Progress Illinois

Race Tinges Appointment Debate
Rep. Bobby Rush is under fire from many of his fellow Democrats for injecting race into the debate over Burris’ controversial Senate appointment. Among the first to speak out was Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who, on CNN’s Situation Room yesterday, said: “I think race is, in terms of this process, is really not an issue.”

Davis Says He Refused Senate Appointment
Rep. Danny Davis told the AP yesterday that a Blagojevich emissary offered him the U.S. Senate appointment last week, but that he refused the opportunity after deciding that the atmosphere surrounding the seat is too “poisoned.”

Blagojevich Admin’s Top Lawyer Resigns
On the same day that Blagojevich attempted to fill the state’s vacant U.S. Senate seat, his general counsel, William J. Quinlan, announced his resignation. In a letter to his coworkers, Quinlan wrote: “We should not let recent events diminish the pride in our accomplishments or the commitment to public service with which we approach our job each day.”

Reform In Chicago Hiring Won’t Come This Year
The Daley administration won’t challenge court oversight of its scandal-plagued hiring system by year’s end, saying that the self-imposed deadline won’t be met because there’s more work to be done. The delay means city hiring will continue to be supervised by an independent monitor.

Chicago Housing Market Continues To Slide
Dismal home sales over the past year have amounted to a record annual decline, 10.8 percent, in Chicago home values. The upshot is that the slump was mild compared to a national decline in values, 18 percent, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index. 

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user chicagopublicradio.