a member of the University of Nebraska football team.  Pretty neat stuff.  He's now up with a new video touting his credentials to 'put the fire out' in Springfield.

The 72nd District includes: all of western Rock Island County, including Rock Island, Milan, Coal Valley and parts of Moline, and the northern part of Mercer County.

State Representative Candidate Bob Kalnicky Picks up Mayoral Endorsement

In one of the potential 'pick-ups' that could lead to the 'retaking of the Illinois House candidate Bob Kalnicky - who is running in the 98th District - got a nice boost from Romeoville Mayor John Noak this week. The Illinois Review had the story.

"I've had the opportunity to work with Bob while he was chairman of the Romeoville Chamber of Commerce, and it's clear to me that Bob has the knowledge, the skills, and the courage to fight back against bad Springfield policies that have hurt our economy and cost us jobs," Noak said. "Bob is exactly the kind of fighter I want representing my family and our community in Springfield. 

"We can turn this ship around, but not without elected leaders that will stand up against Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn, and the policies that are destroying our state," Noak said.

Bob Kalnicky Launches "Tax Repeal" Site

If you live in Bolingbrook or Romeoville, you're in luck!  Bob Kalnicky, the Republican candidate for the 98th Illinois House District announced his intentions to vote to "repeal the Pat Quinn Income Tax Hike" with the launch of his new website:  http://www.bob-backs-the-tax-repeal.com/.  

Bob Kalnicky, candidate for State representative in the 98th district is taking his commitment to repealing the massive 67% corporate and personal income tax hikes signed by Governor Quinn last year one step further. This weekend, Kalnicky’s campaign launched a website that memorializes the pledge – www.Bob-Backs-The-Tax-Repeal.com. 

“This website puts the pledge I’m making front and center so that the people of the 98th district can hold me accountable to that when I get to Springfield. There will be no ambiguity on this issue,” said Kalnicky of the website.

You can read Bob's tax repeal pledge here.

Bill Foster *ASPIRES* to be a Rubber Stamp? Really?

Foster is running against Judy Biggert

This week, while he was in Charlotte for the Democrat National Convention, Congressional Candidate Bill Foster (who is running in the 11th District) had some curious things to say. Basically, he admitted that he's keen on being a rubber stamp.

Democrat Bill Foster told Illinois delegates at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday that he supported nearly all of President Barack Obama's initiatives in Congress while he was there and hopes to do so again.

Is that who we would want in Congress?  Someone who blindly follows the leader?  

DuPage Forest Preserve President Dewey Pierotti To Cover his....

Looks like the DuPage Forest Preserve Board, lead by Republican Dewey Pierotti is looking to try to recover some of the dough they lost when employees pilfered the agency while the board was asleep:

The day after two ex-employees were charged with scamming the DuPage Forest Preserve District out of more than $150,000, the district filed a civil suit Thursday seeking to recover the lost funds. 

The complaint was filed in DuPage County Circuit Court. Officials say they were waiting for the state’s attorney’s office to complete its investigation. 

“We want to make sure we take every step possible to recover every dollar possible for taxpayers,” said forest preserve board President D. “Dewey” Pierotti Jr.

Every possible step, Dewey?  Well...that would have meant that you guys should have paid attention *while* the theft was going on.  Not just after.

And, yes....Dewey is a Republican.  Poor leadership in government isn't about one party or one individual.  It happens all the time - across both parties.  We're here to sniff it out.

Now...what about that website?  You're still confident that spending $175K is a good idea?   

Dem Watch: Is John Sullivan wrong for Illinois Senate?

That's what Adam Andrzejewski and his "For the Good of Illinois" Committee are running this spot pointing out that John Sullivan has voted to raise his own pay 3X in just the last 10 years.

And he's not stopping there. Andrzejewski personally went down to Sullivan's district to spread the word - or as we call it around here - "The Truth" about just what exactly our elected officials are up to when they forget their principles and head to Springfield.

Susan Sweeney Spot: "Solution to Springfield"

Susan Sweeney, who is running for the Illinois House in the 55th District against a guy named Marty Moylan is up with a strong commercial for her campaign.  She's a former IBM executive and wants to bring some business-sense to Springfield.

Go find out more about Susan Sweeney and her pledge to repeal the tax hike!

Do We Need More Dick Durbin?

Seems as though he's unsure of his future.  Maybe we should tell him that we'd be ok with him retiring?  

Asked about his future political plans, Durbin offered an ambiguous answer to reporters after an Illinois delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention. 

"I'm planning to run for re-election, but I'll make my final decision next year," said the Springfield Democrat, who turns 68 this fall.

SunTimes: "Mike Madigan's January pension scenario could lead to big property tax hike"

Dave McKinney, reporting from the DNC in Charlotte, picks up on Illinois House and Senate GOP Leadership's thoughts on Chicago Speaker Mike Madigan's bad plan to jam a bad pension bill down  the throats of Illinois residents.

"We fear that Democrat leaders' recent comments about passing a pension reform bill in January with Democrat-only votes will lead to a massive property tax increase, just like they shoved through the largest income tax increase on Illinois residents two years ago," Cross and Radogno's joint statement said.

That's the Chicago way, isn't it?  Speaker Mike Madigan knows that when he can't get his way, he'll just take his ball and go home and do whatever he wants.  Regardless of what the people of Illinois want.

You can read the full Cross & Radogno statement here.

IL Dems Banning Media from 2012 Convention Activities

The Chicago Democrats are down in Charlotte partying this week for the Democrat National Convention, but Speaker Mike Madigan, the head of the Illinois Delegation has banned the media from covering their events.  Here's a Tweet from ABC7's Charles Thomas:

Now IL Dems ban reporters from delegate reception.@ilgop is party of transparency? #Madigan #DNC2012 twitter.com/CharlesThomas7…
— Charles Thomas (@CharlesThomas7) September 2, 2012

And, there's plenty more here.  What are they hiding?