Women in government and politics Jennifer Halperin                  12 New members of Illinois House James Pollock                 17 Final report a thud: Task Force on School Finance Jennifer Halperin                 24 Illinois for Clinton and Braun, comparing regional strengths and past trends Paul M. Green                 25

Columns Politics Edgar's midterm menu Charles N. Wheeler III.           6 The state of the State Governor's task forces: Reflecting Edgar's vision for change, from health care to job training Beverley Scobell          8 Guest Column Stop applying 'business model' to education Donald Vanover            10 The Pulse Survey shows Braun supporters from all segments of electorate Ellen M. Dran            36 Chicago Bipartisan cooperation: that old-fashioned remedy for breaking stalemates Paul M. Green          38 Departments Letters           11 Legislative Action More early retirement approved by 87th Assembly Jennifer Halperin            30 Judicial Rulings F. Mark Siebert            31 Names            32 Book Reviews Wills on Lincoln and Gettysburg Todd Volker            33 State Reports Anna J. Merritt            34 State Stix Donald Sevener            35

February 1993/Illinois Issues/5

Readers:

How good it was to be at the banquet when the United Neighborhood Organization of Chicago honored a member of the Board of Illinois Issues, Elzie Higginbottom of Chicago, with its Economic Development Award.

UNO recognized him in December "for his groundbreaking work in housing rehabilitation combining for-profit and non-profit partners. He has demonstrated that profit and conscience can pull in the same direction."

Higginbottom is president and CEO of the East Lake Management and Development Corporation and a developer of low-to moderate-income housing in Chicago.

It was not the first time Higginbottom had received such significant recognition. In 1984, he received the first Minority Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

I add my congratulations to Higginbottom. We are very pleased he serves on Illinois Issues' Board, whose distinguished members (listed on the mast below) are influential in helping our staff identify the cutting edge of trends in Illinois.

It is also worth noting that Nina Shepherd, the former president of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and civic leader from Winnetka, joined our board last month. She is the only woman ever to have served as U of I Board of Trustees' president. So her experience in government and civic affairs add a new dimension to our board.

In this issue we continue to focus on this important time of transition in government. Included are sketches of new members of the Illinois House of Representatives — all 44 of them.

The face of state government is changing dramatically. More and more women are in positions of leadership in the executive branch, the legislature and now on the Supreme Court with the first woman justice, Mary Ann McMorrow, sworn in December 7. In our cover story, Statehouse Bureau Chief Jennifer Halperin examines the significance of the growing influence of women in state government.

February 1993/Illinois Issues/3