Policy

Several colleagues called recently to question the propriety of last Monday night’s fund-raising frenzy in Springfield, where state lawmakers headed into the final month of the Spring legislative session with an appeal for campaign cash from lobbyists and special-interest groups at more than 20 separate fund-raisers.

Spinning off some or all of Midway Airport to private investors is a high-flying topic that many civic-minded Chicagoans are eager to discuss, debate and learn more about, especially in the wake of that ignominious disaster known as the parking meter deal.

”Do you believe in miracles? Yes!!” That was sportscaster Al Michaels’ rhapsodic riff when the U.S. hockey team beat the heavily favored Soviets at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Hold ’em or fold ’em? Walk away or run? That’s what country singer Kenny Rogers ponders in “The Gambler,” his iconic song about the choices we face at the gaming table and, by inference, in life.

Tuesday is decision day in the 500 Cook County taxing bodies that elect their leaders: municipalities; school, park and library boards; special service districts; and my favorite poster child for unnecessary bureaucratic waste — townships.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the famous line Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis coined for watchdogs defending transparency: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”

Not sure if I offended, motivated or simply woke up some Chicago aldermen in a recent column when I dusted off the old Paudy Bauler cliché about City Council still not being ready for reform.

Suburban mayors typically regulate local liquor establishments. Taking campaign money from them is a blatant conflict of interest.